Can vitamin D supplementation in infancy prevent type 1 diabetes?

Abstract

Several recent European studies suggested that supplementing infants with vitamin D during their first year might prevent type 1 diabetes. A dose of 50 μg/day was associated with decreased diabetes risk in Finland, but the effectiveness of lower doses was not examined. The recommended dietary intake of vitamin D for U.S. infants is 5 μg/day and the tolerable upper level is 25 μg/day. There is no evidence that intakes between 5 and 25 μg/day would reduce diabetes incidence, but it would seem prudent to ensure that infants reach at least the lower end of this range. © 2002 International Life Sciences Institute.