Cholecalciferol

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Cholecalciferol is one of the two major forms of vitamin D.
We call it a vitamin, but vitamin D is actually a hormone that influences more than 3,000 different genes in your body and almost every type of human cell. Research is ongoing to help us better understand this uber-nutrient, but so far studies show the following health benefits:
Cholecalciferol helps regulate and enable the absorption of mineral nutrients like calcium and phosphorus. It also helps regulate blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
Vitamin D3 is involved in the regulation of hormones related to stress, and optimal levels have been shown to help reduce conditions like seasonal affective disorder (SAD), depression, and anxiety.
Vitamin D acts as a macrophage in your bloodstream - large, specialized cells that are part of your immune system and attack foreign pathogens. Not only does it help defend against things like the cold and flu, but it's also been shown to help prevent cancer.
A growing body of research also suggests that vitamin D might play some role in the prevention and treatment of both forms of diabetes, hypertension, glucose intolerance, multiple sclerosis, and other medical conditions.
There are two major forms of supplemental vitamin D:
Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) - Which, as mentioned above, is formed naturally in the skin when exposed to sunlight, is present in significant levels in certain fish and eggs, and is also commercially made from lanolin washed from lambs' wool. (New, vegan alternatives manufactured from lichen have also recently become available and Honest is exploring this as an option for our formulas.)
Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) - This form is synthesized by plants (commercially made from irradiated fungus) and is not naturally produced by the human body.
Initial studies conducted several decades ago regarding the efficacy of the two forms showed little difference between the two when addressing the occurrence of rickets in children. But more recent studies reveal compelling evidence of why vitamin D3 is superior for supplementation:
Vitamin D3 is approximately three times more potent than vitamin D2, and it also binds to the protein receptors in your body much more effectively. This helps maintain levels in your circulatory system and more effectively increase blood level concentrations for optimal health.
Vitamin D3 is more bioavailable, meaning it's more quickly and effectively converted and absorbed by your body. Some sources say it's up to 500% faster than vitamin D2.
Vitamin D2 also has a shorter shelf life (meaning by the time you get it, it might not be as potent as the day it was bottled) and it has a greater likelihood of impurities.

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