Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. If you need to take vitamin D supplements, you may encounter two different types on the drugstore shelf: vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. These two types are mainly differentiated by the fact that one is found in plants and the other is found in animals.
Both aid in the absorption of calcium , reduce the risk of bone loss osteoporosis , and help prevent vitamin D deficiency. But there are subtle differences that may inform your choice. Vitamin D has multiple benefits. It is a fat-soluble nutrient , meaning it is best consumed alongside high-fat foods much like oil, it does not dissolve in water.
Vitamin D is necessary for absorbing calcium and maintaining bone health. It can help you avoid developing osteoporosis, a disease that weakens and thins your bones, increasing the risk of them breaking. Vitamin D can help treat those with a parathyroid hormone deficiency, called hypoparathyroidism, since low parathyroid hormone levels can decrease calcium absorption. It also helps prevent rickets in children, which is characterized by softening and weakening bones due to a lack of vitamin D.
Additionally, vitamin D helps your muscles move, your immune system fight off viruses and bacteria, and carry messages between your body and your brain. Some research has linked low levels of vitamin D with a greater risk of depression, although clinical trials have not proven that vitamin D supplements can prevent or relieve symptoms. Vitamin D2 is also known as ergocalciferol. It was first described in medical literature in and has been on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines since this list was first published in The ergocalciferol found in vitamin D2 supplements is derived from certain mushrooms portobello, shiitake, crimini as well as alfalfa and a type of moss known as Cladina arbuscula.
When these plants are exposed to an industrial ultraviolet lamp, the ergocalciferol content increases to higher levels. Some foods are also fortified with vitamin D2. Vitamin D3 is also known as cholecalciferol. It is the type of vitamin D found in animal sources and created naturally in the human body when skin is exposed to sunlight.
The cholecalciferol in vitamin D3 supplements is a type of cholesterol derived from the lanolin in sheep's wool. There are also vegan-friendly D3 supplements available made from lichen.
In addition to fortified foods, vitamin D3 can be found in:. Approximately one billion people around the world have hypovitaminosis D, otherwise known as a vitamin D deficiency. Most people who are deficient don't experience symptoms.
However, some symptoms can include:. People who have limited sunlight exposure, have darker skin, have conditions that affect fat absorption, or have obesity are more at risk of developing a vitamin D deficiency and may want to consider supplementing. Older adults and children are also less likely to get enough vitamin D. Children who are deficient in vitamin D are at risk of developing a skeletal disorder called rickets. Rickets can cause weak, soft bones, stunted growth, and deformities in severe cases.
Because vitamin D is vital for calcium and phosphorus absorption—two essential nutrients for bone health—not having enough can make it challenging to maintain proper nutrient levels in the bones. Increasing vitamin D levels by spending more time in the sun, eating vitamin D-fortified foods, or taking vitamin D supplements can help treat rickets.
The Food and Nutrition Board has also set a tolerable upper intake level of 4, IU per day, but vitamin D toxicity is rare and many scientists believe that you would need to take doses in excess of 10, IU per day to develop symptoms of toxicity. Although you can safely take both vitamin D2 and D3 supplements, the effectiveness of the two forms of the vitamin differs.
Experts agree that vitamin D3 is a preferable choice over D2. Not only is D3 the form that occurs naturally in the human body but it also raises blood levels of vitamin D much more effectively. Most over-the-counter vitamin D supplements contain D3, but you should read product labels carefully to confirm what you are taking. Becky Bell is a registered dietitian with experience in the areas of diabetes, chronic kidney disease and general nutrition.
Related Articles. Thiazide diuretics, such as hydrochlorothiazide, may increase the chance of vitamin D raising calcium levels in the blood to a dangerously high level. Patients on both thiazide diuretics and vitamin D supplementation should be monitored for this effect by their healthcare provider. Some drugs may decrease the absorption and effectiveness of your vitamin D supplement. Bile-acid sequestrants, such as cholestyramine, are an example of a drug which will impair vitamin D absorption.
Vitamin D and cholestyramine should not be administered at the same time. The following table may not be a complete list of drug interactions. Please consult your pharmacist or healthcare provider for more information and a complete list of interactions. Vitamin D toxicity may occur with excessively high doses. Symptoms could include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, constipation, dehydration, fatigue, and confusion. Due to the fact that vitamin D is a fat-soluble drug, the effects of vitamin D therapy can last 2 months or more after therapy is discontinued.
It is also important to know the vitamin D content of other supplements you may be taking, such as a daily multivitamin. Vitamin D D2—ergocalciferol is a vitamin D supplement available in both prescription and over-the-counter formulations.
It is available in oral tablets and capsules, as well as an oral solution. Vitamin D2 comes from plant sources and is the most common form of vitamin D found in fortified foods. Vitamin D3 cholecalciferol is an over-the-counter vitamin D supplement available in a variety of strengths. It is available in oral tablets and capsules, as well as oral and sublingual solutions.
When we refer to vitamin D, we are talking about Vitamin D2. Vitamin D2 and D3 are both widely used vitamin D supplements but are not the same.
Vitamin D2 is ergocalciferol and comes from plant-based sources. Vitamin D3 is cholecalciferol and comes from animal-based sources. Both supplements are processed in the body by the liver to hydroxyvitamin D, though vitamin D3 is thought to provide higher levels of 25D.
Some formulations of vitamin D2 are prescription only, while all formulations of vitamin D3 are over-the-counter. Vitamin D and D3 are each processed in the body by the liver to hydroxyvitamin D2 and hydroxyvitamin D3 respectively.
Vitamin D and vitamin D3 are safe to take when pregnant and monitored by a doctor. Your doctor may recommend a daily supplement dose and should monitor for signs of a rare vitamin D toxicity.
Vitamin D and vitamin D3 are safe to take if you consume alcohol. Both substances are metabolized primarily by the liver, so liver function should be monitored by a healthcare professional. Vitamin D D2 and vitamin D3 are each effective vitamin D supplements.
Vitamin D2 is approved in the treatment of hypoparathyroidism, vitamin D resistant rickets, and hypophosphatemia. Both supplements are commonly used for vitamin D supplementation. There are many health benefits to vitamin D supplementation, but your doctor should use lab tests to recommend the amount of vitamin D you should take and which form.
Vitamin D3 is most commonly used as a dietary supplement of vitamin D. It aids in the absorption of calcium and may be helpful in the prevention of osteoporosis and osteomalacia. Your doctor may determine your vitamin D recommendation based on lab work. Among some health professionals, there may be a perception that vitamin D2 is more effective because it is available by prescription only, even though studies have shown this is not necessarily true.
Vitamin D2 may also be a lower cost to the patient, especially when covered in part or full by their insurance. Increasing vitamin D intake is thought to improve energy.
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