Patient's question:
Vitamin D is a general term for all D vitamins. What is the difference between Vitamin D and Vitamin D3?Doctor's answer:
Vitamin D is a general term for all D vitamins, and there is a certain distinction between vitamin D and vitamin D3. Vitamin D is a sterol derivative and belongs to the class of fat-soluble vitamins, which has a role in preventing rickets and is known as the anti-rachitic vitamin. The most important members of the vitamin D family are D2 and D3. It is called the sunshine vitamin, with D3 being particularly important. Ordinary vitamin D needs to be metabolized through the skin to be converted into active vitamin D3 before it can take effect. Therefore, when children are deficient in calcium and supplementing with vitamin D, they should be exposed to more sunlight appropriately to facilitate the skin's production of vitamin D3, thereby promoting the absorption and utilization of calcium.