Vitamin D is important for your bones and general health and it can be easily obtained from sunlight. But when there are chances that you may not get enough sunlight, you turn to fortified food or supplements. But which type of vitamin D you take also matters a lot.
A lot is spoken about calcium and vitamin D for bone health and their requirement. They are essential during the growth phases of children, healthy pregnancy, for bone and muscle health and are required by women of all ages. Vitamin D is particularly important to ensure proper absorption of calcium.
Thus vitamin D becomes the most important nutrient for bone health and the major source is sunlight. However, at times, this can become difficult and hence vitamin D supplements and fortified foods are available. Vitamin D can be obtained from fortified foods but it is found that fortification is generally done with vitamin D2 as it is not an animal source. While there are two types of vitamin D it is necessary to understand the beneficial effects of both and find out which type is best for our bone health.
Science speaks
According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a new study showed that vitamin D3 is more effective and beneficial than vitamin D2. Vitamin D3 is obtained from eggs, oily fish and can be easily converted into the substances that are beneficial for our health.
Initially both types of vitamin D were thought to be similar in their benefits and efficiency. However, the study shows that vitamin D3 is more useful in raising our blood vitamin D levels thus ensuring proper absorption. Hence, it can be advantageous to take supplements containing vitamin D3. Also, this can help to change the view towards fortification of food with vitamin D.