Evidently, Americans are using supplements rather smartly to help them get the right amount of calcium and vitamin D they need, according to a Journal of Nutrition study that examined how people get these vital minerals in the supplements and foods they eat every day. This study is an important one, in that scientists considered all sources of vitamin D and calcium when reviewing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Babies and toddlers had the highest intakes of vitamin D and calcium overall through the foods they eat. Once those babies grew up to teenagers and adults, however, adequate daily levels of either nutrient among Americans plummeted.

That said, supplement use made a real difference. In one age group -- young adult women ages 19-30 -- supplementation nearly doubled the number of patients who got the right amount of vitamin D every day (41 percent) as compared to those who received it from their diets alone (21 percent). And, supplementation improved the healthy intake of calcium among men in the 51-70 age range by 10 percent, compared to guys who did it on diet alone.

When in doubt, it's a smarter choice to rely on the experts like Harvard University Medical School, not Reader's Digest, for the sake of your health.

Journal of Nutrition, Vol. 140, No. 4, pp. 817-822, April 2010

NutraIngredients-USA.com April 1, 2010