Lack of calciferols in childhood leads to rickets-like conditions, middle-aged people feel weakness and pain in the body, in old age leads to osteoporosis. “Sunny” vitamin D3 is essential for bones, teeth and blood. With hypovitaminosis, the risk of infectious, cardiovascular and nervous diseases increases.

Why vitamin D3 is beneficial for children and adults

Cholecalciferol molecules come with food and are synthesized by the skin due to the ultraviolet radiation of the sun. The more familiar name for the substance is vitamin D3. Other calciferols, for example, ergocalciferol (D2), have similar pharmacological properties.

Why do you need vitamin D3:

  • in order to prevent caries, osteoporosis, rickets, immunodeficiency;
  • improve absorption and metabolism of calcium, phosphates;
  • normalization of mineral content in bones and teeth.

Without calciferols, the body is not able to properly absorb calcium and phosphorus. As a result, many functions change. For example, with a lack of calcium, blood coagulation is impaired. A macrocell is needed for bone strength, permeability of cell membranes, transmission of nerve impulses.

Daily requirement

Vitamins entering the body with food are not enough. Endocrinologists have proven that in certain periods of life, calciferols are consumed in increased quantities.More vitamin D3 is required for intensive growth, infectious diseases, and damage to the skin.

Calciferol activity is measured in international units, which can be converted to mass units. For example, 1 IU = 0.025 μg of cholecalciferol. 1 microgram of vitamin D3 corresponds to 40 IU.

Minimum daily requirements and safe maximum doses of vitamin D3 (IU per day):

  • Infants aged 0-6 months - from 400 to 1000.
  • Babies 6-12 months old - from 400 to 1500.
  • Children 1-3 years old - from 600 to 2500.
  • Children 3–8 years old - from 600 to 3000.
  • Children 8-17 years old - from 600 to 4000.
  • Adults 18–70 years old - from 600 to 4000.
  • During pregnancy and lactation - from 600 to 4000.
  • Older than 70 years old - from 800 to 4000.

Usually, the daily norm is determined not separately by cholecalciferol and ergocalciferol, but in total, as the need for vitamin D.

If you walk on sunny days, then enough vitamin D3 is formed in the skin. Babies, elderly people, representatives of many professions are few on the street, rarely left without clothes in the sun. Calciferol needs of the body can be met by vitamin supplements and proper nutrition.

Which foods contain more D3:

  • cod liver;
  • black caviar;
  • fish oil;
  • fatty varieties of sea fish;
  • butter;
  • egg yolk;
  • goat milk.

The usual diet of the inhabitants of Russia does not contain the required amount of D2 and D3. Researchers found a deficiency of calciferols in 50–90% of children and adults. Specialists named the main reasons for this - low intake with food and insufficient formation of cholecalciferol in the skin.

Symptoms of deficiency and deficiency of vitamin D3 in the body

Increased consumption and impaired absorption of calciferols lead to a lack of biologically active substances. At first, D3 deficiency does not manifest itself, because the body has compensatory capabilities. Subsequently, absorption and metabolism of calcium are disrupted, the functioning of the immune system and the course of the inflammatory process change.

The first signs of deficiency are:

  • pain in the knee and hip joints;
  • frequent infectious diseases;
  • chronic fatigue;
  • seasonal depression;
  • muscle pain.

With hypovitaminosis, the body lacks D3 or the vitamin is found in food, but is not absorbed. If the plasma calcium level decreases, then the lack is compensated by “leaching” from the skeleton bones. Hypo - or vitamin deficiency lead to osteomalacia and osteoporosis, nervous and cardiovascular diseases.

Why is vitamin D3 prescribed?

Calciferol treatment is carried out with osteomalacia, which occurs against the background of metabolic disorders of calcium and phosphorus, with injuries and prolonged immobilization. Preparations with vitamin D3 are prescribed to prevent hypovitaminosis in patients from high-risk groups suffering from malabsorption syndrome (malabsorption), chronic inflammation of the small intestine, and cirrhosis.

Vitamin D3 is taken with:

  • fractures with slow bone marrow formation;
  • loss of calcium (“leaching” from bones and teeth);
  • metabolic osteopathy (bone disease);
  • osteoporosis of various origins;
  • rickets and rickets-like conditions;
  • muscle pain, spasmophilia;
  • hypocalcemic tetany;
  • simple psoriasis, vitiligo;
  • vitamin D deficiency;
  • osteomalacia.

Vitamin D3 for newborns is prescribed to prevent rickets and similar conditions. Calciferol deficiency is manifested in infants by the late closure of the fontanel, damage to the skeletal muscle. Bone mineralization is impaired, as a result they are deformed.

D3 prophylactic is necessary for children and adults with malnutrition, a vegetarian diet, insufficient insolation, and lack of exercise. Women are prescribed vitamin D3 after 45-50 years for the prevention of osteoporosis, with severe menopause. An additional intake of calciferols in adulthood prevents bone fragility, supports immunity.

What is the difference between vitamin D and D3

Calciferols are a complex of 5 steroid substances that are similar in physiological effect. Vitamin D does not exist as an individual chemical compound, unlike each member of the group. According to research results, 90% of vitamin D reserves in the body are created due to its formation in the skin under sunlight. Only 10% comes from food.

Elevated doses of calciferols are used for drug therapy. Vitamin-mineral complexes and dietary supplements are prescribed for preventive purposes. The origin of vitamin D does not affect participation in the metabolism. Cholecalciferol (colecalciferol) is used much more often for prevention and treatment.

Vitamin D3 is well absorbed by the body, it is considered a more effective form of calciferol.

A substance is produced from lanolin, which is extracted during washing of sheep’s wool. First, the raw materials are purified, 7-dehydrocholesterol is isolated, and irradiated with ultraviolet. D2 is obtained by a similar treatment of ergosterol synthesized from fungi or lichens.

How to take vitamin D3 capsules for children and adults

The drug is released in the form of chewable tablets, capsules, oily or aqueous solution. Calciferols are fat soluble, so an oil solution for injection and oral administration is considered the best option.

Calcium-D3-MIC in capsules can be taken by children over 12 years old, and adults by 2-3 pcs. twice a day with food. To prevent diseases caused by a lack of vitamin D, a course of 1 month is prescribed. Treatment of osteoporosis is carried out for 3 months.

Vitamin D3 for young children is best used in the form of drops for oral administration. Minimum doses are given in summer, and maximum - in winter. Preventive admission in childhood continues the first 2 years of life.

Vigantol oil solution is prescribed 1 drop by full-term newborns, 2 drops daily by premature infants. With rickets, the dose is increased to 2-8 drops / day. Prophylactic administration for adults and children - 1 or 2 drops / day, with malabsorption syndrome - from 5 to 8 drops, with osteomalacia - from 2 to 8 drops, with osteoporosis - from 2 to 5 drops.

Aquadetrim is prescribed for newborns from 4 weeks to 1-2 drops per day, with rickets - from 2 to 10 drops / day, depending on the severity, for pregnant women - 1 drop per day, during menopause - 1 or 2 drops / day from 1 Art. l liquids. The same dosages are recommended by manufacturers in the instructions for use of the Complivit Aqua D3 solution.

Pregnancy and lactation

On the scale of possible risks to the fetus used in the USA, cholecalciferol belongs to category C. This means that appropriate studies have not been conducted, however, use during pregnancy can be justified by the potential benefits for the mother with an unobvious negative effect on the fetus.

In Russia, the prophylactic use of cholecalciferol is necessary, as the country's territory is located in latitudes that lack insolation.

The drug is prescribed for pregnant women in low doses. A prolonged overdose can cause the fetus to be hypersensitive to vitamin D3, and other undesirable consequences.

It has been established that cholecalciferol passes into breast milk if a nursing woman takes the drug in dosages that are several times higher than recommended. During the period of feeding the child should drink vitamin D3 in the minimum necessary doses to prevent overdose in the baby.

Modern research has revealed the beneficial effects of vitamin D3 on the female reproductive system. Cholecalciferol is useful for menstrual irregularities, polycystic ovary syndrome, preparation for conception, IVF.

Interaction with other drugs

Antacids - Gastal, Gastracid, Maalox - with prolonged use or in high doses, have the opposite effect of calciferols.Aluminum salts in heartburn preparations can interfere with bone mineralization.

The absorption of cholecalciferol is reduced by anticonvulsants, the antibiotic rifampicin, and colestyramine, used to prevent atherosclerosis and itching of the skin, with bile duct obstruction. Vitamin D3 is able to enhance the toxic effect of taking cardiac glycosides.

Contraindications and side effects

Cholecalciferol should not be used with an increased concentration of calcium in the blood and urine, with the formation of calcium calculi (urolithiasis). It is forbidden to take D3 with hypersensitivity to the active substance or other ingredient in drops / tablets. Contraindications are renal failure, sarcoidosis.

Side effects are most often caused by an allergy to vitamin D3, hypercalcemia and / or hypercalciuria. Weakness, headaches, muscle and joint pain, nausea, irritability occur. With prolonged use and overdose, vomiting, heart rhythm disturbance may occur. Concerned about severe thirst, increased urine formation. In the future, conditions arise for the formation of kidney stones, nephrocalcinosis.

It should be borne in mind that cholecalciferol is a part of multivitamin complexes. Simultaneous administration of several preparations containing vitamin D3 can lead to hypercalcemia. In the absence of symptoms of D3 deficiency, take minimal doses of the drug or are limited to the inclusion of foods rich in vitamins in the diet.

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