Cholecalciferol
Vitamin D3, a chemical compound / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Cholecalciferol, also known as vitamin D3 and colecalciferol, is a type of vitamin D that is made by the skin when exposed to sunlight; it is found in some foods and can be taken as a dietary supplement.[3]
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Pronunciation | /ˌkoʊləkælˈsɪfərɒl/ |
Other names | vitamin D3, calciol, activated 7-dehydrocholesterol |
AHFS/Drugs.com | Professional Drug Facts |
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Routes of administration | By mouth, intramuscular |
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ECHA InfoCard | 100.000.612 |
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Formula | C27H44O |
Molar mass | 384.648 g·mol−1 |
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Melting point | 83 to 86 °C (181 to 187 °F) |
Boiling point | 496.4 °C (925.5 °F) |
Solubility in water | Practically insoluble in water, freely soluble in ethanol, methanol and some other organic solvents. Slightly soluble in vegetable oils. |
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Cholecalciferol is made in the skin following UVB light exposure.[4] It is converted in the liver to calcifediol (25-hydroxyvitamin D) which is then converted in the kidney to calcitriol (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D).[4] One of its actions is to increase calcium uptake by the intestines.[5] It is found in food such as some fish, beef liver, eggs, and cheese.[6][7] Plants, cow milk, fruit juice, yogurt, and margarine also may have cholecalciferol added to them in some countries, including the United States.[6][7]
Cholecalciferol can be taken as an oral dietary supplement to prevent vitamin D deficiency or as a medication to treat associated diseases, including rickets.[8][9] It is also used for familial hypophosphatemia, hypoparathyroidism that is causing low blood calcium, and Fanconi syndrome.[9][10] Vitamin-D supplements may not be effective in people with severe kidney disease.[11][10] Excessive doses in humans can result in vomiting, constipation, weakness, and confusion.[5] Other risks include kidney stones.[11] Doses greater than 40,000 IU (1,000 μg) per day are generally required before high blood calcium occurs.[12] Normal doses, 800–2000 IU per day, are safe in pregnancy.[5]
Cholecalciferol was first described in 1936.[13] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.[14] In 2021, it was the 65th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 10 million prescriptions.[15][16] Cholecalciferol is available as a generic medication and over the counter.[10][17][18]