The Research on Vitamin D3 vs. D2

One area that the medical field and the health gurus agree: vitamin D3 is better absorbed and utilized than vitamin D2. Four studies are constantly referenced when the best type of vitamin D is discussed (1-4); here’s a quick look at those studies.

Study 1: 4,000 IU vitamin D3 and D2 supplementation was given to 55 and 17 subjects respectively; the study lasted 14 days.

Study 2: 50,000 IU of each form of vitamin D was given to two groups of 10 men once; the men were followed for the next 28 days to monitor changes in vitamin D levels.

Study 3: 95 inpatients with hip fractures were randomly assigned to receive 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 or vitamin D2; the subjects were tracked for three months.

Study 4: 32 elderly women, split into groups of eight subjects, were given 300,000 IU of vitamin D3 or D2 orally or via muscular injection; they were monitored for the next 60 days.

The results from each study concluded that vitamin D3 was better than vitamin D2 at raising serum vitamin D levels. Is this the final conclusion that can be reached? Could there be questions that weren’t answered in these or any studies so far? I’ll let you know on Saturday.

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Dr. Chet

 

References:
1. Am J Clin Nutr. 1998 Oct;68(4):854-8.
2. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2004 Nov;89(11):5387-91.
3. Bone. 2009 Nov;45(5):870-5.
4. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2008. 93:3015-3020.