Vitamin D and calcium supplements are often unnecessary because most Americans receive enough vitamin D and calcium through diet and natural sources like sunshine, according to a report from the Institute of Medicine.
The validity of the report, which also says that the supplements may put people at a higher risk of chronic diseases and cancers, has been questioned by the Council for Responsible Nutrition, the dietary supplement's trade group. In recent years, vitamin D and calcium sales have rapidly grown, with sales reaching $430 million in 2009.
The panel's new recommendations for daily intakes of calcium and vitamin D will have an effect on the recommended daily allowances found in packaged foods and within the make-up of federal school lunch programs.
It will be interesting to see how the report and its findings affect the way the dietary supplement industry communicates and markets to consumers.