My diet:

Vitamin D3

No E-numberVitamins & mineralsOrigin: Lab-made
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Pick your family’s diets in the bar above.

Every diet

VeganYes

Lichen-based D3 is the vegan source, the rest comes from lanolin.

Gluten-freeYes
HalalYes
KosherYes
KetoYes

No carbohydrate.

Low-FODMAPYes
The short answer
Vitamin D3 is the same vitamin your skin makes in sunlight, and manufacturers add it to milk, spreads and supplements. Fortified food carries a small fraction of a daily dose, but high-dose supplements can pass the upper level and cause harm, so read the label.
Use in moderation

Safe in small amounts; may bother some people or raise blood sugar.

E-numberNone
Comes fromLab-made
What it doesVitamins & minerals
Glycemic index—
Daily limitNot set
Also calledVitamin D3, Cholecalciferol

Rules by country

🇺🇸 US FDAApproved
🇪🇺 European UnionApproved with limits
🇨🇦 Health CanadaApproved
CaliforniaNo extra rules

In the United States, vitamin D3 is permitted as a nutrient additive in 21 CFR 172.380, and it is used in milk, supplements and fortified foods. It has no E-number: the EU authorizes it as a nutrient for fortification under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 rather than as an additive, and EFSA set an upper level of 100 micrograms a day for adults.

Daily limit: Experts haven’t set a number because normal food amounts are far below any level of concern.

What is it?

Cholecalciferol is the form of vitamin D that matches what skin makes from sunlight, and because it dissolves in fat it travels with dietary fat into the blood. Its job is to tell the gut how much calcium to absorb and to keep bones mineralized. A quart of fortified milk carries 400 IU of vitamin D, so a cup supplies about 100.

Where it comes from: Cholecalciferol is made by ultraviolet light acting on a sterol from lanolin, the grease from sheep's wool, while vegan versions are produced from a plant sterol instead. It is the same molecule as the D3 skin makes in sunlight, and the preferred form in supplements.

Why it’s in food

  • Fortifying milk and plant milks
  • Adding to cereals and breakfast spreads
  • Filling out supplement tablets
  • Correcting a low blood level
  • Supporting calcium absorption and bone health

Often found in

Fortified milkFortified plant milksBreakfast cerealsMargarine and spreadsMultivitamin tabletsEgg yolks

Also listed as: Vitamin D3, Cholecalciferol, Vitamin D (cholecalciferol), Calciferol

Health & gut impact

Upper level and toxicityConcern

EFSA set an upper level of 100 micrograms a day for adults, which is 4000 IU. Above that line calcium absorption keeps climbing and the blood calcium climbs with it, which can bring on nausea, confusion and kidney stones, so the risk is real for people taking large doses.

EFSA, dietary reference values for vitamin D

How much is enoughBenefit

EFSA's dietary reference value for adults is 15 micrograms a day, and it counts the vitamin D made in the skin as well as what arrives on the plate. Fortified milk contributes a small part of it, and oily fish and supplements cover the rest.

EFSA, dietary reference values for vitamin D

Who runs lowUnder study

Low vitamin D shows up as bone pain, muscle weakness and tiredness, and it is common in people with dark skin in northern latitudes, in people who cover up, and in anyone who rarely gets outside. UK guidance is 10 micrograms a day for everybody from October to March and all year for the groups most at risk, and a blood test is the only reliable way to know where you stand.

NHS, vitamin D

What can I use instead?

Vitamin D2

Ratio: The same microgram amount

Best for: A source that needs no lanolin and no animal input

Fortified milk

Ratio: A 250 ml glass carries about 100 IU

Best for: A small everyday top-up

Sunlight

Ratio: A few minutes on exposed skin

Best for: Making the vitamin instead of buying it

Related

More vitamins & minerals:

CholineCholine is a nutrient most people get enough of from eggs, meat and soy, so it is rarely something to hunt down. It is added on purpose to infant formula, where the amount is regulated, and EFSA sets 400 mg a day for adults.Use in moderationFerrous sulfateFerrous sulfate is the iron added to flour, bread and cereals, and it is safe at fortification amounts. The catch is the dose: a large single serving upsets the stomach, so read the milligram amount on the label, not the product count.Use in moderationFolic acid (Vitamin B9)Folic acid is the synthetic form of vitamin B9, and it is added to flour, bread and breakfast cereals on purpose. It is safe at fortification levels, but EFSA caps it at 0.6 mg a day for adults because a large intake can hide a vitamin B12 deficiency.Use in moderationNiacin (Vitamin B3)Niacin is vitamin B3 in the nicotinic acid form, added to flour and cereals because many diets fall short of it. Fortification amounts are small and safe, but a 100 mg supplement is a bigger dose, and that much nicotinic acid makes many people flush.Use in moderation

Common questions

How much vitamin D do I need?

EFSA works out 15 micrograms a day for adults, counting what skin makes in sunlight as well as what you eat. Fortified food will not get you there on its own, so oily fish, egg yolks or a supplement cover the gap.

Can vitamin D3 be toxic?

Yes, at high doses. The upper level for adults is 100 micrograms a day, and going over it raises blood calcium, which can cause nausea, kidney stones and confusion. Ordinary multivitamin doses are nowhere near that line.

What is the difference between D2 and D3?

Both raise the blood level of vitamin D, but D3 does it higher and holds the level for longer after a dose. D3 is also the version skin makes in sunlight, which is why most supplements and fortified milk use it.

Is Vitamin D3 safe?

Use in moderation (80/100). In the United States, vitamin D3 is permitted as a nutrient additive in 21 CFR 172.380, and it is used in milk, supplements and fortified foods. It has no E-number: the EU authorizes it as a nutrient for fortification under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 rather than as an additive, and EFSA set an upper level of 100 micrograms a day for adults.

Is Vitamin D3 vegan?

Yes. Lichen-based D3 is the vegan source, the rest comes from lanolin.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations
  • 21 CFR 172.380 (US FDA)
  • EFSA, dietary reference values for vitamin D
  • NHS, vitamin D

CAS 67-97-9