First, it is important to distinguish between the forms of Vitamin D. The two major forms are vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. Vitamin D2 is largely human-made and added to foods, whereas vitamin D3 is synthesized in the skin of humans from the sun and is also found in certain animal-based foods.
However, while the sun is the primary source of Vitamin D, a variety of factors from busy lifestyles, pollution and skin sensitivity can make it extremely difficult to get your daily dose of Vitamin D from the sun. [1] Furthermore, because there are a few naturally occurring food sources of Vitamin D, a deficiency of this vitamin can occur regardless of diet.[2] Regardless, studies looking at vegetarian and vegan intakes have suggested that those consuming a plant-based diet may indeed consume less Vitamin D in their diet compared to their omnivore counterparts, and may, therefore, be at an increased risk of developing a deficiency [3].
Therefore, if eating a predominantly plant-based diet, it is advisable to get your daily dose of Vitamin D from a supplement, as this is the easiest and most reliable way to avoid developing a deficiency. [4,5]
When it comes to selecting a Vitamin D supplement, there two main things to consider:
- The origin of Vitamin D - Vitamin D2 is derived from plant sources (fungi & yeast) while Vitamin D3 can be found in animal sources (typically wool or cod liver oil) or plant sources (lichens). [6] It’s worth noting that while studies have shown that supplements deriving their Vitamin D from cod liver oil are effective, these also contains toxic levels of Vitamin A.[7,8] Therefore, a safe and equally effective alternative to supplement Vitamin D3 is derived from plant lichens.
- The form of Vitamin D - A recent Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis found that Vitamin D3 is superior to D2 in raising Vitamin D levels in the blood. [9]
For these reasons, although plant-based versions of Vitamin D2 are cheap and easy to come by, we have formulated our Essential 8 with plant-based Vitamin D3 that has been ethically sourced from plant lichen. Our plant-based Vitamin D3 is supplied by Vitashine™, the world’s only Vegan Society & Vegetarian Society registered company producing plant-source Vitamin D3. Their Vitamin D3 was developed after working with Independent expert laboratories making it the perfect choice for those wishing to increase their Vitamin D intake without consuming fish oils.
REFERENCES
[1] Website n.d. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3356951/ .
[2] Vipercore-. Vitamin D | Nutrient Reference Values n.d. https://www.nrv.gov.au/nutrients/vitamin-d
[3] Crowe FL E al. Plasma concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in meat eaters, fish eaters, vegetarians and vegans: results from the EPIC-Oxford study. - PubMed - NCBI n.d. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20854716 .
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25207384.
[5] Heaney RP. The Vitamin D requirement in health and disease. - PubMed - NCBI n.d. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16026981 .
[6] Jäpelt R B And Jakobsen. Vitamin D in plants: a review of occurrence, analysis, and biosynthesis. - PubMed - NCBI n.d. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23717318/.
[7] Website n.d. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19102134 .
[8] Website n.d. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/omcl/2015/140267/
[9] Website n.d. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22552031
