Vitamin D and Calcium Supplements Are Unnecessary: Too Much Can Cause Harm
A new report by a panel of experts claims that most Americans and Canadians get sufficient vitamin D and calcium in their diets, and that supplementary vitamin D and calcium may do more harm than good. The report , issued by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Science, states that most Americans and Canadians up to age 70 need no more than 600 international units (IUs) of vitamin D per day to maintain health, and those 71 and older may need as much as 800 IUs. The reports says the amount of calcium needed ranges, based on age, from 700 to 1,300 milligrams per day. The experts state that too much calcium from dietary supplements has been associated with kidney stones, while excessive vitamin D can damage the kidneys and heart.