Expert calls on government to increase recommended daily vitamin D intake

Nov 17 2008

Today, the Indoor Tanning Association (ITA) asked Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, why he is suing a local tanning salon owner for claiming that tanning provides vitamin D, when Vitamin D experts at the University of California Riverside are saying the same thing?

Anthony Norman, a distinguished professor emeritus of biochemistry and of biomedical sciences at UC Riverside, is co-leading a group of 18 researchers in a "call to action" recommending that the daily intake of vitamin D for adults be revised by the government to 2000 international units (IU). Currently, the recommended daily intake of vitamin D is 200 IU for people up to 50 years old; 400 IU for people 51 to 70 years old; and 600 IU for people over 70 years old.

According to a press release from the UC Riverside Newsroom, "Norman explained that a 2000 IU daily intake of vitamin D can be achieved by a combination of sunshine, food, supplements, and possibly even limited tanning exposure."

New studies suggest that vitamin D, which is produced by the skin when exposed to UV light, protects against a number of cancers, including colon and breast cancer, and also decreases the risk of heart disease.

"In light of new and mounting scientific evidence concerning the possible heath benefits from exposure to UV light that stimulates vitamin D production in the body, Attorney General Abbot should rethink his case," said ITA President Dan Humiston. "Laws denying tanning salon owners the ability to truthfully tout the benefits of vitamin D are outdated. Now that we know moderate exposure to UV light stimulates vitamin D production, there is no reason that we shouldn't be able to make our customers aware of that fact."

The Indoor Tanning Association represents thousands of indoor tanning manufacturers, distributors, facility owners and members from other support industries. The ITA promotes a responsible message about moderate tanning and sunburn prevention.