How much vitamin D, calcium is right ?


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(CNN) -- Vitamin D and calcium have long been touted as the best nutrients for strong bones, muscles and teeth. Recent studies have shown that vitamin D could be used to fight cancer, heart ailments, autoimmune diseases, even diabetes.

But too much vitamin D can damage the kidneys and the heart. So what's the right balance?

After reviewing nearly 1,000 published studies on vitamin D and calcium, the Institute of Medicine on Tuesday recommended that most Americans and Canadians up to age 70, who are not pregnant, need no more than 600 international units (IUs) of vitamin D per day to maintain good health. People over age 70 may need as much as 800 IUs.

A three-ounce serving of canned tuna contains about 200 IUs, the standard unit for vitamin D and many other nutrients.

The Institute of Medicine, an independent nonprofit agency, serves as an adviser to the U.S. government to improve health.

The agency's calcium recommendations vary based on age and pregnancy, and range from 700 to 1,300 milligrams per day. One cup of whole milk, for instance, contains around 300 milligrams of calcium.

Sunlight is the best source of vitamin D, but not everyone receives the same exposure. According to the intitute, the new guidelines for vitamin D cover the needs of individuals who get little sun.

The minimum recommended amount of daily sunlight depends on your skin pigmentation. White people should get not less than 5 minutes without sunscreen. People of color should get 15 to 20 minutes. There is no recommended maximum.

Nutritionists recommend getting the rest of your vitamin D and calcium through foods, such as oily fish (salmon, tuna), milk, mushrooms, egg yolks and fortified cereal.

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I think it's safe to take as much vitamins as you want, if they come with natural food, because any excess will be returned... as for diet suplements among other things, I've never taken those and I'm feeling just fine.

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I think it's safe to take as much vitamins as you want, if they come with natural food, because any excess will be returned... as for diet suplements among other things, I've never taken those and I'm feeling just fine.

I agree completely, you can never take too many vitamins. Infact most people don't have enough and are often malnourished!

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I agree completely, you can never take too many vitamins. Infact most people don't have enough and are often malnourished!

assuming you mean supplements, not whole foods, yes you can take too many vitamins. you can get sick from it, it's called vitamin poisoning. death is rare, but possible

You can take as much Water soluble vitamins as you like, like Vitamin C. You pee it out.

Fat soluble, or not water soluble, you have to be careful because your body will store it. Too much=Toxicity

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