People who are HIV positive may require as much as three times the standard RDA for the sunshine vitamin in order to get maximum vitamin D benefits, according to an expert panel representing the Endocrine Society.
In a report published in the June 6 edition of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, a panel of Endocrine Society experts noted that because certain HIV medications including Sustiva and Atripla lower blood levels of D vitamin, the ideal intake for HIV positive people may be much higher than that of HIV negative people.
The panel recommended that the ideal vitamin D intake adults who are HIV positive or who are obese may be as high as 6,000 to 10,000 IU per day. The panel also suggested that the ideal intake for HIV negative adults may be as high as 1,500 to 2,000 IU per day.
These figures constitute a major increase over the 400 IU per day recently recommended by the Institute of Medicine.
The panel also recommended routine vitamin D deficiency screening for HIV positive people who are taking antiretroviral medication, as well as for people who are obese or are over 50 years of age.
The panel stressed that most people are not getting enough of the vitamin through traditional sources, including sun exposure. While exposure to sun triggers the body to product it’s own supplies of D vitamin, regular use of sunscreen with a sun protection factor of 30 or greater can reduce the amount of D vitamin produced by as much as 95 percent.
In addition, the panel said, the consumption of vitamin D fortified dairy products has dropped in recent years, as has the consumption of fatty fish and other foods that naturally contain the vitamin.
Vitamin D deficiency, which the panel defined as less than 20 nanograms per milligrams of serum, is a worldwide concern. People who live in northern climates and those who spend very little time outdoors are considered at higher risk for deficiency, as are those who have dark skin, are obese, or are over 50 years of age.
A growing body of research indicates that Vitamin D, long recognized as crucial to the development and maintenance of strong bones, is also key to effective immune system function. A 2010 Copenhagen study showed that without sufficient D vitamin levels in the blood, the “T” cells that protect the body by identifying and attacking pathogens such as bacteria and viruses, will not perform efficiently. According to the Dutch research, the T cells rely on vitamin D to activate.
