Vitamin D3
INCI: Cholecalciferol
Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is a fat-soluble vitamin essential for calcium absorption, bone health, muscle function, and immune support. It is one of the most commonly requested actives in private-label gummy ranges — particularly for bone, immunity, and daily-multivitamin positionings — with seven EU-authorised health claims under Regulation 432/2012.
- Bone & muscle
- Immune support
- Daily multivitamins
At a glance
- Definition
- Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is a fat-soluble vitamin essential for calcium absorption, bone health, muscle function, and immune support. It is one of the most commonly requested actives in private-label gummy ranges — particularly for bone, immunity, and daily-multivitamin positionings — with seven EU-authorised health claims under Regulation 432/2012.
- Authorised wording (summary)
- 7 authorised statements — see "EU-authorised health claims" below.
- Common positionings
- Bone & joint
- Immune support
- Daily multivitamins
- Kids' essentials
- Senior wellness
- Format suitability
- Reviewed for gummies and sachets — confirmed per project.
Where this ingredient fits in the DAT Supply catalogue
Every format chip links through to its manufacturing hub and to the private-label catalogue for that format. The category chip routes to the matching vertical hub on the categories index.
- Vitamins & minerals
- Browse all ingredients
What it is
Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) is a familiar active in the supplement category and a long-standing pillar of daily wellness and beauty-positioned ranges. For brand owners launching a gummy SKU it offers a recognisable consumer cue that translates well to retail shelf and to direct-to-consumer marketing without requiring extensive education. Retail category buyers expect to see at least one vitamin d3 (cholecalciferol) presence in any daily wellness range, and DTC channels reward the same recognisability with stronger landing-page conversion than less familiar actives.
From a formulation standpoint, vitamin d3 (cholecalciferol) in a gummy matrix sits comfortably alongside other actives commonly used in private label gummies. Our pectin-based gummy supports balanced category profiles and keeps a clean texture across batch runs. It also pairs well with beauty-positioned actives where the brand wants a multi-benefit hero rather than a single-active product, and it holds up across the format choices European retail buyers tend to favour during the buying meeting.
Brand owners typically anchor their vitamin d3 (cholecalciferol) gummy in either a daily wellness or beauty stack. If you are scoping a new range, the related products and the category overview pages below show how the active appears across our private label catalogue. The blog posts cover what European retail buyers ask about during the brief stage, and what kinds of artwork copy hold up between marketing and the brand owner's regulatory contact during the final approval round.
If you want to talk it through, the request-a-quote form on the EU site is the fastest route in for European brand owners scoping a range. Locale: en. Our category team is happy to share the brief template we use with new partners as a starting point even before there is a formal engagement on the table, and the template is the same working document the planning team uses to track every brief through to launch day.
Why brands use Vitamin D3
Vitamin D3 is a supplement input commonly considered across multiple positionings. On DAT Supply briefs it is most often considered for Daily multivitamins, Immune gummies and Kids gummies — the exact positioning is set by the brand brief and reviewed against the target market’s claim rules. Editorially we frame it around Contributes to the normal function of the immune system (EU permitted claim), Contributes to the maintenance of normal bones (EU permitted claim) and Contributes to the normal absorption/utilisation of calcium and phosphorus (EU permitted claim), using only EU 432/2012- or DSHEA-compatible wording for the final pack copy. Format-wise we have considered Vitamin D3 for gummies and sachet; the per-format formulation notes below describe the live constraints (taste, payload, stability, packaging) we tune in the formulation pass. Sourcing form (extract ratio for botanicals, salt or chelate form for minerals, free-form vs ester for amino acids) is reviewed against the brief, with documentation matched to the target market’s import rules. Inclusion rate and claim wording are reviewed per project — no two briefs land on the same combination, and we don’t publish off-the-shelf doses.
Formats this ingredient is reviewed for
DAT Supply covers gummy, capsule, softgel, tablet, powder, oral strip, liquid drop, shot, jelly and pet formats. The list below reflects every format this ingredient is reviewed for — chips link through to the manufacturing hub for each format. Final compatibility, dose and matrix are confirmed per project.
Formulation notes
Verified formulation reference across the formats this ingredient is reviewed for — the Supported formats section lists every product format this active is approved for, and the per-format Considerations section below covers matrix-specific guidance. Final formulation, dose and on-pack copy are confirmed per project.
- Gummy fit
- Good
- Cost tier
- Low
Forms available
- Cholecalciferol 100,000 IU/g (oil-based)
- Cholecalciferol 100,000 IU/g (water-dispersible powder)
- Cholecalciferol 500,000 IU/g (concentrate)
- Vegan D3 from lichen (Cladonia rangiferina)
Dosage reference
EU NRV: 5 µg (200 IU). Typical positioning ranges from 100% NRV in daily multivitamins (5 µg / 200 IU) up to 1000% NRV in dedicated D3 ranges (50 µg / 2000 IU). EFSA-authorised claims apply at ≥15% NRV (0.75 µg). Upper limit set by EFSA (2023) at 100 µg/day for adults.
Taste & sensory
Effectively tasteless at typical gummy doses. Oil-based forms can carry a faint marine/lanolin note in high concentrations; the dry water-dispersible form is preferred for clean-tasting gummies.
Manufacturing notes
Water-dispersible 100,000 IU/g D3 is the standard for hot-deposited gummies — uniform distribution, low overage required, stable through typical cook. Vegan D3 from lichen behaves identically in the matrix but commands a premium price. Vegan / kosher / halal positioning depends on the selected raw material and supplier documentation — confirmed per project.
Per-format formulation notes
Safe-baseline considerations for each format this ingredient is reviewed for. Final formulation, dose and on-pack copy are confirmed per project.
Gummies
- Taste masking and aroma load against the cooked-base flavour — confirmed per project.
- Heat exposure during cooking; coated or encapsulated forms may be required — confirmed per project.
- Matrix choice (pectin vs gelatin) and its effect on ingredient stability — confirmed per project.
- Per-gummy dose and serving count needed to hit the label claim — confirmed per project.
Sachets
- Powder flow and dose accuracy at single-serve sachet weights — confirmed per project.
- Barrier requirements (oxygen, moisture) for the active — confirmed per project.
- Reconstitution behaviour when the sachet is dosed into water — confirmed per project.
EU-authorised health claims
- Vitamin D contributes to normal absorption/utilisation of calcium and phosphorusReg. (EU) 432/2012
- Vitamin D contributes to normal blood calcium levelsReg. (EU) 432/2012
- Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal bonesReg. (EU) 432/2012
- Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal muscle functionReg. (EU) 432/2012
- Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal teethReg. (EU) 432/2012
- Vitamin D contributes to the normal function of the immune systemReg. (EU) 432/2012
- Vitamin D has a role in the process of cell divisionReg. (EU) 432/2012
Authorised at ≥15% NRV per daily serving. Claim wording must appear verbatim on consumer packaging. DAT reviews final pack copy per project against EU 1924/2006 and the authorised list under EU 432/2012.
Wording to avoid on pack copy
- No disease claims — do not state or imply that Vitamin D3 cures, prevents, or treats osteoporosis, rickets, depression, autoimmune conditions, or any other disease.
- Avoid 'immune booster' language in EU consumer-facing copy unless reviewed case-by-case. Prefer 'immune support' as positioning and use authorised wording for formal health claims.
- No certification promises (vegan / kosher / halal / organic) on pack until per-project and per-batch supplier documentation is confirmed.
- No guaranteed shelf-life on pack until confirmed per project with stability data.
Vitamin D health claims are authorised at ≥15% NRV (≥0.75 µg) per daily serving. Most commercial gummies sit at 100–1000% NRV (5–50 µg). EFSA's 2023 Scientific Opinion sets the Tolerable Upper Intake Level at 100 µg/day for adults; consumer-facing dosage guidance must respect this UL. Claim wording must appear verbatim on pack copy.
Product concepts featuring Vitamin D3
Private-label product concepts where Vitamin D3 appears in the formula. Each opens to a product brief and quote route.
Multivitamin Gummies
Multivitamin Gummies is a white-label pectin-gummy supplement concept for brands building a daily wellness range. Final positioning, claims and documentation are reviewed per project and target market.
Kids Multivitamin Gummies
Gentle multivitamin gummy formulated for children aged 4+.
Kids Vitamin D Gummies
Kids Vitamin D Gummies is a white-label pectin-gummy supplement concept for brands building a kids & family range. Final positioning, claims and documentation are reviewed per project and target market.
Kids Vitamin D3 + K2 Gummies
Kids Vitamin D3 + K2 Gummies is a white-label pectin-gummy supplement concept for brands building a kids & family range. Final positioning, claims and documentation are reviewed per project and target market.
Vitamin D3 + K2 Gummies
Vitamin D3 + K2 Gummies is a white-label pectin-gummy supplement concept for brands building a daily wellness range. Final positioning, claims and documentation are reviewed per project and target market.
Bone & Joint Gummies
Bone & Joint Gummies is a white-label pectin-gummy supplement concept for brands building a energy & focus range. Final positioning, claims and documentation are reviewed per project and target market.
Immunity Gummies
Immunity Gummies is a white-label pectin-gummy supplement concept for brands building a digestive & gut range. Final positioning, claims and documentation are reviewed per project and target market.
Synergies & conflicts
Pairs well with
Pairs naturally with Vitamin K2 (MK-7) for bone/cardiovascular positioning; with Calcium and Magnesium for bone ranges; with Zinc and Vitamin C for immune stacks.
Care when combining with
Fat-soluble — accumulates in tissue at sustained high intakes. Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) is 100 µg/day per EFSA 2023. Brands targeting >50 µg should disclose serving size guidance clearly on pack.
Adjacent reading
Pairings, resource guides and blog notes most often associated with Vitamin D3 on DAT Supply briefs.
Common pairings
Ingredients that frequently co-formulate with Vitamin D3.
Develop a formula featuring Vitamin D3
A ready white-label formula exists — open a product brief, or talk to our team to align the launch plan.