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    Research singles out the best kind of vitamin D




     
     
    New British research deals an unexpected blow to vitamin D2 at the same time as pointing to vitamin D3 as the superior choice. If you want to be on the safe side, choose a vitamin D preparation that is documented in scientific studies.

    More and more people take a daily supplement of vitamin D to be absolutely sure of having sufficiently high blood levels of this vital nutrient. Spring is the time of year where people are particularly likely to have a deficiency.

    In 2021, the Oireachtas Committee on Health has called for daily vitamin D supplementation of the entire population. Their report mentions that 50 percent of 18 to 39-year-olds, a third of 50 to 59-year-olds, and an alarming two-thirds of people older than 80 years are deficient in vitamin D. Considering that this nutrient is essential for maintaining normal immune health, normal teeth and bones, and normal muscle function, this fairly widespread deficiency problem could represent a rather concerning public health problem.

    British scientists from the University of Surrey, however, have demonstrated the importance of choosing the right type of vitamin D. The vitamin is found in several versions and it appears that there is a huge difference between taking vitamin D2 or vitamin D3.

     

    Vitamin D3 is best for the immune system

    According to the new British study that is published in Frontiers in Immunology (February 2022), vitamin D2 does not have the same measurable effect on the immune system as vitamin D3.

    The scientists discovered this difference by giving daily supplements of either vitamin D2 or vitamin D3 to volunteers for 12 weeks in total.

    Their study clearly showed that vitamin D3 stimulated a signal pathway that is of key importance to the immune defense and its white blood cells, all of which are equipped with vitamin D receptors. The same effect was not observed with vitamin D2.

     
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    Absorbed more readily in the blood

    It is not only the new British study that points to vitamin D3 as the best choice. In 2012, a study published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition demonstrated that vitamin D3 is far better than vitamin D2 at raising blood levels of 25(OH)D, which is the form of vitamin D that we measure in blood samples.

    The scientists behind this study ended up concluding that vitamin D3 would probably become the preferred type of vitamin D to use in supplements, and it seems they were right.

     

    A vitamin D3 preparation with scientific documentation

    If you want to be absolutely sure of getting your money’s worth, you are better off with a preparation that has been used for research. BioActive D-Pearls from Pharma Nord has been tested in human studies and can document that it has good absorption and works as expected. This is vital in connection with scientific research because a reliable effect is determining for the outcome of any study. However, it is also important for consumers to be able to trust the products they purchase.