The increasing importance of Vitamin D seems to be directly proportional to the rising occurrence of its deficiency.

Some of the causes for deficiency are limited dietary sources, obesity, less exposure to sun and use of sunscreen. In a country like ours where there are no Vitamin D supplements, the need for using pharmaceutical agents has increased over a period of time.

There are many pharmaceutical agents that are available and it is best to realise the differences between these forms and thereby choose the correct form.

Unknown to most, there are two forms of naturally occurring Vitamin D that are found in foods and now increasingly in the form of supplements: Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3.

The preferred form of Vitamin D for treating the deficiency between the two is Vitamin D3. A word of caution: there is an active form of Vitamin D3 referred to as Calcitriol that should not be used to treat Vitamin D deficiency without the prescription of the doctor as it bypasses a regulatory step in the body. This bypass could result in excess calcium which has its own set of problems.

The reason for this preference, according to experts, is simply because the human body is naturally suited to this form of Vitamin D.

In fact, the body itself synthesizes the D3 form of the vitamin when it is exposed to sun rays. The human body does not make Vitamin D2 at all. Another reason for choosing Vitamin D3 is that it is more potent and is very helpful for those who are suffering from Vitamin D deficiency and that too due to obesity.

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