IOM reconfirms the importance of calcium and vitamin D intake

Recently, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) examined and reconfirmed the importance of calcium and vitamin D throughout life in a report titled "Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D."

The review of scientific evidence confirms the important role that calcium and vitamin D play in the development and maintenance of strong bones at every age. As a result, the committee increased daily vitamin D recommendations for all ages and daily calcium recommendations for children ages 1 to 8 years.

"The bottom-line message from the IOM's highly technical report is that most people can meet these new recommendations through food sources, not supplements," said Lori Hoolihan, Ph.D., R.D., Nutrition Research Specialist with Dairy Council of California. "Because very high intakes of calcium and vitamin D do not provide greater benefit and can potentially cause harm, the report cautioned against the use of dietary supplements."

One cup of milk contains 100 international units (IU) of vitamin D and 300 milligrams of calcium. Three 8-ounce glasses of low-fat or fat-free milk can provide most people with the majority of the calcium and half of the vitamin D recommended daily by the IOM. Additional vitamin D can be obtained from salmon, tuna, sardines, fortified foods and by exposing the skin to sunlight.

"This is great news for budget-conscious consumers," said Andrea Garen, Registered Dietitian with Dairy Council of California. "At less than $0.25 per serving, drinking milk is an efficient and affordable way to meet these new recommendations. Plus, milk is a versatile ingredient with a wide range of uses in recipes for healthy, budget-friendly meals."