This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a related Letter to the Editor Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Holick, M. F. Articles by Tannenbaum, A. D. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Holick, M. F. Articles by Tannenbaum, A. D. Pubmed/NCBI databases Compound via MeSH Substance via MeSH Hazardous Substances DB CHOLECALCIFEROL VITAMIN D2 Related Collections Calcium and Bone Metabolism

Vitamin D₂ Is as Effective as Vitamin D₃ in Maintaining Circulating Concentrations of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D

Endocrine Section (M.F.H., R.M.B., T.C.C., E.K.K., A.A., A.D.T.), Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118; Mattapan Community Health Center (A.Y., D.B.), Mattapan, Massachusetts 02126; and Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute (R.R., W.S.), San Juan Capistrano, California 92675

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Michael F. Holick, Boston University School of Medicine, 715 Albany Street, M-1013, Boston, Massachusetts 02118. E-mail: mfholick{at}bu.edu.

Context: Two reports suggested that vitamin D₂ is less effective than vitamin D₃ in maintaining vitamin D status.

Objective: Our objective was to determine whether vitamin D₂ was less effective than vitamin D₃ in maintaining serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels or increased the catabolism of 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃.

Subjects and Design: This was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded study of healthy adults ages 18–84 yr who received placebo, 1000 IU vitamin D₃, 1000 IU vitamin D₂, or 500 IU vitamin D₂ plus 500 IU vitamin D₃ daily for 11 wk at the end of the winter.

Results: Sixty percent of the healthy adults were vitamin D deficient at the start of the study. The circulating levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (mean ± SD) increased to the same extent in the groups that received 1000 IU daily as vitamin D₂ (baseline 16.9 ± 10.5 ng/ml; 11 wk 26.8 ± 9.6 ng/ml), vitamin D₃ (baseline 19.6 ± 11.1 ng/ml; 11 wk 28.9 ± 11.0 ng/ml), or a combination of 500 IU vitamin D₂ and 500 IU vitamin D₃ (baseline 20.2 ± 10.4 ng/ml; 11 wk 28.4 ± 7.7 ng/ml). The 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ levels did not change in the group that received 1000 IU vitamin D₂ daily. The 1000 IU dose of vitamin D₂ or vitamin D₃ did not raise 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in vitamin D-deficient subjects above 30 ng/ml.

Conclusion: A 1000 IU dose of vitamin D₂ daily was as effective as 1000 IU vitamin D₃ in maintaining serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and did not negatively influence serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ levels. Therefore, vitamin D₂ is equally as effective as vitamin D₃ in maintaining 25-hydroxyvitamin D status.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. M Lee, A. Tajar, A. Ulubaev, N. Pendleton, T. W O'Neill, D. B O'Connor, G. Bartfai, S. Boonen, R. Bouillon, F. F Casanueva, et al. Association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and cognitive performance in middle-aged and older European men J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, July 1, 2009; 80(7): 722 - 729. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. B. Khazai, S. E. Judd, L. Jeng, L. L. Wolfenden, A. Stecenko, T. R. Ziegler, and V. Tangpricha Treatment and Prevention of Vitamin D Insufficiency in Cystic Fibrosis Patients: Comparative Efficacy of Ergocalciferol, Cholecalciferol, and UV Light J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., June 1, 2009; 94(6): 2037 - 2043. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Hiremath, D Cettomai, M Baynes, J. Ratchford, S Newsome, D Harrison, D Kerr, B. Greenberg, and P. Calabresi Vitamin D status and effect of low-dose cholecalciferol and high-dose ergocalciferol supplementation in multiple sclerosis Multiple Sclerosis, June 1, 2009; 15(6): 735 - 740. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K. M Seamans and K. D Cashman Existing and potentially novel functional markers of vitamin D status: a systematic review Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, June 1, 2009; 89(6): 1997S - 2008S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Massart and J.-C. Souberbielle Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Immunoassays: Recommendations for Correct Clinical Interpretation Clin. Chem., June 1, 2009; 55(6): 1247 - 1248. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Chan, K. Jaceldo-Siegl, and G. E Fraser Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D status of vegetarians, partial vegetarians, and nonvegetarians: the Adventist Health Study-2 Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, May 1, 2009; 89(5): 1686S - 1692S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. F. Holick MrOs Is D-ficient J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., April 1, 2009; 94(4): 1092 - 1093. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. N. Nguyen, A. Slominski, W. Li, Y. R. Ng, and R. C. Tuckey Metabolism of Vitamin D2 to 17,20,24-Trihydroxyvitamin D2 by Cytochrome P450scc (CYP11A1) Drug Metab. Dispos., April 1, 2009; 37(4): 761 - 767. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Orwoll, C. M. Nielson, L. M. Marshall, L. Lambert, K. F. Holton, A. R. Hoffman, E. Barrett-Connor, J. M. Shikany, T. Dam, J. A. Cauley, et al. Vitamin D Deficiency in Older Men J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., April 1, 2009; 94(4): 1214 - 1222. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. M Smith, K. K Gardner, J. Locke, and S. R Zwart Vitamin D supplementation during Antarctic winter Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, April 1, 2009; 89(4): 1092 - 1098. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. A. Bischoff-Ferrari, W. C. Willett, J. B. Wong, A. E. Stuck, H. B. Staehelin, E. J. Orav, A. Thoma, D. P. Kiel, and J. Henschkowski Prevention of Nonvertebral Fractures With Oral Vitamin D and Dose Dependency: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials Arch Intern Med, March 23, 2009; 169(6): 551 - 561. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S J Costelloe, E Woolman, S Rainbow, L Stratiotis, G O'Garro, S Whiting, and M Thomas Is high-throughput measurement of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 without 25-hydroxyvitamin D2 appropriate for routine clinical use? Ann Clin Biochem, January 1, 2009; 46(1): 86 - 87. [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Bikle Nonclassic Actions of Vitamin D J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., January 1, 2009; 94(1): 26 - 34. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. H. Lee, J. H. O'Keefe, D. Bell, D. D. Hensrud, and M. F. Holick Vitamin D Deficiency: An Important, Common, and Easily Treatable Cardiovascular Risk Factor? J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., December 9, 2008; 52(24): 1949 - 1956. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A.E. Kearns and D.F. Kallmes Osteoporosis Primer for the Vertebroplasty Practitioner: Expanding the Focus Beyond Needles and Cement AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., November 1, 2008; 29(10): 1816 - 1822. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Leventis and S. Patel Clinical aspects of vitamin D in the management of rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatology, November 1, 2008; 47(11): 1617 - 1621. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. P. Heaney Vitamin D in Health and Disease Clin. J. Am. Soc. Nephrol., September 1, 2008; 3(5): 1535 - 1541. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. F. Holick Vitamin D and Sunlight: Strategies for Cancer Prevention and Other Health Benefits Clin. J. Am. Soc. Nephrol., September 1, 2008; 3(5): 1548 - 1554. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Romagnoli, M. L. Mascia, C. Cipriani, V. Fassino, F. Mazzei, E. D'Erasmo, V. Carnevale, A. Scillitani, and S. Minisola Short and Long-Term Variations in Serum Calciotropic Hormones after a Single Very Large Dose of Ergocalciferol (Vitamin D2) or Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3) in the Elderly J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., August 1, 2008; 93(8): 3015 - 3020. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. Cantor Shedding Light on Vitamin D and Integrative Oncology Integr Cancer Ther, June 1, 2008; 7(2): 81 - 89. [Abstract] [PDF]

				Vitamin D2 vs. Vitamin D3 Supplementation -- Does It Matter? Journal Watch (General), March 25, 2008; 2008(325): 2 - 2. [Full Text]