Looking at the current market, there are multiple vitamin D options commercially available. These differ based on which vitamin D metabolite is included, how these metabolites are produced and how they are regarded from a regulatory point of view. However, care should be taken when deciding which product is added to the diet: there are large differences between vitamin D metabolites, and even between metabolites in the same category.
For example, 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 is a good metabolite to consider for vitamin D supplementation, but not all commercially available 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 products are created equal. Factors such as stability, bioavailability and quality can help to distinguish between the available products, and as such are interesting to investigate further. Bio D®, a 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 metabolite produced via fermentation, is a novel option to ensure the vitamin D requirements of the animal are satisfied. Despite being new, Bio D® is not unproven. Quality is one of the core values of Huvepharma®, so Bio D® went through a rigorous research and development process which spanned multiple years. This 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 has been trialled, tested and approved on a global scale, according to the latest regulatory standards in terms of safety, quality and efficacy. As such, Bio D® provides a new and scientifically valid option to producers and has proven itself both in the lab as well as in the field.
One of the major differentiation points for Bio D® is the production pathway of its 25-hydroxy vitamin D3, which is different from other options on the market. Most of those are produced via a synthetic process, whilst Bio D® is the result of Huvepharma®'s 50 years of fermentation experience. Consequently, there are distinct advantages in terms of molecule stability and bioavailability between Bio D® and synthetic 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 options. As a practical example and as shown in Figure 1, the recovery of Bio D® during feed processing was noticeably higher compared to synthetic 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 at all tested pelleting temperatures.
In addition to this practical consideration, it is true that in general, the effects of a 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 supplement adheres to a dose-response relationship. However, research has shown that compared to other commercially available 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 options, lower absolute dosages of Bio D® 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 are required to obtain the same results (Figure 2). As such, Bio D®'s production process definitely matters.
Finally, Huvepharma®'s fully integrated production line is a huge advantage. By controlling Bio D® from strain to shelf, quality can be assured at each step of the production process. Keeping this and the above in mind, Bio D® is a qualitative, practical, and scientifically valid option to satisfy the vitamin D requirements of animals. Bio D® thus offers producers a new choice regarding vitamin D supplementation, in a safe and effective way.
