Global Ingredient Risk Index Vitamin

Vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol)

Ergocalciferol

Also known as: Vitamin D2, ergocalciferol, viosterol

23 მარ 2026

LOW RISK 3.5/10 How?

This ingredient is classified as unclassified risk (GIRI score: 3.5/10).

Known Safety Concerns

Hypercalcaemia at excessive doses (same as D3)
Less potent than D3 — may require higher doses to achieve equivalent effect
Fat-soluble — accumulation risk with prolonged high-dose supplementation
Rare: hypersensitivity reactions

Contraindications

Hypercalcaemia at excessive doses (same as D3)
Less potent than D3 — may require higher doses to achieve equivalent effect

═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ -->

Information not yet available for this ingredient profile.

Vitamin D2 is the plant-derived form of vitamin D used in vegan supplements. It is less potent than D3 at raising serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. Like D3, excessive doses cause hypervitaminosis D with hypercalcaemia. Safety profile is similar to D3 but with lower bioavailability per unit dose.

Scientific Name: Ergocalciferol

Information not yet available for this ingredient profile.

SETI Score 50/100

Risk Level High risk

Scientific Confidence Low

Evidence Strength Limited

Key Benefit Vitamin

Key Safety Concern Hypercalcaemia at excessive doses (same as D3)

Evidence Reviewed 10 PubMed studies

Scientific Confidence Low

Based on study quality, consistency, and recency

Executive Summary — Ingredient Assessment

SETI Score 50/100

Risk Level High risk

Evidence Strength Limited

Main Benefit Vitamin

Main Safety Concern Hypercalcaemia at excessive doses (same as D3)

Ingredient Vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol)

Scientific name Ergocalciferol

Scientific Evidence Overview

10 studies reviewed
0 high-quality studies (meta-analysis or RCT)
Main clinical benefit observed: Vitamin
Evidence consistency: High consistency across studies (100%)

Safety Signals

Hypercalcaemia at excessive doses (same as D3)
Less potent than D3 — may require higher doses to achieve equivalent effect
Fat-soluble — accumulation risk with prolonged high-dose supplementation
Rare: hypersensitivity reactions

Evidence Strength Limited

Final Scientific Assessment

The available scientific evidence for Vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol) indicates notable safety signals that warrant caution. Use should be considered carefully and monitored, particularly in sensitive populations or alongside other medications.

Ingredient Vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol)

Evidence reviewed 10 peer-reviewed studies (last 10 years)

Scientific name Ergocalciferol

50 /100

Total SETI Score

High risk

Evidence quality	10/40
Evidence consistency	20/20
Safety signals	0/20
Study recency	10/10
Evidence transparency	10/10

Evidence Summary

10 studies reviewed
0 high-quality studies (meta-analysis or systematic review)
0 studies identified benefits or no safety concern (GREEN)
10 studies reported limited or advisory safety evidence (YELLOW)

Evidence Policy

Only peer-reviewed scientific literature indexed in PubMed or comparable databases is included in this evaluation. Commercial websites, blogs, and marketing materials are excluded. All references include direct traceable links to source documents.

Last updated: 13 აპრ 2026, 15:03

Evidence Distribution

10 Other / unclassified

Observational / other LOW evidence YELLOW
Value Assignment of Vitamin D and 25-Hydroxyvitamin D in Food-Matrix Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) Using Isotope Dilution Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (ID… ↗

PMID 41934645 ↗

Journal J Agric Food Chem

Year 2026

Study type Observational / other

Evidence strength LOW evidence

PubMed link https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41934645/

Burdette CQ et al.. Value Assignment of Vitamin D and 25-Hydroxyvitamin D in Food-Matrix Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) Using Isotope Dilution Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (ID LC-MS/MS).. J Agric Food Chem. 2026. PMID:41934645.
Observational / other LOW evidence YELLOW
Analysis of Vitamins B1, D2, and D3 in Commercial Animal Feed Matrices by LC-MS/MS: Validation of AOAC Official Methods. ↗

PMID 41920939 ↗

Journal J AOAC Int

Year 2026

Study type Observational / other

Evidence strength LOW evidence

PubMed link https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41920939/

Garcia AG et al.. Analysis of Vitamins B1, D2, and D3 in Commercial Animal Feed Matrices by LC-MS/MS: Validation of AOAC Official Methods.. J AOAC Int. 2026. PMID:41920939.
Observational / other LOW evidence YELLOW
Vitamin D deficiency and disease conditions relevant to: Orthopaedic translation. ↗

PMID 41777703 ↗

Journal J Orthop Translat

Year 2026

Study type Observational / other

Evidence strength LOW evidence

PubMed link https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41777703/

Ekanayake Mudiyanselage D et al.. Vitamin D deficiency and disease conditions relevant to: Orthopaedic translation.. J Orthop Translat. 2026. PMID:41777703.
Observational / other LOW evidence YELLOW
Vitamin D and Fracture Healing. ↗

PMID 41219601 ↗

Journal Adv Exp Med Biol

Year 2026

Study type Observational / other

Evidence strength LOW evidence

PubMed link https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41219601/

Zaman MS et al.. Vitamin D and Fracture Healing.. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2026. PMID:41219601.
Observational / other LOW evidence YELLOW
Vitamin D and Brain Health. ↗

PMID 41219598 ↗

Journal Adv Exp Med Biol

Year 2026

Study type Observational / other

Evidence strength LOW evidence

PubMed link https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41219598/

Ahmad R et al.. Vitamin D and Brain Health.. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2026. PMID:41219598.
Observational / other LOW evidence YELLOW
A 3-Year-Old Child With Incidental High-Dose Vitamin D Intoxication: A Case Report and Literature Review. ↗

PMID 41163646 ↗

Journal Case Rep Endocrinol

Year 2025

Study type Observational / other

Evidence strength LOW evidence

PubMed link https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41163646/

Kasiri H et al.. A 3-Year-Old Child With Incidental High-Dose Vitamin D Intoxication: A Case Report and Literature Review.. Case Rep Endocrinol. 2025. PMID:41163646.
Observational / other LOW evidence YELLOW
Himalayan Mushrooms as a Natural Source of Ergosterol and Vitamin D(2): A Review of Nutraceutical and Functional Food Perspectives. ↗

PMID 41154052 ↗

Journal Foods

Year 2025

Study type Observational / other

Evidence strength LOW evidence

PubMed link https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41154052/

Panthari P et al.. Himalayan Mushrooms as a Natural Source of Ergosterol and Vitamin D(2): A Review of Nutraceutical and Functional Food Perspectives.. Foods. 2025. PMID:41154052.
Observational / other LOW evidence YELLOW
Medical Management of an Infusion Site Extravasation Injury After Peripheral Intravenous Infusion of Ado-Trastuzumab Emtansine in a 38-Year-Old Woman with Breast Cancer:… ↗

PMID 41134751 ↗

Journal Am J Case Rep

Year 2025

Study type Observational / other

Evidence strength LOW evidence

PubMed link https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41134751/

Gamvroulas EM et al.. Medical Management of an Infusion Site Extravasation Injury After Peripheral Intravenous Infusion of Ado-Trastuzumab Emtansine in a 38-Year-Old Woman with Breast Cancer: A Case Report.. Am J Case Rep. 2025. PMID:41134751.
Observational / other LOW evidence YELLOW
A Hitchhiker Story? Exploring HDL as an Overlooked Vitamin D Carrier. ↗

PMID 41127035 ↗

Journal Curr Dev Nutr

Year 2025

Study type Observational / other

Evidence strength LOW evidence

PubMed link https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41127035/

Bean JD et al.. A Hitchhiker Story? Exploring HDL as an Overlooked Vitamin D Carrier.. Curr Dev Nutr. 2025. PMID:41127035.
Observational / other LOW evidence YELLOW
Letter to the Editor Regarding "Effects of Vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol) on Parathyroid Hormone, Calcium, and Phosphorus in Humans: A Systematic Review and… ↗

PMID 41092267 ↗

Journal Nutr Rev

Year 2025

Study type Observational / other

Evidence strength LOW evidence

PubMed link https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41092267/

Hashmi MUH et al.. Letter to the Editor Regarding "Effects of Vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol) on Parathyroid Hormone, Calcium, and Phosphorus in Humans: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials".. Nutr Rev. 2025. PMID:41092267.

Q × L × D × S × 10 = 3.5 / 10

The GIRI Score is the product of four independently computed evidence components, each normalised to 0–1, then scaled to 0–10. Every component is derived exclusively from peer-reviewed references and regulatory data — no editorial judgement is applied.

0 of 10 approved references (score saturates at 10). More peer-reviewed studies = stronger evidence base.

Method: Q = number of approved references ÷ 10 (capped at 1.0)

50%

Limited — mostly case reports or animal studies

Method: L = mean study-level weight across approved references. Level 1 (meta-analysis / systematic review) = 1.0; Level 2 (RCT) = 0.8; Level 3 (cohort/case-control) = 0.6; Level 4 (case report) = 0.4; Level 5 (animal / in-vitro) = 0.2.

Benefit

Risk

50%

Mixed or neutral — roughly equal benefit and risk signals

Method: D = (sum of risk-scored references − sum of benefit-scored references) ÷ total evidence score, then scaled from [−1, 1] to [0, 1]. 0.0 = pure benefit; 0.5 = neutral; 1.0 = pure risk.

50%

One or more monitoring-level safety signals active

Method: S = 0.5 (neutral baseline) + sum of active signal severity deltas ÷ 10. Severity deltas: Critical = +2.0, High = +1.5, Moderate = +1.0, Low = +0.5. Capped at 1.0.

0Q × 5L × 5D × 5S = 3.5 / 10

Final GIRI Score for Vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol). Risk level thresholds: Low 0–3.0 · Moderate 3.0–5.5 · High 5.5–7.5 · Critical 7.5–10.

Full methodology & data sources

The GIRI Score is computed entirely from structured data — no editorial scoring or subjective weighting is applied at any step.

References: Only approved references are counted. Each reference is assigned an evidence level (L1–L5) and a direction (risk / neutral / benefit) by the reference manager or AI classifier.
Safety Signals: Sourced from regulatory agencies (FDA, EMA, Health Canada, TGA, and others) and pharmacovigilance databases. Only active signals count toward the score.
Formula version: GIRI Score v3.7.0 — Q × L × D × S × 10.
Limitations: The score reflects published evidence and recorded signals as of the last update date. It is not a clinical risk assessment and should not replace advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

LOW RISK 3.5/10

Based on available regulatory signals and scientific evidence, this ingredient presents a low safety concern under normal conditions of use.

LOW
0–3.0

MODERATE
3.0–5.5

HIGH
5.5–7.5

CRITICAL
7.5–10

3.5

The score pin shows exactly where this ingredient falls on the fixed risk scale.

What drove the Low classification for Vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol)

A score of 3.5 places this ingredient in the Low band. Thresholds: Low 0–3.0 · Moderate 3.0–5.5 · High 5.5–7.5 · Critical 7.5–10.

0 approved references.

Limited — mostly case reports or animal studies (Level 4–5).

Neutral or mixed — benefit and risk signals roughly balanced.

No active signals — S component is at neutral baseline (0.5), contributing no extra risk weight.

No major regulatory restrictions or advisories recorded across monitored jurisdictions (FDA, EMA, Health Canada, TGA, and others).

How are the Low / Moderate / High / Critical thresholds defined?

The four risk levels are fixed score bands. A score is assigned to exactly one level based on where it falls:

Level	Score	Meaning
LOW	0.0 – 2.9	Sparse or predominantly beneficial evidence. No active safety alerts.
MODERATE	3.0 – 5.4	Mixed signals — some risk alongside benefit. Caution at high doses or in sensitive groups.
HIGH	5.5 – 7.4	Multiple studies or regulatory alerts documenting adverse effects. Professional oversight recommended.
CRITICAL	7.5 – 10	Regulatory restrictions in one or more major jurisdictions. Serious documented harm. Avoid without specialist supervision.

Thresholds are fixed constants (GIRI_Score_Utils::LEVEL_THRESHOLDS). They do not change per ingredient and are never subject to editorial adjustment.

← Back to Ingredient Database

Vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol)

Safety Profile

Known Safety Concerns

Contraindications

Interactions

Evidence and Scientific Findings

Ingredient Overview

Biological and Chemical Classification

Mechanism of Action

Clinical Evidence of Effectiveness

Pharmacokinetics

Recommended Dosage

SETI — Scientific Evidence Transparency Index

Executive Summary — Ingredient Assessment

Evidence Summary

Evidence Policy

Evidence Distribution

Score Transparency

Risk Level Classification

What drove the Low classification for Vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol)

ბოლო სიახლეები

500მლ პლასტმასის წყლის ბოთლები: ფარული საზოგადოებრივი ჯანმრთელობის რისკები

სკოლამდელი განათლება – მნიშვნელობა და გამოწვევები

ბავშვის უფლებები სკოლაში

პოპულარული ამბები

საუკეთესო ფილმები კულინარიის მოყვარულებისთვის

როგორ იყენებენ ახალგაზრდები ხელოვნურ ინტელექტს – სტუდენტების ხმა

კატეგორიები

ჩვენ შესახებ

გამოგვყევი სოციალურ ქსელებში