Vitamin D

• What other names is Vitamin D known by?
• What is Vitamin D?
• How does Vitamin D work?
• Are there safety concerns?
• Are there any interactions with medications?
• Dosing considerations for Vitamin D.

What other names is Vitamin D known by?

Alfacalcidol: 1-alpha-hydroxycholecalciferol, 1-alpha-hydroxycholécalciférol, 1 alpha (OH)D3.
Calcifediol: 25-HCC, 25-hydroxycholecalciferol, 25-hydroxycholécalciferol , 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, 25-hydroxyvitamine D3, 25-OHCC, 25-OHD3, Calcifédiol.
Calcipotriene : Calcipotriène, Calcipotriol.
Calcitriol: 1,25-DHCC, 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol, 1,25-dihydroxycholécalciférol, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamine D3, 1,25-diOHC, 1,25(0H)2D3.
Cholecalciferol: 7-déhydrocholestérol Activé, Activated 7-dehydrocholesterol, Cholécalciférol, Colecalciferol, Colécalciférol, Vitamin D3.
Dihydrotachysterol: DHT, Dihydrotachystérol, dihydrotachysterol 2, dichysterol, Vitamine D3.
Ergocalciferol: Activated Ergosterol, Calciferol, Ergocalciférol, Ergocalciferolum, Ergostérol Activé, Ergostérol Irradié, Irradiated Ergosterol, Viosterol, Viostérol, Vitamin D2, Vitamine D2.
Paricalcitol: 19-nor-1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D2, 19-nor-1,25-dihydroxyvitamine D2, Paracalcin.
Fat-Soluble Vitamin, Vitamina D, Vitamine D, Vitamine Liposoluble, Vitamine Soluble dans les Graisses.

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a vitamin. It can be found in small amounts in many foods such as dairy products, cereals with vitamin D added, and fish. However, skin exposure to the sun provides as much as 80 to 90% of the body's vitamin D. Vitamin D can also be made in the laboratory as medicine.

Effective for...

• Treating conditions that cause weak and painful bones (osteomalacia).
• Low levels of phosphate in the blood (familial hypophosphatemia).
• Low levels of phosphate in the blood due to a disease called Fanconi syndrome.
• Psoriasis (with a specialized prescription-only form of vitamin D).
• Low blood calcium levels because of a low parathyroid thyroid hormone levels.
• Helps prevent low calcium and bone loss (renal osteodystrophy) in people with kidney failure.
• Rickets.

Likely Effective for...

• Reducing bone loss in people taking drugs called corticosteroids.
• Treating osteoporosis (weak bones). Taking a specific form of vitamin D called cholecalciferol, or vitamin D3, along with calcium seems to help prevent bone loss and bone fractures.
• Preventing falls in older people.

Possibly Effective for...

• Reducing the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS).
• Reducing the risk of rheumatoid arthritis in older women.
• Bone loss in women with a condition called hyperparathyroidism.
• Cancer. Some research shows that people who take a high-dose vitamin D supplement plus calcium might have a lower chance of developing cancer of any type.
• Tooth retention.
• Weight loss.

Possibly Ineffective for...

• Improving muscle strength in older adults.
• Preventing bone loss in people with kidney transplants.
• Preventing breast cancer.
• High blood pressure.

Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for...

• Cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, a blood cell disease called myelodysplastic syndrome, a muscle disease called proximal myopathy, colorectal cancer, warts, gum disease, bronchitis, asthma, breathing disorders, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and other conditions.

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate (detailed description of each of the ratings).