Vitamin D2 vs D3 (2026): Which Should You Take?
Take vitamin D3. At everyday doses, D3 raised blood vitamin D more than the same dose of D2 in most studies, by about 40% in a 2024 review of daily-dose trials. Both forms work, and D2 still treats a low level. If you are vegan, pick a D3 made from lichen.
By Erin Rose Updated October 20, 2026 How we score
Which should you buy?
Most people: vitamin D3
Our pick is plain D3: NatureWise D3 2000 IU, on NSF/ANSI 173. Most D3 is made from lanolin, a wax from sheep’s wool.
NatureWise Vitamin D3 2000 IU in Olive Oil
$0.04 a day · 2,000 IU of D3 · NSF/ANSI 173
Vegan: D3 from lichen
You don’t have to settle for D2. Garden of Life’s spray is D3 made from lichen, a plant-like source, and one spray gives 1,000 IU. It is not on a testing list we check.
Garden of Life Organics Vegan D3 Spray
$0.09 a day · 1,000 IU of vegan D3
D2 vs D3 at a glance
| Vitamin D3 | Vitamin D2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Also called | Cholecalciferol | Ergocalciferol |
| Made from | Lanolin from sheep’s wool, or lichen (vegan) | Yeast treated with UV light |
| Raises your blood level | More, in most studies | Less per dose |
| Where you find it | Most supplements | Some supplements and fortified foods |
How much better is D3?
At everyday doses, a little to a fair amount. In a 12-week winter trial, 335 women took 600 IU a day in juice or a biscuit, and D3 raised blood vitamin D about 15 to 17 nmol/L more than D2 (Tripkovic 2017). A 2024 review of daily-dose studies found D2 raised levels about 40% less than D3 (van den Heuvel 2024). The gap is biggest with large weekly or one-off doses and smaller at low daily doses (Balachandar 2021).
Not every study agrees. In one 11-week trial, 1,000 IU a day of D2 or D3 raised levels the same amount (Holick 2008). So D2 works; D3 is simply the safer bet.
Questions people ask
Is vitamin D2 vegan?
Yes. D2 is made from yeast treated with UV light. Most D3 is made from sheep’s wool, but D3 made from lichen is vegan too, so vegans can choose D3 (NIH).
Is D2 or D3 better if I am overweight?
The gap may be smaller. In a 2024 review, D3 beat D2 at daily doses overall, but the difference was no longer clear in people with a BMI over 25 (van den Heuvel 2024).
Sources
- Tripkovic L, et al. “Daily supplementation with 15 μg vitamin D2 compared with vitamin D3 to increase wintertime 25-hydroxyvitamin D status in healthy South Asian and white European women: a 12-wk randomized, placebo-controlled food-fortification trial.” Am J Clin Nutr. 2017. PubMed 28679555
- van den Heuvel EG, et al. “Comparison of the effect of daily vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 supplementation on serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration (total 25(OH)D, 25(OH)D2, and 25(OH)D3) and importance of body mass index: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Adv Nutr. 2024. PubMed 37865222
- Balachandar R, et al. “Relative efficacy of vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 in improving vitamin D status: systematic review and meta-analysis.” Nutrients. 2021. PubMed 34684328
- Holick MF, et al. “Vitamin D2 is as effective as vitamin D3 in maintaining circulating concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D.” J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2008. PubMed 18089691
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, “Vitamin D: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.” ods.od.nih.gov