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What’s the Difference Between Vitamin D, D2, and D3?

Are there really three separate types of vitamin D? Is one better than the others? Find out here!

By Stephen C. George; Medically Reviewed by Dr. Ahmad Talha Azam
Feb 28, 2024 2:50 PMApr 4, 2024 7:22 PM
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We all know that vitamin D is a necessary nutrient for good health. The vitamin is important in helping your system absorb the calcium it needs to maintain strong and healthy bones. We also need vitamin D to support various other functions and systems in the body.

But if you’ve been shopping the supplement aisle, you must have noticed that there isn’t just one form of vitamin D: vitamin D2 and D3 are called out on various labels, too. What exactly is the difference between D, D2, and D3? Are they all forms of the same vitamin, or is each one a completely different nutrient altogether? What foods can you find them in? Is any one of these better for you than the others? We’ve got the lowdown on the different types of vitamin D right here.

What Is Vitamin D?

(Credit: Evan Lorne/Shutterstock)

Also known as calciferol, vitamin D can be found naturally in some foods. It’s also added to a lot of processed foods (making them fortified with vitamin D) and of course is available in many supplement forms, typically pills.

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