Overview of the proceedings from Experimental Biology 2005 symposium: Optimizing Vitamin D Intake for Populations with Special Needs: Barriers to Effective Food Fortification and Supplementation.

The article overviews the proceedings of the 2005 Experimental Biology Symposium titled "Optimizing Vitamin D Intake for Populations with Special Needs: Barriers to Effective Food Fortification and Supplementation." The symposium examines the reasons why there are many barriers in the provisions of enough vitamin D foods in compliance of the newly emerging recommendations about vitamin D nutrition. In addition, it also canvasses on the current upper intake level of vitamin D. Concerns on darkly pigmented skin which blocks cutaneous Vitamin D synthesis is also examined.