What to do while the debate over vitamin D continues?

Confused about vitamin D?

It's easy to see why. One study says vitamin D supplements helps build strong bones. Another says it doesn't.

The UC Berkeley Wellness Letter looked at all the data and concluded that "the evidence overall supports the use of vitamin D supplements for bone health and muscle function."

But it's also crucial to get enough calcium.

Dr. John Swartzberg, head of the editorial board at the Wellness Letter, says it's difficult to get enough vitamin D in your diet without supplements.

"We remain pretty convinced that it's important to take supplements with vitamin D if you're got getting it through your diet," he said.

And remember, around here, we don't get enough sunlight most of the year for our skin to produce enough vitamin D.

How much do you need?

The Wellness Letter recommends 800 to 1,000 IU of vitamin D a day for most people.

The Institute of Medicine recommends 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day for women over 50 and men older than 70 and 1,000 milligrams for other adults.The goal is to get as much of that calcium as possible from your food.

More info:

Vitamin D debate Continues

Beyond Calcium: Bone Nutrition