From The June 2000 Issue of Nutrition Science News

Natural News

Panel Hones Antioxidant Intake Levels

WASHINGTON—Americans' Dietary Reference Intake (DRIs) of best-seller antioxidant vitamins C, E and selenium may increase slightly under conservative recommendations from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, based here.

However, for the first time, they will also face "tolerable upper intake levels" based on concern that megadoses can cause adverse health effects.

The independent panel, which has guided policy-makers since 1941 on recommended daily allowances—now called DRIs—calls for more human clinical research on antioxidants.

"Does taking larger doses of dietary anti-oxidants help limit the gradual buildup of cellular damage that one day may turn into chronic diseases?" asks panel chair Norman I. Krinsky, also a professor of biochemistry at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston. "Too little is known at present to provide a definitive answer."

The panel's recommendations include:

• Vitamin C: Increase from 60 mg/day to 75 mg/day for women and 90 mg/day for men. Smokers should take an additional 35 mg/day. The upper intake level would be 2,000 mg/day.
• Vitamin E: Increase from 15 IU/day to
  22 IU/day, with a ceiling of 1,500IU/day.
• Selenium: Increase from 40 to 55 mcg/day, with a ceiling of 400 mcg/day.