Vitamin D-Fortified Bread as Bioavailable as Supplements

HELSINKI, Finland--Researchers investigating the bioavailability of bread fortified with cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) reported the enriched food increased serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels as effectively as cholecalciferol supplements.

Published in the January issue of the Journal of Nutrition (136:123-127, 2005), the single blind study involved 41 healthy women, aged 25 to 45, and testing for the same serum vitamin D concentration, who were randomly assigned to one of four groups. Each group consumed fortified wheat bread, fortified rye bread, regular wheat bread (control), or regular wheat bread and a cholecalciferol supplement (vitamin D control) daily for three weeks. The daily dose of vitamin D was 10 mcg in all groups except the control (regular wheat bread) group. The scientists noted the cholecalciferol dispersed evenly in the bread and was stable.

After three weeks, both fortified breads increased serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration as effectively as the cholecalciferol supplement, without impacting serum intact parathyroid hormone concentration or urinary calcium excretion. They concluded vitamin D-fortified bread is a safe and feasible method of improving vitamin D nutrition.