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Supplementation nowadays has become like rocket science to some people. “My favorite influencer keeps telling me I should use vitamin D, but I see regular Vitamin D, vitamin D3, vitamin D2, and even calcium are recommended. Which one should I pick?!”. We understand that it’s hard to make a choice here. All of those difficult studies from Harvard, NCBI, etc. won’t help much. That’s why we’re here to translate those difficult articles into easy-to-understand information.
To get things out of the way: if you’re looking for a supplement such as vitamin D, always look for vitamin D3. While vitamin D2 and D3 are both able to raise blood levels of vitamin D, vitamin D3 is much more effective.
Our main purpose for today is to get regular teenagers more informed about the difference between these 3/4, leaving them with all the information they need to decide on their supplementation. Make sure to read our previous blog about vitamin D first, before diving into this one. A basic level of knowledge is mandatory to understand everything that’s being said here. It can go too fast if you don’t have a basic level of knowledge.
What Is The Difference Between Vitamin D, D3 and Calcium? Let’s find out!
Vitamin D vs. D3 vs. Calcium: How to Choose the Right One
What Is Vitamin D?
Here again, in short, vitamin D in the human body.
Role
The main function of vitamin D is regulating the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body. These nutrients are essential to keep bones, teeth, and muscles healthy. A lack of vitamin D therefore harms calcium regulation, resulting in weaker bones and being more prone to injury. Hey, that’s the first connection between them.
Sources
Vitamin D comes from multiple nutrition sources, such as plant-based sources like mushrooms (which are rich in vitamin D2), and animal-based sources like eggs, meat, liver, etc. However, there are 2 more efficient methods of vitamin D intake. In chronological order, these are:
- Sunlight exposure
- Vitamin D3 supplements
- Nutrition rich in vitamin D2/3
Why are these sources more efficient? At first: vitamin D2 is not produced by the human body, and therefore not really recognized by your vitamin D receptors. To get to your daily goal of 100mg of vitamin D just by nutrition, you would need to eat an unsustainable amount of vitamin D-rich foods.
With supplements, you’re able to get to your daily goals of vitamin D with a lot less effort. Never substitute your regular nutrition with supplements. For just vitamin D, you can, but for other nutrients like protein and fats, you should eat whole foods. It’s not called “supplementation”, just for fun.
Sunlight Exposure
The most natural source of vitamin D is sunlight exposure. Vitamin D is made from cholesterol when it’s exposed to the sun. The sun’s ultraviolet rays (UVB) hit cholesterol cells, providing the energy for vitamin D synthesis to occur. The same effect is reached by vitamin D3 supplementation, but natural intake is always better than artificial intake.
Forms
For vitamin D, there are 2 forms. Vitamin D2 has been used in nutrition in the past. Nowadays, it can still be found in mushrooms but is mainly replaced by vitamin D3, as it is much more absorbable for the human body.
Vitamin D3 comes from multiple sources. Fatty fish, eggs, meat, liver, and other protein sources are often rich in vitamin D3. But also supplements, like this one from The Vitamin Shoppe, are high in vitamin D3.
Effects of Deficiency
There are 4 common effects of vitamin D efficiency:
- Fatigue: a deficiency in vitamin D leads to a deficiency in calcium regulation, which therefore leads to bone and muscle weakness.
- Bone pain: the second one is bone pain. A common cause of bone pain is rheumatoid arthritis, and a 2012 study showed us that vitamin D deficiency may cause this disease.
- Muscle weakness, aches, or cramps: previous studies have shown that there is a correlation between chronic pain and low vitamin levels. This research, for example, found that 71% of people with overall chronic pain suffer from vitamin D deficiency.
- Mood changes: not very common amongst young adults, but certainly a factor. 65% of elderly and people with darker skin who reported struggling with mental issues, also had low levels of vitamin D. For young adults, the cold, rainy weather is oftentimes responsible for mood changes and not vitamin D deficiency.
On the other side of vitamin D deficiency, there is vitamin D toxicity. How to prevent yourself from vitamin D toxicity and how to recognize it? Check our blog to find out!
For the less-common effects of vitamin D deficiency: check our previous blog.
Difference Between Vitamin D2 & Vitamin D3
We discussed it already in the previous paragraphs, but here are the differences summed up in a visual. These are the most important differences between vitamin D2 and D3.
| Aspect | Vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol) | Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Plant-based sources (mushrooms exposed to UV light), fortified foods | Animal-based sources (fatty fish, liver, egg yolks, sunlight exposure) |
| Synthesis | Produced by plants and fungi when exposed to UV light (sunlight) | Produced in the skin of humans when exposed to UVB light from the sun |
| Chemical Structure | Contains a double bond in its side chain | Contains a single bond in its side chain |
| Absorption Efficiency | Less efficiently absorbed by the body | More efficiently absorbed by the body |
| Usage | High-dose prescription treatment | General supplementation and fortification in foods |
| Supplementation Form | Prescription supplements | Over-the-counter supplements |
| Stability | Less stable when exposed to higher temperatures or humid environments | More stable under storage conditions |
| Half-Life | Shorter half-life in the body (approximately 15-30 days) | Longer half-life in the body (approximately 15-30 days) |
| Potency | Less potent | More potent |
Role of Calcium
So, what’s the role of calcium in this story? If you’ve paid attention, you’ve noticed that calcium has already been included in this blog. Calcium is the most important mineral when it comes down to bone and teeth health. But also does calcium play an important role in blood clotting, helping muscles to contract, and regulating normal heart rhythms and nerve functions.
About 99% of the body’s calcium is stored in bones. The rest of the remaining calcium is stored in blood, muscle, and other kinds of tissue. If the blood does not have enough calcium, parathyroid hormones (PTH) will start giving signals to the bones to release calcium into the bloodstream.
PTH Parathyroid Hormones
That PTH hormone is important. It is the same hormone that activates vitamin D to improve the absorption of calcium in the intestines. At the same time, PTH gives the kidneys the signal that they need to stop releasing calcium in the urine. This way, the body makes sure the amount of calcium doesn’t get too low. “Borrowed” calcium from the bones needs to be replaced at some point.
Calcitonin
But what if calcium levels are too high? Calcitonin works exactly the opposite. It lowers calcium levels in the blood by stopping the release of calcium and stimulates the kidneys to get rid of more calcium via the urine.
The recommended daily amounts of calcium are the following:
- Women 19-50 years of age: 1.000mg
- Women 51+ years of age: 1.200mg
- Pregnant and lactating women: 1.000mg
- Men 19-70 years of age: 1.000mg
- Men 71+ years of age: 1.200mg
The older you get, the more important calcium gets into your diet. The ability to maintain calcium balance worsens and bone loss accelerates after 50 years of age. At the same time, your risk of fracture also increases as you get older. These hormones are decreasing in quality as you get older.
Calcium-Rich Food Sources
| Food Item | Serving Size | Calcium Content (MG) |
|---|---|---|
| Dairy Milk | ||
| Cow’s Milk | 100ml | 125 |
| Sheep’s Milk | 100ml | 188 |
| Fortified Plant-Based Milks | ||
| Almond Milk | 100ml | 188 |
| Soy Milk | 100ml | 125 |
| Cheese | ||
| Cheddar & Mozzarella | 100g | 700 |
| Parmesan Cheese | 100g | 1100 |
| Yogurt | ||
| Greek Yogurt | 100g | 82 |
| Vegetables & Legumes | ||
| Edamame | 100g | 63 |
| Tofu (made with calcium sulfate) | 100g | 345 |
| Fish | ||
| Canned Sardines (with bones) | 100g | 382 |
| Canned Salmon (with bones) | 100g | 210 |
| Nuts | ||
| Almonds | 100g | 264 |
| Leafy Greens | ||
| Kale (cooked) | 100g | 72 |
| Spinach (cooked) | 100g | 136 |
We found this quite interesting to investigate, so if you’re wondering why this list is so long: there’s your answer. Especially nuts, fish, tofu, and cheese seem to be high in calcium whereas dairy products like milk are slacking a bit. Not what we expected to be honest.
Difference Between Vitamin D and Calcium
The moment you’ve all been waiting for… Bright people might have already noticed it, but the partnership between vitamin D and calcium was already discussed somewhere in this article. Missed it? Don’t worry. Here we go!
Vitamin D and calcium are essential components in maintaining the strength and health of your bones. Their partnership is crucial for bone health as they work together to ensure proper absorption and utilization of calcium in the body.
Vitamin D plays a crucial role in this process by facilitating the absorption of calcium from the food you consume. Even if you’re consuming an adequate amount of calcium-rich foods, without sufficient levels of vitamin D, your body won’t be able to absorb the calcium effectively. This means that the calcium you ingest might not be utilized efficiently, leading to potential deficiencies and weakened bone structure.
Think of vitamin D as the key that unlocks the door to calcium absorption in your body. Without enough of this key nutrient, the door remains shut, and calcium uptake is compromised, regardless of how much calcium you’re taking in through your diet.
Vitamin D and Calcium for Overall Health
This dynamic duo isn’t just important for bone health; it also contributes to other vital functions in the body, including muscle function, nerve transmission, and immune system regulation. Therefore, maintaining adequate levels of both vitamin D and calcium is essential for overall health and well-being.
To ensure optimal bone health, it’s crucial to maintain a balanced diet that includes foods rich in both vitamin D and calcium, such as the supplements we listed in our previous blog, sunlight exposure, and the calcium-rich foods listed above. Additionally, exposure to sunlight is a natural way for your body to produce vitamin D through cholesterol production in the vitamin D receptors.
Tips for Optimal Absorption
Before we summarize the difference between vitamin D, D2, D3, and calcium, we’ll go over the best practices for taking vitamin D supplements or calcium-rich foods. It makes
Vitamin D3
Vitamin D should be taken by mouth as directed. It is best absorbed when taken after a meal but depends on the product prescription and whether it should be taken with or without food. It does not matter at what time of the day you take the supplement.
According to David Davidson, M.D., a cardiologist with Endeavor Health Medical Group in greater Chicago, vitamin D should be taken with food. It is a fat-soluble vitamin, so food (especially healthy fats) will help with the absorption of vitamin D.
So, for example, if your breakfast consists of 1 whole avocado and some egg on toast, that’s the best moment to take in your vitamin D3 supplement. Both avocado and egg consist of healthy fats, to promote optimal absorption of your vitamin D supplement.
Calcium
The best time to eat calcium-rich foods? Breakfast or dinner. According to Dr RR Dutta, internal medicine, Paras Hospital, Gurugram, timing plays a crucial role in absorption and utilization by the body. Distributing calcium is also a great way to stimulate absorption by the human body.
Researchers found that replacing 5% of dietary calcium intake at dinner with the same amount at breakfast decreased the risk of heart attack by 6%, highlighting the importance of distributing dietary calcium intake between breakfast and dinner.
If you’re a teenager aged 19, the best way to get your 1.000mg of calcium in is by distributing it over your breakfast and dinner. Here are some breakfast and dinner calcium sources you might want to try:
| Breakfast (~500mg of Calcium) |
| #1 Greek Yogurt Parfait: | #2 Orange Juice & Cheese | #3 Smoothie |
|---|---|---|
| 245g of Greek Yogurt (200mg) | Fortified Orange Juice (350mg) | 240g of Fortified Almond Milk (450mg) |
| 60g of Granola (200mg) | 28g of Mozzarella Cheese (200mg) | 1/2 banana (5mg) |
| 75g of Fresh Berries (10mg) | 30g of Spinach (15mg) | |
| 1 Tablespoon of Chia Seeds (80mg) | 16g of Almond Butter (60mg) |
| Dinner (~500mg of Calcium) |
| #1 Salmon with Steamed Broccoli and Almonds | #2 Tofu Stir-Fry | #3 Cheese and Vegetable Quesadilla |
|---|---|---|
| 85g of Canned Salmon with Bones (200mg) | 250g of Firm Tofu (350mg) | 1 tortilla (40mg) |
| 150g of Broccoli (180mg) | 170g of Cooked Bok Choy (160mg) | 90g of Cooked Spinach (90mg) |
| 28g of Almonds (75mg) | 75g of Cooked Edamame (50mg) | 85g of Black Beans (60mg) |
| 92g of Quinoa (30mg) | 9g of Sesame Seeds (90mg) | 56g of Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (400mg) |
Conclusion
The world of supplementation, especially something as important as vitamin D, can often be overwhelming and confusing. Ranging from options between vitamin D2 to D3, and even calcium supplements, it can be a bit overwhelming. However, armed with the right knowledge, these choices just got so much easier.
In this respect, we will attempt to de-complex the convolutions associated with these supplements, providing you in simple and succinct terms the important information you would like to understand. As explained here, supplementation with vitamin D3 is ideal in terms of optimal absorption and efficiency. Either by sun, food, or supplements, that’s all that it’s meant for: making sure your intake of the right amount every day will ensure a healthy life overall.
But that is not the end of our journey. A proper understanding of the difference between vitamin D, D3, and calcium will give one a strong base to delve deeper into the supplementation aspect. If you want to get more information about vitamin D2 and D3 or would like more recommendations on how to supplement vitamin D, we suggest having a look at our previous blog for even more insight.
References
- Vitamine D en botbreuken. mineral when it comes to bone and t(2023, April 5). IVG Info. https://www.ivg-info.nl/voedingssupplementen/vitamines/vitamine-d/wat-is-het-verschil-tussen-vitamine-d2-en-d3/
- Kostoglou-Athanassiou, I., Athanassiou, P., Lyraki, A., Raftakis, I., & Antoniadis, C. (2012). Vitamin D and rheumatoid arthritis. Therapeutic Advances in Endocrinology and Metabolism, 3(6), 181–187. https://doi.org/10.1177/2042018812471070
- Von Känel, R., Müller-Hartmannsgruber, V., Kokinogenis, G., & Egloff, N. (2014). Vitamin D and Central Hypersensitivity in Patients with Chronic Pain. Pain Medicine, 15(9), 1609–1618. https://doi.org/10.1111/pme.12454
- Calcium. (2024, May 9). The Nutrition Source. https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/calcium/
- Balzer, D. (2023, July 19). How much calcium do adults over 55 need? Mayo Clinic News Network. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/calcium-intake-for-adults-over-age-55/
- Vitamin D3 oral: Uses, side effects, interactions, pictures, warnings & dosing – WebMD. (n.d.). https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-10175/vitamin-d3-oral/details
- Walsh, K. (2024, March 26). The best time to take vitamin D for maximum absorption, according to health experts. EatingWell. https://www.eatingwell.com/best-time-to-take-vitamin-d-supplement-8620841
- Desk, L. (2022, August 24). Can eating more processed food, despite exercise, increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases? The Indian Express. https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/more-processed-foods-exercise-can-increase-cardiovascular-risk-cancer-bmj-study-8067463/
- Desk, L. (2024, May 12). The best time to consume calcium is. . .. The Indian Express. https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/life-style/timing-calcium-intake-healthy-heart-cardiovascular-health-9307683/
