What is the synthetic form of vitamin D3 and how is it made?
VeeGee asked:
Found D3 on a vegetarian vitamin formula, and when contacting the company they said it was a synthetic form of D3 and NOT animal derived. Is this possible?
Ok, no one is answering the actual question… which is, what is the SYNTHETIC form of vitamin D3… or does one exist? Cholecalciferol is not the synthetic form, that is it’s “natural” form.
The Swine Flu Survivial Guide
Supplemental vitamin D is available in 2 distinct forms: ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3).
Most items available today contain the D2 synthetic version.
Recent studies however seem to say that D3 is the preferred version.
Ref:
http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/84/4/694
Cholecalciferol is a form of Vitamin D, also called vitamin D3. It is structurally similar to steroids such as testosterone, cholesterol, and cortisol (though vitamin D3 itself is a secosteroid).
1g of pure vitamin D3 is 40 000 000 (40×106) IU, or in other words, one IU is 0.025 μg.