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Calcitriol: The Most Potent Form of Vitamin D3
Vitamin D3 plays a crucial role in poultry by regulating calcium and phosphorus metabolism, which are essential for bone development, eggshell formation, and overall skeletal integrity. It enhances calcium and phosphorus absorption from the intestine by stimulating calcium-binding proteins in the mucosa, supporting bone mineralization, eggshell quality, growth, and reproductive performance.
FORMS OF VITAMIN D3 AND THEIR ROLES IN POULTRY
Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3): The inactive nutritional precursor that poultry obtain from their diet or through endogenous synthesis in the skin via UV light exposure. It requires metabolic activation to become effective.
Calcifediol (25-hydroxyvitamin D3): The primary circulating storage form produced in the liver by hydroxylation of cholecalciferol. It reflects vitamin D status and serves as the substrate for the active hormone.
Calcitriol (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3): The hormonally active form, produced mainly in the kidneys by further hydroxylation of calcifediol. It directly regulates calcium and phosphorus absorption, bone remodeling, and eggshell formation.
NATURAL CALCITRIOL AS A SUPPLEMENT
Calcitriol is the most biologically active form of vitamin D3. While traditional vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) requires metabolic conversion in the liver and kidneys to become active, natural calcitriol supplements like VIVA D3 – H provide the ready-to-use form directly in the feed, ensuring rapid action and reliable absorption.
Natural calcitriol’s potency is roughly 50 times higher than calcifediol and vastly higher than cholecalciferol, meaning only microgram or nanogram quantities are sufficient to achieve a physiological effect. This makes natural calcitriol (VIVA D3 – H) highly efficient and effective in poultry nutrition.
Bypassing the conversion process, supplemented natural calcitriol acts immediately as the active hormone, resulting in quicker physiological effects. When delivered directly in the feed, Natural Calcitriol (VIVA D3 – H) eliminates the need for metabolic conversion, offering immediate access to the active form. This leads to several benefits, including:
- Faster onset of biological action
- More efficient regulation of calcium-phosphorus metabolism
- Enhanced bone strength and eggshell quality, especially in conditions where metabolic conversion may be impaired or when sunlight exposure is limited
VIVA D3 – H: A Natural, Efficient Solution
VIVA D3 – H by VIVANTIS INTERNATIONAL PVT. LTD. is a naturally derived, plant-based calcitriol product intended for poultry nutrition. It delivers the bioactive form of vitamin D3—eliminating the metabolic bottlenecks of synthetic or conventional sources.
References:
Vieth R. Vitamin D supplementation: cholecalciferol, calcifediol, and calcitriol. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2020 Nov;74(11):1493-1497. doi: 10.1038/s41430-020-0697-1. Epub 2020 Jul 23. PMID: 32704098.
Soares JH Jr, Kerr JM, Gray RW. 25-hydroxycholecalciferol in poultry nutrition. Poult Sci. 1995 Dec;74(12):1919-34. doi: 10.3382/ps.0741919. PMID: 8825582.
Hsiao, F. S. H., Cheng, Y. H., Han, J. C., Chang, M. H., & Yu, Y. H. (2018). Effect of different vitamin D3 metabolites on intestinal calcium homeostasis-related gene expression in broiler chickens. Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia, 47, e20170015.
Norman AW. “Vitamin D metabolism and its regulation.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1990;51(1):40-50.