Linda D. Meyers,
Ph.D.
Director
Food and
Nutrition Board
Institute of
Medicine
National Academies
Dr. Meyers:
I recognize the FNB was not de
signed
to be responsive to public or professional challenges but rather an agency that
sets policy. However, with the recent studies published in the Am J Clin Nut regarding an immediate need to re-establish the RDA for vitamin D and the recent
analysis of 9 pooled studies which indicates >700 mg of supplemental vitamin
C can reduce the mortality rate by 30% over non-supplementing adults, should
provide impetus for FNB to at least respond by saying it is aware of these
scientific developments and intends to review them ASAP. Not to do this
brands FNB as a totally non-responsive scientific policy agent.
This is
not an issue like setting a policy on how to label canned peaches,
this is about people dying for a lack of this knowledge. Hypertension, strokes, heart
attacks all emanate from low consumption of these two essential vitamins.
Dragging your feet on this issue means people will suffer avoidable health
consequences. I urge FNB to take timely action, at least by saying the RDA
for these nutrients are under re-review.
It is apparent FNB has been
previously misled in regards to the value of
supplemental vitamin C (i.e. beyond 200 mg/day is excreted in the urine and is worthless) since the
studies now
disprove this! You certainly cannot
continue to publish an RDA for vitamin
C that was based upon flawed science.
Bill Sardi
Knowledge of Health,
Inc.
San Dimas, California