Tier 1 — highest

Vitamin D2 is as effective as vitamin D3 in maintaining circulating concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D

Michael F Holick, Rachael M Biancuzzo, Tai C Chen, Ellen K Klein, Azzie Young, Douglass Bibuld, Richard Reitz, Wael Salameh, Allen Ameri, Andrew D Tannenbaum
The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism 2008 93(3):677-81

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 18089691
PubMed Central
PMC2266966
DOI
10.1210/jc.2007-2308
Funding
Support is recorded from NCRR NIH HHS. See the original publication for grant and material-support details.
Competing interests
A competing-interest declaration is not available in the indexed abstract or accessible disclosure metadata.

Study snapshot

DesignRandomized controlled clinical trial
ModelHuman participants
SampleHealthy adults aged 18–84 in a randomized trial
InterventionD2 1,000 IU/day, D3 1,000 IU/day, 500 IU of each, or placebo
Duration11 weeks
EndpointsTotal and form-specific serum 25(OH)D

What the study showed, in plain terms

This publication examines total and form-specific serum 25(oh)d. Study population or evidence base: Healthy adults aged 18–84 in a randomized trial. Intervention or exposure: D2 1,000 IU/day, D3 1,000 IU/day, 500 IU of each, or placebo.

Key findings

At the tested low daily dose, D2 and D3 produced similar increases in total vitamin D status during this short trial.

What this study can and cannot tell us

A short biochemical study at one dose. It should be read with later meta-analyses that generally favor D3 across a broader range of trials.

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