Both vitamin D doses corrected deficiency in most children studied
Among children with overweight or obesity and vitamin D deficiency, both doses usually reached the blood threshold. Neither showed significant metabolic changes.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Most children in both dose groups reached the study's vitamin D sufficiency threshold. The higher dose raised blood vitamin D faster, but neither group showed significant metabolic changes. Some children developed mild, symptom-free high blood calcium that resolved spontaneously. These short-term findings apply to children with both excess weight and established deficiency.
The trial was open-label, and not every enrolled child completed it. The short follow-up cannot establish ongoing safety or effectiveness beyond the study period.
What researchers found
Blood vitamin D sufficiency
At 12 weeks, blood vitamin D ≥50 nmol/L was reported in 91.4% with 4000 IU/day versus 93.4% with 6000 IU/day; both groups received calcium.
Blood levels and metabolic outcomes differed
Sufficiency was defined by a blood vitamin D threshold. Faster increases with the higher dose did not establish a metabolic advantage: the measured blood-sugar and lipid outcomes showed no statistically significant changes in either group.
How to read the safety findings
Mild high blood calcium occurred in both groups and resolved without symptoms. This is part of the safety result, rather than evidence of no adverse effects. The abstract also does not establish that the doses are equivalent.
The original publication
Efficacy of daily 4,000 International Units (IU) versus 6,000 IU of oral vitamin D3 in vitamin D deficient children with overweight and obesity: An open-label randomized controlled trial.
Setia P, Seth A, Singh R et al.
Clin Nutr ESPEN · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40499784
- Record checked
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