Taking vitamin D supplements? You may think that D2 and D3 are interchangeable—after all, they’re both designed to top up your levels during the long, dark winter months—but new research suggests one depletes the other.
If you just take D2 supplements, you’ll be depleting your levels of D3, the more ‘natural’ form that our bodies produce from sunshine, say researchers from the University of Surrey. A review of previously published studies found that levels of vitamin D3 were lower in those who were supplementing with D2.
Their findings echo earlier research by Colin Smith, a professor of microbiology at the university, who discovered that D2 and D3 do not have identical roles in supporting immune function. Vitamin D3 has a modifying effect on the immune system that could fortify the body against viral and bacterial diseases.
He said: “We have shown that vitamin D3, but not vitamin D2, appears to stimulate interferon signalling system in the body, a key part of the immune system that provides a first line of defence against bacteria and viruses. A healthy vitamin D3 status may help prevent viruses and bacteria from gaining a foothold in the body.”
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