Vitamin D₃: An essential micronutrient for healthy bones

Vitamin D₃ (cholecalciferol) is an essential micronutrient found only in a few foods. The best dietary sources are fatty fish and liver, while small amounts are contained in meat, dairy and eggs. Dietary intake of vitamin D₃ is crucial to health and well-being, when the production of vitamin D₃ in skin is insufficient. This can occur when sun exposure is lacking for people with indoor lifestyles, sun avoiders, after application of ultraviolet (UV) protection or during winter time in countries mainly of the Northern hemisphere. In addition, the skin’s ability to produce sufficient amounts of vitamin D₃ naturally declines with age.

Many people around the world have a low vitamin D₃ status, independent of their dietary habits. Vitamin D₃ is required in order to keep calcium levels in the blood healthy (homeostasis) and for normal development of the skeleton. Besides being the “bone health” vitamin, vitamin D₃ is important for immune function, neuromuscular function, and more.

Greater urgency on health optimization in recent years has resulted in consumers taking a proactive approach to health. Consumers like tried and trusted ingredients which resulted in an increased interest in vitamins in recent years. BASF’s vitamin D₃ portfolio delivers consistent quality across a wide variety of applications, letting customers offer attractive consumer products.

Sources: Jiang Z et al., 2023; Wang T-Y et al., 2023; Amrein K et al., 2020; NIH Fact Sheets for Health Professionals and Consumers, Vitamin D (October 2023); IOM Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D, 2010; FMCG Gurus Understanding Health and Wellness Trends in 2023