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Vitamin D3??

Hi! Just wondering if anyone has found/tried a synthetic D3? I need to begin taking 4,000 IU per day and I've heard a synthetic (vegan) version exists. I'd love some suggestions about what brand and where you found it. Thanks!

D2 is synthetic (AKA ergocalciferol)

D3 (AKA cholecalciferol)  comes from lanolin, which comes from sheep wool/fat.

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why do u need D3 so badly? u can get enough vitamin d just from being in the sun a few times a week... unless u r allergic to the sun?

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I found this:
http://www.vegblog.org/archive/2004/11/03/the-oj-post/

But on that note, taking D2 should be just as good. IUs measure the biological activity, not the sheer amount, so 4,000 IU D2 should be the same in potency.

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good info fb :)

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amy, apparently some research shows larger doses of vitamin D has protective effects against cancer. However, the upper limit for safe dosage is 2,000 IU, and overdosing on vitamin D is not a good thing : (

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why do u need D3 so badly? u can get enough vitamin d just from being in the sun a few times a week... unless u r allergic to the sun?

while I don't take vitamins, I probably should take vitamin d.
during the winter, most people do not get enough sun exposure - especially where I live (mountains).
there's not much sunlight.

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why do u need D3 so badly? u can get enough vitamin d just from being in the sun a few times a week... unless u r allergic to the sun?

No, I'm not "allergic to the sun." I am, however, Vitamin D deficient. Now that I'm done taking the prescription dose of it, I wondered if anyone had any suggestions. My doctor (who is totally pro-vegan) said the D3 is better utilized by the body and she had heard there was a synthetic version. The 4,000 IU was her suggestion due to the level of deficiency.

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why do u need D3 so badly? u can get enough vitamin d just from being in the sun a few times a week... unless u r allergic to the sun?

No, I'm not "allergic to the sun." I am, however, Vitamin D deficient. Now that I'm done taking the prescription dose of it, I wondered if anyone had any suggestions. My doctor (who is totally pro-vegan) said the D3 is better utilized by the body and she had heard there was a synthetic version. The 4,000 IU was her suggestion due to the level of deficiency.

did you see  what I said?
I'm almost certain you are not going to find a synthetic D"3" supplement. if it were synthetic, it would be called d2.
if you take d3, you will be eating lanolin (sheep wool fat) or fish oil.
I even tried to google "synthetic vitamin D3" and got nothing but the exact information I am telling you.

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hmmm weird i thought i remembered reading that extra vitamin d can be stored in your body for days when u can't get sun? feel free to correct me... but ya if u have a deficiency then def try to find some...

a link i found helpful:

http://www.healthalternatives2000.com/vitamins-nutrition-chart.html

apparently the only fruit or veggies you can get vitamin D from is mushrooms

i have only come across vegan D2 as well no D3 :( this link seems interesting:

http://www.devanutrition.com/vegan_vitamin_d.html

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according to that email from tropicana on the link i posted, there is a synthetic D3.

check this out:
http://www.upayanaturals.com/Vitamin_D3_Vegan_180_Vegetable_Capsules_p/prl-110.htm
look at that price!

I guess it can be made, and is made, but it's probably uncommon for brands that aren't specifically vegan, since it's so easily obtained from animal products, and there's a vegan source (D2), though less potent.

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OMG $80 for a 1 month supply! outrageous

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OMG $80 for a 1 month supply! outrageous

if it makes it any better, those are canadian dollars... so it's more like $75 USD : /

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D2 is the form made by plants and is vegan. 

There are some encouraging studies showing it's effectiveness in humans, as there was some debate in the past that animal derived D3 was best.

Deva makes a vegan Vit. D table that's 800 units.  Veganessentials.com  carries some Deva products, but you can Google.  Do not spend a lot of money on it.

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Yeah, plus the "IU" should take into account the issue of potency, so 1000 IU D2 *should be* tantamount to D3. They do the same thing with vitamin A, because there are several carotenes that are less potent than beta carotene.

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My doc (derma) told me today that I should be taking a vitamin D3 supp and so should the baby. I dunno.....it seems like so much hype lately regarding Vitamin D deficiencies. I surely don't want to do D3....do we really think D2 will do the same thing? I'm going to look up the Diva ones, tweety!

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My doc (derma) told me today that I should be taking a vitamin D3 supp and so should the baby. I dunno.....it seems like so much hype lately regarding Vitamin D deficiencies. I surely don't want to do D3....do we really think D2 will do the same thing? I'm going to look up the Diva ones, tweety!

your body will convert either D2 or D3 to the active form, calcitriol. I'm guessing that the conversion is more efficient with D3, since it has higher potency. But again, the "IU" measurement is the amount, but the potency as tested by labs (FDA? since it's a vitamin...). So technically... the same.

I don't really worry about vitamin D since I live in a sunny/warm place and am pale enough. I guess a supplement won't necessarily hurt, but there is vitamin D toxicity, since it's a fat-soluble vitamin. I guess it all depends on your situation.

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Just saw the my prenatal multi has 400 (grams?) of D2....so I guess I'll start taking that again. Thanks FB!
I feel like it's being so hyped up for some reason. Maybe to get people to drink that Vitamin D milk?
I'm not in the sun now at all, and need to be careful even in the summer when the sun is out (fair complexion).

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Yeah, it's kind of a weird balance between getting natural vitamin D and the risk of skin cancer : /

Supposedly it takes 15-20 min of sun time per day to get vitamin D, but I think that the figure is based on pale people. It must be a pain in the ass for darker-skinned people who live in cold climates.

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Big News on the D3 Front!

My friend got some Vitamin Code Brand vitamins. I think its a D3 Calcium Supplement. Anyway, it says that the form is D3 and it also says vegan, so I guess there is somehow a vegan D3 now! I don't know what the source is, but I'd be curious to know.
She is vegan, and had her level tested, and it was low, so she got on the supplement. I want mine tested too because I am curious. I'm going to get my B12 done as well. Will report back with results!

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Interesting!  Keep us posted please! :)

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