A couple of days back the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) decided to double the amount of vitamin D it recommended for infants, children and adolescents. And the new guidelines suggest an intake of 400 IU of vitamin D per day, as against 200 IU per day, recommended earlier, which may be met by an appropriate dietary supplement.
The Endocrine Society had earlier raised doubts about the previous Vitamin D recommendations not being sufficient even to the extent of ensuring essential levels needed by children.
Apparently, the new guidelines are a fallout of a realization that there was a wide ranging deficiency of Vitamin D in infants, children, and adolescents, leading to a large number of cases or Rickets in the US. The new recommendations to provide health supplements to children applies from the first few days of an infant's life.
Recent studies have shown that 400 units of vitamin D a day will benefit the kids two-fold. One is by preventing rickets, and two by treating it.
Also, since it's difficult to assess a safe level of sunlight exposure to an individual to help vitamin D production, making up for it with health supplements of the vitamin is a easy way meet the body's requirements.
Rickets in children and adolescents is the primary reason why kids should take sufficient amounts of the vitamin. Aside from nutritional supplements, Vitamin D is also found in dairy products (viz. cheese, butter, cream, fortified milk), fish, oysters, fortified cereals and margarine. But the diet supplements are always an option, effective enough.
Kids aside, consuming the needed amounts of vitamin D may prevent adults from developing osteoporosis. And staying in line with keeping ourselves healthy, check out the 10 tips for preserving health.
The Endocrine Society had earlier raised doubts about the previous Vitamin D recommendations not being sufficient even to the extent of ensuring essential levels needed by children.
Apparently, the new guidelines are a fallout of a realization that there was a wide ranging deficiency of Vitamin D in infants, children, and adolescents, leading to a large number of cases or Rickets in the US. The new recommendations to provide health supplements to children applies from the first few days of an infant's life.
Recent studies have shown that 400 units of vitamin D a day will benefit the kids two-fold. One is by preventing rickets, and two by treating it.
Also, since it's difficult to assess a safe level of sunlight exposure to an individual to help vitamin D production, making up for it with health supplements of the vitamin is a easy way meet the body's requirements.
Rickets in children and adolescents is the primary reason why kids should take sufficient amounts of the vitamin. Aside from nutritional supplements, Vitamin D is also found in dairy products (viz. cheese, butter, cream, fortified milk), fish, oysters, fortified cereals and margarine. But the diet supplements are always an option, effective enough.
Kids aside, consuming the needed amounts of vitamin D may prevent adults from developing osteoporosis. And staying in line with keeping ourselves healthy, check out the 10 tips for preserving health.
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