A randomised comparison of increase in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration after 4 weeks of daily oral intake of 10 μg cholecalciferol from multivitamin tablets or fish oil capsules in healthy young adults

Abstract

Many types of vitamin supplements are available on the market, but little is known about whether cholecalciferol obtained from fat-containing capsules differs in bioavailability from that of solid tablets. Our objective was to test whether 4 weeks of daily supplementation with 10 μg cholecalciferol given as a fish oil capsule produces a larger increase in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (s-25(OH)D) concentration compared with the same dose of cholecalciferol given as a multivitamin tablet. A total of seventy-four healthy subjects aged 19–49 years were initially included and fifty-five of these completed the study and fulfilled the inclusion criteria. After completing a self-administered questionnaire about diet and sunshine exposure and having a non-fasting venous blood sample drawn, participants were randomised to receive daily multivitamin tablets (n 28) or fish oil capsules (n 27), each containing equal doses of cholecalciferol. A second blood sample was drawn after 28 d. Mean baseline s-25(OH)D was 40·3 (sd 22·0) nmol/l in the multivitamin group and 48·5 (24·8) nmol/l in the fish oil group. When controlling for baseline s-25(OH)D, mean 4-week increase in s-25(OH)D was 35·8 (95 % CI 30·9, 40·8) nmol/l in the multivitamin group and 32·3 (95 % CI 27·3, 37·4) nmol/l in the fish oil group; the mean difference was 3·5 (95 % CI − 3·6, 10·6) nmol/l (P = 0·33). The results were unaltered by statistical adjustment for BMI, ethnic background, age and sex. We conclude that fish oil capsules and multivitamin tablets containing 10 μg cholecalciferol administered over a 4-week period produced a similar mean increase in s-25(OH)D concentration.