Pale People at Risk for Vitamin D Deficiency
October 8, 2011
Michael F. Holick, MD, PhD, director of the vitamin D skin and bone research lab at Boston University, says that vitamin D supplementation may be even more important for people who are pale.
Holick says that we all need more vitamin D than the IOM calls for. "Take a supplement, and if you want sensible sun exposure that is fine too," he says.
Vitamin D expert Bruce W. Hollis, PhD, of the Medical College of South Carolina in Charleston, also urges people to take more vitamin D. He recommends guidelines released by the Endocrine Society that state that:
� Children older than 12 months and adults need at least 600 IU of vitamin D per day.
� Adults older than 70 require at least 800 IU.
� Adults at risk for vitamin D deficiency may need at least 1,500 IU daily to maintain blood levels above 30 ng/ml.
"These are the guidelines we should follow," Hollis says. "These guidelines may be even more important in people with pale skin who habitually avoid any unprotected sun exposure."

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Posted by Ken at 12:00 AM