Excessive Vitamin D Dietary Supplementation Is Common in the U.S.

Known and purported benefits of sufficient vitamin D have caused some patients to believe that taking doses higher than the recommended daily intake (600 IU for adults ≤70, and 800 IU for those >70) adds even more value. In this study, investigators used a national health and nutrition survey database to identify about 5000 participants for each 2-year cycle of dietary assessment (from 1999 to 2014), for a total of 39,243 participants (mean age, 47).

In the 2013–2014 survey, the prevalence of daily supplemental intake ≥1000 IU vitamin D was 18.2%, and prevalence of intake ≥4000 IU was 3.2%. High intake was most common in women (25.9%), non-Hispanic whites (21.8%), and older participants (age, ≥70; 38.5%). Intake of ≥1000 IU increased signifi…