As people become more and more receptive to the concept of preventive medicine, we no longer focus solely on the treatment of diseases, but hope to do something in advance to avoid the occurrence of diseases or reduce the chance of occurrence.
The main topic of this article is [vitamin D]. The incidence of severe vitamin D deficiency (25[OH]D ≤12 ng/mL) varies by race and ethnicity. The incidence rates are roughly as follows: non-Hispanic blacks (18%), non-Hispanic Asians (8%), and Hispanics (6%). The incidence rates of severe vitamin D deficiency are significantly higher than those of non-Hispanic whites (2%).
Previous medical studies have shown that vitamin D is an important component in regulating bone homeostasis in the body, and is helpful in establishing the body's biological clock, stabilizing emotions, stabilizing blood pressure, and so on. Epidemiological studies have found that lower blood vitamin D levels are associated with an increased risk of respiratory tract infections (RTIs), cardiovascular disease, malignant tumors, and metabolic diseases. However, due to the scarcity of studies on preventive interventions, there is currently no consensus on a clear blood vitamin D concentration threshold below which supplementary treatment should be provided.
Published in the International Indicators Journal in 2025 JAMA Network ofpaperThe research team referred to the newly added research data in recent years and updated the recommendations for vitamin D in disease prevention. The following are the key points:
In addition to the recommended daily intake (DRI),Specific ethnic groups, it is recommended to supplement vitamin D from special nutritional supplements without first testing the vitamin D concentration in the blood:
【Children aged 1 to 18】
Effect: Prevents rickets and may reduce the risk of respiratory infections.
Dosage: The average daily dose in clinical trials was 1200 IU, but the current recommended maximum daily dose is 600 IU.
【Adults aged 75 years and over】
Effect: May reduce risk of death.
Dosage: The average daily dose in clinical trials was 900 IU, but the current recommended maximum daily dose is 800 IU.
【Pregnant woman】
Effect: May reduce the risk of preeclampsia, intrauterine death, premature birth, fetal growth retardation, and neonatal death.
Dose: The average daily dose in clinical trials was 2500 IU (CR; moderate-quality evidence).
【Adults with prediabetes】
Effect: May reduce the risk of developing diabetes.
Dosage: The average daily dose in clinical trials was 3500 IU, but the current recommended maximum daily dose is 1000 IU.
From the above suggestions, we can find that compared with the currently available recommended daily intake of vitamin D, the dose that produces disease prevention effects in clinical trials is higher, which also means that we should rethink whether the calculation of the recommended daily intake should take disease risks into account more comprehensively; in addition, different skin colors will affect the rate at which sunlight promotes the production of vitamin D. Basically, the darker the skin color, the lower the incidence of skin cancer, but it will also reduce the rate of vitamin D production (see previousthis article), plus the main research groups in the referenced papers were mainly Caucasians, which means that for Asians, the required supplemental dose may be higher.
In summary, combined with my clinical experience, I believe that increasing the intake of vitamin D is very reasonable. Even for adults (19-74 years old), I will also recommend patients to take a higher dose of vitamin D during the clinic, which will help prevent diseases. However, if you don’t know how to supplement, it is recommended that you discuss it in detail with medical staff before making a decision!
〈The author is former Attending Physician in National Taiwan University Hospital, and Master of Science from National Taiwan University〉