A paper published late Dec 2010 has thrown a spanner in the works regarding Vitamin D availability. The researchers – well known in the world of Vitamin D studies have found that Vitamin D3 is far better absorbed in human subjects than Vit D2.[1] I had recently written on this following an earlier paper that suggested they were of equivalence – how time flies in science!
The nub of the study and the bit that as practitioners we all want to know is this:
D3 is approximately 87% more potent in raising and maintaining serum 25(OH)D concentrations and produces 2- to 3-fold greater storage of vitamin D than does equimolar D2. For neither was there evidence of sequestration in fat, as had been postulated for doses in this range. Given its greater potency and lower cost, D3 should be the preferred treatment option when correcting vitamin D deficiency.
So there you have it, an almost twice as effective process in terms of improving vitamin D status by the use of VitD3 – lets see what the next paper has to say?
Reference
[1] Heaney RP, Recker RR, Grote J, Horst RL, Armas LA. Vitamin D3 Is More Potent Than Vitamin D2 in Humans. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010 Dec 22. [Epub ahead of print] View Abstract
