Vitamin D3
What’s New This Month
- Fractures: A 2024 review of 7 trials (71,899 people) found no fewer fractures, and more hip fractures in women (risk ratio 1.34). 1
- COVID-19: A 2026 trial of 1,747 adults found high-dose D3 did not cut healthcare use for COVID-19. 2
- Recalls: FDA listed a 2026 Class II recall of two Wellnov liposomal vitamin D3 sprays over manufacturing practices; the recall is closed. 3
- Toxicity: In 2025, a family of three was poisoned by home cooking oil loaded with vitamin D; all recovered. 4
Overview
Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) helps the body absorb calcium. Few foods contain much; fatty fish such as salmon, trout and tuna, and fish liver oils, are among the best sources. 5
Supplements are sold as 1,000 to 5,000 IU softgels, capsules and drops. Labels claim immune support, strong bones, muscle and teeth health, better mood, heart and artery health, and a 5,000 IU “therapeutic” dose.
How We Researched It
We rate each marketing claim with a modified version of GRADE, the system medical researchers use to say how sure we can be (i.e., high, moderate, low or very low), and check each trial with the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool, which asks whether a study’s design could skew its results. For vitamin D3 we used 22 records, published mostly from September 2022 through October 2026. We also checked FDA, Health Canada, Malta, EFSA and California Prop 65.
Research NotesTop three benefits
Deficiency and Rickets Prevention GRADE: Moderate
A 2024 guideline suggests vitamin D for ages 1 to 18, adults 75 and over, pregnancy and high-risk prediabetes, but not routinely for healthy adults 19 to 74. 6
Bias check: The guideline words its advice as “suggest”, not a firm recommendation, and its authors rate certainty low. 6
Slows Prediabetes Progression GRADE: Moderate
Pooling 3 trials of 4,190 adults with prediabetes, 4,000 IU daily or 20,000 IU weekly for about 3 years cut progression to diabetes 15%; about 3 fewer in 100 developed it. 7
Bias check: One trial used a prescription form, and the dose is well above most retail labels. The review reports no funding. 7
Children’s Respiratory Infections GRADE: Low
In a review of 40 studies, children aged 1 to 15 had about 26% fewer respiratory infections. 8
Bias check: This is a subgroup result, which can mislead. The review had no outside funding. 8
Benefit Evaluation
| Claim | Claim Verdict | Research Confidence | Supporting Evidence | Safety Risk | Product Quality | FactStack™ Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deficiency and Rickets Prevention | Supported | Moderate | Convincing | Caution | Within Limits | Favorable |
| Slows Prediabetes Progression | Supported | Moderate | Convincing | Caution | Within Limits | Favorable |
| Children’s Respiratory Infections | Promising | Low | Promising | Caution | Within Limits | Caution |
| Post-COVID Symptoms | TBD | Low | TBD | Caution | Within Limits | Caution |
| Circulation and Soft-Tissue Calcification (with K2) | TBD | Very Low | TBD | Caution | Within Limits | Caution |
| Cancer Mortality | TBD | Low | TBD | Caution | Within Limits | Caution |
| Muscle Health | TBD | Very Low | TBD | Caution | Within Limits | Caution |
| Healthy Teeth | TBD | Very Low | TBD | Caution | Within Limits | Caution |
| COVID-19 Severity | Doubtful | Low | Doubtful | Caution | Within Limits | Warning |
| Heart Health | Doubtful | Low | Doubtful | Caution | Within Limits | Warning |
| Longevity in Older Adults | Doubtful | Low | Doubtful | Caution | Within Limits | Warning |
| MS and Autoimmune Disease Risk | Doubtful | Low | Doubtful | Caution | Within Limits | Warning |
| Weight Loss | Doubtful | Very Low | Doubtful | Caution | Within Limits | Warning |
| Immune Support and Colds | Unsupported | Moderate | Unconvincing | Caution | Within Limits | Warning |
| Fracture Prevention | Unsupported | Moderate | Unconvincing | Caution | Within Limits | Warning |
| Cancer Incidence | Unsupported | Moderate | Unconvincing | Caution | Within Limits | Warning |
| Mood | Unsupported | Moderate | Unconvincing | Caution | Within Limits | Warning |
What Sellers Say vs. What Studies Show
| “Vitamin D keeps colds away.” | Across 40 studies with 61,589 people, infections fell about 6%, a result that could be zero (odds ratio 0.94, range 0.88 to 1.00). 8 |
| “It builds strong bones.” | In healthy adults, fractures did not fall in VITAL or in a 7-trial review; hip fractures rose in women. 9 1 |
| “5,000 IU is a therapeutic dose.” | It is above the 4,000 IU daily upper limit, and guidelines no longer set a blood-level target. 5 6 |
| “A big monthly dose works the same.” | At 60,000 IU monthly, 66.9% of seniors fell, versus 47.9% on 24,000 IU. Daily doses are preferred. 10 |
| “It lifts your mood.” | In 18,353 adults, depression did not change over about 5 years. 11 |
| “It protects your heart.” | In the 25,871-person VITAL trial, heart attacks and strokes did not fall. 12 |
Trial ParametersIf you try it
| Who | Ages 1 to 18, adults 75 and over, pregnancy, deficiency or high-risk prediabetes. Healthy adults 19 to 74: guideline advises no more than the RDA. 6 |
| Dose | RDA 600 IU (ages 1 to 70), 800 IU (71 and over). Prediabetes trials used 4,000 IU daily or 20,000 IU weekly. 5 7 |
| Ceiling | 4,000 IU a day from all sources (age 9 and over), NIH; Europe’s food-safety agency agrees for adults. 5 13 |
| Duration | No stop rule established. |
| Form | D3 over D2; daily over monthly doses. Avoid homemade fortified oils. Check drop strength on the label. 5 14 |
| Ask First | Kidney disease, sarcoidosis, overactive parathyroid, high calcium or calcium stones; orlistat, statins, steroids or water pills; pregnancy. 5 |
How to Take It
| Pick a plan | If you are in a group that benefits, take a daily dose; the RDA is 600 to 800 IU. Go above 4,000 IU only with a clinician. 5 |
| Time of day | Not reported. |
| With food | With a meal that has fat; fat helps absorption, though some is absorbed without it. 5 |
| What to expect | You will not feel it. In prediabetes, fewer people moved on to diabetes over about 3 years. 7 |
| How to take | Daily, not in large weekly or monthly doses. Choose D3 over D2, since D3 raises blood levels more. 5 |
Works With / Don’t Mix With
✓ Works with
A meal with fat. Fat in the gut helps you absorb vitamin D. 5
Daily dosing. Daily doses did better than large occasional doses against respiratory infections. 8
⚠ Ask first / don’t mix
Orlistat (a weight-loss drug) lowers vitamin D absorption from food and supplements. 5
Statins (atorvastatin, lovastatin, simvastatin): high vitamin D intake might make them work less well. 5
Steroids and thiazide diuretics (water pills) can also interact with vitamin D; ask your pharmacist. 5
Manufacturer Recalls & WarningsLast 36 months, newest first
| Date | Maker / Brand | Product | Action | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2026 | Wellnov Supplements LLC | Liposomal D3-5000IU Spray; Liposomal D3+B12 Spray | FDA Class II: manufacturing lapses that could allow bacterial contamination; closed. Spray form, not a pill. | 3 |
| Mar 2026 | Jamp Pharma (Canada) | LUXA-D 2000 unit vitamin D3 capsules, one lot | Health Canada Type III: a capsule containing a foreign product was found in the lot. | 15 |
| Oct 2025 | Winder Laboratories | Prescription multivitamin with fluoride chewable tablets | FDA Class III: subpotent for vitamin D. A prescription multivitamin. | 16 |
| May 2025 | FOLIDI vitamin D supplement (sold in Malta) | FOLIDI vitamin D supplement | Maltese health authorities warned it contained more vitamin D than its label stated; advised stopping use. | 14 |
| Mar 2025 | Jamp (Canada) | Calcium Carbonate 500 + Vitamin D 1000 tablets, two lots | Health Canada Type III: failed a dissolution test in the affected lots. | 17 |
Where to Buy
We compare products side-by-side not just on price, but on whether NSF lists the product as NSF/ANSI 173 Contents Certified (an independent lab confirms the label matches the contents), whether it is NSF Certified for Sport, whether USP lists it as USP Verified, and whether the seller says it is manufactured in the USA. We leave out a brand’s products for this supplement when, in the last 36 months, the FDA took action against that brand over this supplement (a Class I or II recall, a warning letter, an import alert or an advisory letter). We also leave out any brand with an FDA Class II recall or warning letter on any product. We also leave out any product named in a California Prop 65 notice or a non-US recall, along with that brand’s products of the same ingredient and form. Brands with other actions stay listed and are marked in the Recall Screen column. Our goal remains to provide you, the Consumer, with the information and data necessary to make an informed purchasing decision. Prices reflected below are static and subject to change.
Ratings above describe the ingredient’s research, not any product listed below.
| # | Retailer | Product | Price | NSF 173 | NSF Sport | USP | Mfg. in USA (per seller) | Recall Screen | Affiliate link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amazon | Momentous Vitamin D3 2,000 IU Capsules | Check Price | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | View on Amazon ↗ | |
| 2 | Amazon | THORNE Vitamin D-5,000 (D3 5,000 IU), 60 Capsules | Check Price | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓* | View on Amazon ↗ | |
| 3 | Amazon | Nature Made Vitamin D3 2000 IU (50 mcg), 90 Softgels | Check Price | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | View on Amazon ↗ | ||
| 4 | Amazon | 21st Century Vitamin D3 2000 IU, 250 Softgels | Check Price | ✓ | ✓ | ✓* | View on Amazon ↗ | ||
| 5 | Amazon | NatureWise Vitamin D3 5000 IU | Check Price | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | View on Amazon ↗ | ||
| 6 | iHerb | Nature's Bounty, Vitamin D3, 125 mcg (5,000 IU), 240 Rapid Release Softgels | $23.45 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | View on iHerb ↗ | ||
| 7 | iHerb | Force Factor, Vitamin D3, High Potency, 125 mcg (5,000 IU), 120 Softgels | $5.14 | ✓ | ✓* | View on iHerb ↗ | |||
| 8 | Green's Nutrition | Superior Source Vitamin D3 1000IU 100 Tabs | $7.49 | ✓ | ✓ | View on Green's Nutrition ↗ | |||
| 9 | HerbsPro | Life Extension, Vitamin D3, 125 mcg (5000 IU), 60 SoftGels | $7.50 | ✓ | ✓ | View on HerbsPro ↗ | |||
| 10 | Green's Nutrition | NOW Foods Vitamin D3 30 Softgels | $7.99 | ✓ | ✓* | View on Green's Nutrition ↗ |
Sources
1. de Souza MM et al. Vitamin D and fractures: meta-analysis of 7 trials (71,899 people). Journal of General Internal Medicine 39(14):2829, 2024. doi.org/10.1007/s11606-024-08933-1
2. Ganmaa D et al. High-dose vitamin D3 in adults with COVID-19 (VIVID trial). Journal of Nutrition 156(4):101398, 2026. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41826107/
3. Recalls H-0805-2026 and H-0806-2026: Wellnov liposomal D3 sprays. US Food and Drug Administration (openFDA food enforcement), Apr to May 2026. api.fda.gov/food/enforcement.json?search=recall_number.exact:%22H-0805-2026%22
4. Family cluster of vitamin D toxicity from unofficially fortified cooking oil (3 cases). JCEM Case Reports (PMID 41179273), 31 Oct 2025. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41179273/
5. Vitamin D: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, updated 27 Jun 2025. ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/
6. Demay MB et al. Vitamin D for the Prevention of Disease: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 109:1907, 2024. doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgae290
7. Pittas AG et al. Vitamin D and type 2 diabetes in adults with prediabetes: meta-analysis of 3 trials. Annals of Internal Medicine 176(3), 2023. doi.org/10.7326/M22-3018
8. Jolliffe DA et al. Vitamin D and acute respiratory infections: meta-analysis. Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology 13(4):307, 2025. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39993397/
9. LeBoff MS et al. Vitamin D supplements and fractures in 25,871 adults (VITAL). New England Journal of Medicine, 2022. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35939577/
10. Bischoff-Ferrari HA et al. Monthly high-dose vitamin D and falls in 200 seniors. JAMA Internal Medicine, 2016. doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2015.7148
11. Okereke OI et al. Vitamin D3 and risk of depression in 18,353 adults (VITAL-DEP). JAMA, 2020. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32749491/
12. Manson JE et al. Vitamin D supplements, cancer and cardiovascular disease (VITAL). New England Journal of Medicine, 2019. doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1809944
13. Scientific opinion on the tolerable upper intake level for vitamin D. EFSA Journal 21(8):8145, 8 Aug 2023. www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/8145
14. Confirmed health risk: excessive vitamin D levels in “FOLIDI” supplement (PR250956; earlier notice PR250934). Environmental Health Directorate, Government of Malta, 29 May and 2 Jun 2025. www.gov.mt/en/Government/DOI/Press%20Releases/Pages/2025/06/02/pr250956en.aspx
15. LUXA-D: a capsule containing a foreign product was found in the affected batch. Health Canada recalls and safety alerts (RA-81814), 31 Mar 2026. recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/luxa-capsule-containing-foreign-product-was-found-affected-batch
16. Recall H-0569-2026: Winder Laboratories multivitamin with fluoride chewable tablets (subpotent vitamin D). US Food and Drug Administration (openFDA food enforcement), Mar 2026. api.fda.gov/food/enforcement.json?search=recall_number.exact:%22H-0569-2026%22
17. Jamp Calcium Carbonate 500 + Vitamin D 1000 tablet: out of specification for dissolution. Health Canada recalls and safety alerts (RA-77092), 11 Mar 2025. recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/jamp-calcium-carbonate-500-vitamin-1000-tablet-out-specification-dissolution
18. 60-Day Notice 2025-03331: Solle Naturals (lead). California Office of the Attorney General, Proposition 65, 28 Aug 2025. oag.ca.gov/prop65/60-day-notice-2025-03331
19. FDA CAERS adverse-event reports naming vitamin D products. US Food and Drug Administration (openFDA food event), accessed 10 Oct 2026. api.fda.gov/food/event.json?search=products.name_brand:%22vitamin%20d%22
