Best Forms Of Vitamin D

What are the Best Forms of Vitamin D ?

DIFFERENT FORMS OF VITAMIN D : Well, you can’t set your mind at rest, yet… vitamin D has something more set aside for us. There are various types of it, indeed…

Vitamin D1 – a mixture of vitamin D2 and a substance called lumisterol.
Vitamin D2 – is made from ergosterol, which is a chemical that works in yeast and fungal cells like cholesterol in human cells.
Vitamin D3 – is made from cholesterol in the human and animal skin.
Vitamin D4 – a form of Vitamin D , also called 22-Dihydroergocalciferol.
Vitamin D5 – an analogue form of vitamin D, also called sitocalciferol

As you can see, Vitamin D is a generic name for a group of compounds…

Too Many to Remember?

Don’t worry. There is no need to know all of them with their specific properties.

Only two types of Vitamin D have practical importance for us:

D3 (cholecalciferol)

D2 (ergocalciferol)

(Calciferol is another name for Vitamin D ).

BUT WHAT IS VITAMIN D WHEN IT COMES IN THESE TWO DIFFERENT TYPES?

Well, it’s important to know the main Difference Between Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3 . Here’s a brief overview…

Difference Between Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3

Vitamin D3 : Cholecalciferol Molecule : D3 is a substance produced by the human and animal body under influence of the solar ultraviolet radiation.

In fact, only one of the forms of Vitamin D is made in the skin when our bodies are exposed to the sun. And this is D3.

For animals and birds, it occurs when the sun shines on their coat or feathers.

Synthetic Vitamin D3 is made similarly to how nature produces it in human and animal skin.

Synthetic D3 is typically extracted from animal products and packed into capsules.

Vitamin D2 : Ergocalciferol Molecule : D2 is formed in plants under the effect of UV radiation.

Vitamin D2 is also synthesized artificially.

The foods fortified with Vitamin D most often contain the D2.

Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3 – Does Your Body Absorb Them Equally?

It is important to know the difference between the absorption of Vitamin D2 versus Vitamin D3 by human body.

How else would you be able to make the right choice between them?

WHICH ONE IS BETTER TO ABSORB, VITAMIN D2 OR D3?

As you already know, there are two main types of Vitamin D .

Another name for Vitamin D is calciferol. So, we have two calciferols: Vitamin D3 is known as cholecalciferol, and Vitamin D2 is known as ergocalciferol.

25-hydroxycholecalciferol and 25-hydroxyergocalciferol are the two Vitamin D metabolites that are measured in blood serum to determine your Vitamin D status.

Although having similar chemical structures, the nature of these two calciferols is quite different.

Does this difference result in any significant impact on their absorption and metabolism in the human body?

Well, let’s start with what we know about the key features of these two Best Forms Of Vitamin D.

Cholecalciferol is called a true Vitamin D , because…

The human body produces it.It is a natural substance for human bodies. Biologically, it is formed within your skin cells as a reaction to sun exposure. High quality D3 supplements are produced in a similar way using proper animal sources. Activated Vitamin D3 acts as a hormone within your body and supports your health in many ways.

Ergocalciferol seems to be similar to cholecalciferol, but…

The human body doesn’t produce ergocalciferol.It doesn’t bind well to the receptors in your body tissues. It is formed in plants or fungi by exposure to the Ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. For nutritional supplements, Vitamin D2 is most often made artificially. It creates less positive effect in human body than D3.

These are quite fundamentals known "Difference Between Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3" from research.

Some researchers argue, however, that ergocalciferol is equally effective in humans as cholecalciferol. Why?

There are some historical reasons…

WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THE CLAIM THAT BOTH TYPES OF VITAMIN D ARE EQUAL?

When the chemical structures of cholecalciferol and ergocalciferol were made certain, researchers believed that the two Forms Of Vitamin D are equally potent in humans.

They assumed this based on the anti-rickets effect of Vitamin D .

Yet, it was in the 1930’s, and those results were gained from experiments in rats.

So it was only a speculation that both types of Vitamin D are equally effective also in humans. In fact, researchers didn’t have any factual evidence of this.

It seems that some sources are still using this obsolete information...

HAVE RESEARCHERS COME UP WITH SOMETHING DIFFERENT BY NOW?

New findings in the 1990’s revealed that there is a special factor in blood, which enables us to get to know our Vitamin D status.

What is it?

This factor is nothing else than a metabolite of Vitamin D (a substance produced by Vitamin D Metabolism). It’s called serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, or 25(OH)D, or calcidiol.

So, 25(OH)D is the factor that indicates working capacity of Vitamin D in your body.

Next question would be if there is any difference in that capacity?

Well, in 2010 researchers pointed out that the two Best Forms Of Vitamin D don’t have the same potential of raising and maintaining serum 25(OH)D.

According to the new findings, Vitamin D3 has nearly 90% more ability to raise and maintain 25(OH)D levels in blood than Vitamin D2.

This is a huge difference!

Therefore, it is advisable to be aware of these two types of Vitamin D when choosing your D supplements and go with the D3 if possible.

Just because Vitamin D3 is so much better absorbed and metabolized by your body than D2.

Best Forms Of Vitamin D

Difference Between Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3 : more differences?

It is true that many individuals make amalgam Vitamin D , Vitamin D2, Vitamin D3. In fact, Vitamin D2 and D3 are the two Forms Of Vitamin D that can take contained in the body. A Vitamin D Deficiency therefore occurs when the body lacks Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3.

Vitamin D2 : or vegetable vitamin D.

Vitamin D2 (called Ergocalciferol) is commonly called vegetable Vitamin D . It is found in certain plant foods such as mushrooms, yeasts and cereals. It plays a role in the same way as Vitamin D3 in bone formation and tooth consolidation.

Vitamin D3 : of animal origin.

The second Form Of Vitamin D is vitamin D3 (called cholecalciferol). It is found in certain foods of animal origin such as certain fish such as mullet, salmon, sardines, macros, tuna or some fish liver oils. Its production is favored by the sun.Indeed, under the action of ultraviolet in the sun's rays, our skin produces vitamin D3. For this reason, individuals with Vitamin D Deficiency are advised to take more exposure to the sun (30 to 45 minutes a day).

What are people's needs for Vitamin D ?

Vitamin D requirements vary by individual, age, weight, or sex.

However, we can provide some estimates:

For children, adolescents, men and women with no specific peculiarity: the needs are 10 micrograms. In pregnant or breastfeeding women, the daily needs are greater and amount to 10 μg.

Both the vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3 are used in Vitamin D Supplements.

But now the important part comes. Vitamin D absorption largely depends on its type.

The chemical structures of these two types of Vitamin D differ only a little.

Yet, as Vitamin D research indicates, when it comes to bioavailability, the D3 is clearly superior to the D2. Bioavailability is the extent to which a substance is taken up by body tissues and organs after administration.

So you really want to read labels! Make sure you check the list of ingredients before buying your Viitamin D Supplement.

Pay attention which forms of Vitamin D are present as they are not equal. They work differently in your body.

Best Forms Of Vitamin D | Main Difference Between Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3