Other guidelines and recommendations on vitamin D in Europe have also been issued in recent years. In 2003, the UK Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals (EVM) had set a guidance level of 25 microgrammes/day for long-term vitamin D supplementation, the level used by UK manufacturers in determining what amount of vitamin D to include in their products.16

However, the EVM Guidance Level was superseded by risk assessments undertaken by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the Institute of Medicine (IOM), and these set a Safe Upper Level (UL) of 100 microgrammes/day by 2012. A further level was set in 2014 by Food Supplements Europe (FSE) referring to this revised 100 microgrammes/day UL.

Then in 2017, the Belgian and Dutch authorities announced their adoption of a 75 microgrammes/day level of vitamin D in food supplements.

Responding to these collectively, the associations representing dietary supplement manufacturers in the UK now announced (March 2018) an agreed common industry position of 75 microgrammes/day as the maximum level for vitamin D in a food supplement.

This will take into account:

·       the EFSA and IOM UL of 100 microgrammes/day for vitamin D;

·       intakes from food;

·       intakes from food including fortified food as well as future increases in intake resulting from increases in fortification practices, changing food habits and food choices;

·       an allowance for people taking a cod liver oil supplement as well as a multivitamin.

Customers taking long term vitamin D products should therefore be advised about the possibility of increased intake.