Don't go wrong with vitamin D

“Plant” vitamin D2, commonly prescribed and offered in supplements, could weaken our immune defenses by reducing vitamin D3 levels.

For decades, health authorities considered vitamins D2 and D3 to be equivalent and interchangeable. This presumption…

  • References

  • Historical

  1. Brown EIG, Darling AL, Robertson TM, et al. Effect of Vitamin D2 Supplementation on 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 Status: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutr Rev. 2025.

  2. Tripkovic L, Lambert H, Hart K, et al. Comparison of vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 supplementation in raising serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D status: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2012;95(6):1357-1364.

  3. Houghton LA, Vieth R. The case against ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) as a vitamin supplement. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006;84(4):694-697.

  4. Albarri et al. Effectiveness of vitamin D2 compared with vitamin D3 replacement therapy in a primary healthcare setting: a retrospective cohort study. Qatar Med J. 2022.

  5. Durrant et al. Vitamins D2 and D3 Have Overlapping But Different Effects on the Human Immune System Revealed Through Analysis of the Blood Transcriptome. Forehead. Immunol., February 24, 2022.

  6. Zhou et al. The effect of vitamin D2 on lipid profile, anthropometric indices, blood pressure, and inflammatory and glycemic biomarkers in humans: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Prostaglandins & Other Lipid Mediators. 2024.

  7. Lai J, Yu X, Prabahar K, et al. Effects of Vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol) on Parathyroid Hormone, Calcium, and Phosphorus in Humans: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutr Rev. 2025.

  8. Ponda et al. The short-term effects of vitamin D repletion on cholesterol: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2013.

  9. Grady LT, Thakker KD. Stability of solid drugs: degradation of ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) at high humidity and elevated temperatures. Drug Dev Ind Pharm. 1980;6(1):25-35.

  10. Cipriani C, Romagnoli E, Pepe J, et al. Long-term bioavailability after a single oral or intramuscular administration of 600,000 IU of ergocalciferol or cholecalciferol: implications for treatment and prophylaxis. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2013;98(7):2709-2715.

  • Current version

    11/26/2025

    Updated by Collectif laNutrition

  • on 11/24/2025

    Publication by Thierry Souccar


    Journalist and scientific author, director of laNutrition.fr

Laura
Laura

I'm Laura, the founder of Vegetarians.co.nz and a devoted vegetarian for over a decade, who turned her passion for a plant-based lifestyle into a platform to inspire and guide others. My journey has taught me the importance of nourishing the body with wholesome foods, and through our site, I aim to share this knowledge and help you discover the joy of vegetarian living.

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