{"id":27918,"date":"2026-07-20T10:18:15","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T14:18:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/?p=27918"},"modified":"2026-07-20T10:18:15","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T14:18:15","slug":"current-vitamin-d-recommendations-are-based-on-a-fundamental-statistical-mistake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/current-vitamin-d-recommendations-are-based-on-a-fundamental-statistical-mistake\/","title":{"rendered":"Current Vitamin D Recommendations Are Based on a Fundamental Statistical Mistake"},"content":{"rendered":"

From GrassrootsHealth<\/em><\/p>\n

Our heads of public health are continuing to distribute the wrong information<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Key Points<\/h3>\n
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  • Current vitamin D recommendations are based on a well-documented statistical error that underestimated the vitamin D needs of individuals.<\/li>\n
  • Dr. James Lyons-Weiler explains why using study averages instead of individual data led to RDAs and Upper Intake Levels that are too low for much of the population.<\/li>\n
  • His simple bridge-and-truck analogy illustrates how confusing group averages with individual variation can lead to flawed public health policy and real-world consequences.<\/li>\n
  • Despite more than a decade of published evidence confirming the mistake, federal vitamin D recommendations have yet to be updated to reflect current science.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Measure Your Vitamin D Level<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    \"\"GrassrootsHealth was honored to partner with James Lyons-Weiler, PhD, and\u00a0IPAK-EDU<\/a>\u00a0for our\u00a0Vitamin D Dosing Policy Update: An Expert Panel Discussion<\/em>, held on May 21, 2026. You can view the full 3 \u00bd hour policy discussion recording\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    We sincerely thank Dr. Lyons-Weiler for his partnership in hosting the event. He has long been an advocate for scientific integrity, transparency, and evidence-based public health policy, and his contributions to the discussion helped frame one of the central issues surrounding current vitamin D recommendations: the fact that\u00a0today\u2019s Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) and Upper Intake Level (UL) continue to rely on statistical methods that have long been shown to be incorrect<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    In this presentation, Dr. Lyons-Weiler explains, in a way that is accessible even to those without a statistical background, how a single inferential mistake continues to influence vitamin D policy today. His bridge and truck analogy described below provides one of the clearest illustrations available for understanding why the Institute of Medicine\u2019s original calculations underestimated the amount of vitamin D needed by most individuals.<\/p>\n

    You can watch Dr. James Lyons-Weiler\u2019s individual presentation below or continue reading for a detailed summary of his remarks.<\/em><\/p>\n