What Are the Differences Between Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3?
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Vitamin D is not just one vitamin. It has a number of vitamins that share similarities in their structure. Vitamin D2 and D3 are the most common types of vitamins found in your daily diet. While both of these help to meet the vitamin requirement of the body, they have certain differences.
In this article, we will see the difference between vitamin D2 and vitamin D3.
What Is Vitamin D2?
Vitamin D2, also known as ergocalciferol, helps the body to absorb calcium. It is also used as a treatment for hypoparathyroidism, rickets and hypophosphatemia. People with a vitamin D allergy or a high level of vitamin D or calcium should not consume this nutrient. Moreover, an overdose of ergocalciferol can cause severe or life-threatening adverse effects.
What Is Vitamin D3?
Vitamin D3, also called cholecalciferol, is a supplement which helps to absorb calcium by the body. Generally, vitamin D3 is used as a treatment for vitamin D deficiency, osteomalacia, and other related disorders. Some cholecalciferol contains ingredients such as soybean oil, peanut, aspartame, sugar or food dyes. Hence, make sure to consult a doctor before using the supplements if you have diabetes, phenylketonuria or allergies.
Differences Between Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3
The table below shows the main difference between vitamin D2 and D3 –
| Category | Vitamin D2 | Vitamin D3 |
| Generic name | Ergocalciferol | Cholecalciferol |
| Brand name | Drisol, Calciferol, Calcidol | Dialyvite D3 Max, Decara |
| Made from | Wild mushrooms, fortified foods like cereal and milk products | Animal sources like fish oil, liver, egg yolks and fatty fish |
| Used in the form of | Oral capsules, tablets and liquid solution | Sublingual liquid solution, Oral capsules, tablets and liquid solution |
| Treatment for | Hypoparathyroidism, Hypophosphatemia and Rickets | Hypoparathyroidism and vitamin D deficiency |
Additionally, vitamin D3 is used to prevent osteoporosis.
Now that you have the answer to your questions regarding “vitamin D2 vs vitamin D3”, let’s check out the benefits of each nutrient.
Benefits of Vitamin D2
The benefits of vitamin D2 are –
- Vitamin D2 helps in the formation and maintenance of strong bones.
- It is used as a treatment for hypothyroidism and softening of bones due to vitamin D deficiency (rickets).
- Ergocalciferol is also used to treat low phosphate levels in blood, known as hypophosphatemia.
Benefits of Vitamin D3
The benefits of vitamin D3 are mentioned below –
- It strengthens muscles and bones and boosts immunity.
- Vitamin D3 improves mood and lowers inflammation.
- Cholecalciferol or vitamin D3 improves the functioning of the heart.
The aforementioned information provides details about the difference between vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. Vitamin D2 and D3 are the most common dietary forms of vitamins. Eat plenty of vitamin-rich foods or spend some hours under the sun as these are some of the best sources of vitamin D. Furthermore, you should not consume excessive amounts of vitamin D2 and D3 supplements without a doctor's prescription.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the side effects of vitamin D3?
The side effects of vitamin D3 include chest pain, shortness of breath and growth problems for children.
What are some of the early symptoms of vitamin D deficiency?
Some of the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency are weakness, metallic taste in the mouth, bone or muscle pain, weight loss, nausea, constipation and vomiting.