COLUMBIA, Mo—A University of Missouri nutritional sciences study found vitamin D deficiency causes increased inflammation in healthy women. Increased concentrations of serum TNF-α, an inflammatory marker, were found in women who had insufficient vitamin D levels. This study (J Inflamm. 2008 Jul 24;5:10) is the first to find an inverse relationship between vitamin D levels and concentrations of TNF-α in a healthy, nondiseased population. This may explain the vitamin's role in the prevention and treatment of inflammatory diseases, including heart disease, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Catherine Peterson, assistant professor in the MU College of Human Environmental Sciences said the daily recommended allowance for vitamin D should be increased to at least 1000 IU per day. The Institute of Medicine's dietary reference intake (DRI) for vitamin D is 200 IU for people age 50 and younger and 400 IU for people 50 to 70 years old. The guidelines, created in 1997, are being revised to reflect new research. She suggests exposing 25 percent of the skin's surface area to 10 minutes of sunlight three days per week, eating foods that contain vitamin D such as fatty fish, using a vitamin D dietary supplements or eating vitamin D-fortified foods.