Many Americans Still Seriously Lacking in Vitamin D

Despite the constantly growing body of research backing the necessity and benefits of vitamin D, 7 out of 10 Americans still don't get enough of the vitamin in their diets according to a recent report. The report was conducted by the Dietary Guidelines Committee Advisory and published in the “2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.”

The report showed that 70% of Americans over the age of 2 are not getting enough vitamin D in their diet and those numbers only increase with age. For people over the age of 50, for example, just 10% met the daily recommendations.

Vitamin D is best known for its bone health benefits but this year an abundance of research emerged on its other health properties including maintaining a healthy immune system, normal muscle function and keeping teeth and gums healthy.

It is important to remember that getting your daily dose of vitamin D is difficult through sunshine alone, especially as we age and our skin becomes less efficient at synthesizing the vitamin. For this reason it may be beneficial to add more vitamin D fortified foods to your diet such as dairy and cereals.

Milk is the largest source of vitamin D in the American diet. Drinking three glasses per day of low-fat or fat-free milk may provide 75% of the daily recommended value of vitamin D. The current recommendation is 600 IU for those under the age of 70, and 800 IU for those over the age of 70.