Compléments alimentaires

Best vitamin D: the strongest dose is the cheapest

En résumé

The Anses adequate intake is 15 µg a day, or 600 IU, and the market sells 1,000 to 2,000 IU. That is safe, as the safety limit is 4,000 IU. For the same amount of vitamin D, the 2,000 IU dose costs 31% less than the 1,000 IU. Lichen and lanolin give the same cholecalciferol: paying more for lichen buys nothing extra, unless you are vegan.

Le top 2 selon ton profil

Our pick

Dynveo

2,000 IU: 31% cheaper at the same dose.

17.90 EUR / 60 capsules

Voir l’offre
Adjustable dose

Nutri&Co

1,000 IU drops, for the whole family.

19.90 EUR / bottle

Voir le site

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Les 3 produits, côte à côte

ProduitPoints fortsLimitesPrixPrix / g d’actifLien
DynveoPlant-based vitamin D3 2,000 IU, 60 capsulesOur pick
2,000 IU (50 µg) per capsule; 31% cheaper per 1,000 IU than the lower dose from the same brand; micro-encapsulated form, no additives, pullulan capsule; lichen D3, so plant-based333% of the adequate intake per capsule, so a dose to choose knowingly; no adjustment possible without skipping a dose17.90 EUR / 60 capsules0.15 EUR / 1,000 IUVoir l’offre
Nutri&CoPlant-based vitamin D3 dropsAdjustable dose
1,000 IU per drop, so the dose can be adjusted to need and age; organic rapeseed oil for absorption; made in France; boreal lichen D3The exact number of drops is not published, only a supply of about five months is stated: its cost per day is therefore approximate and cannot be verified, unlike the capsules19.90 EUR / bottleabout 0.13 EUR / 1,000 IUVoir le site
DynveoPlant-based vitamin D3 1,000 IU, 60 capsules
1,000 IU (25 µg), the most reasonable dose if you do not know where you stand; same additive-free composition as the 2,000 IU version44% more expensive per 1,000 IU than the double-dose version from the same brand12.90 EUR / 60 capsules0.22 EUR / 1,000 IUVoir l’offre

The short answer

The adequate intake set by Anses is 15 µg a day, or 600 IU. The market sells 1,000 to 2,000 IU as a daily dose, which is 167 to 333% of this reference. That is safe, as the safety limit is 4,000 IU, but it is not “the need”. The 2,000 IU dose works out at 0.15 EUR per 1,000 IU against 0.22 EUR for the 1,000 IU: for the same amount of vitamin D, the higher-dose format is 31% cheaper.

D3 or D2, lichen or lanolin

Two distinctions, and only one really matters.

D3 rather than D2: yes, that is established. Cholecalciferol (D3) raises blood levels more effectively than ergocalciferol (D2). All serious products are D3.

Lichen or lanolin: no difference in the molecule. D3 from boreal lichen and D3 from sheep’s lanolin are the same cholecalciferol. Lichen is not “better absorbed”: it is simply plant-based, which is a criterion of convenience, not of effectiveness. If you are not vegan, paying more for lichen buys nothing extra.

Dropper bottle and blister pack of tablets on a table

The products, recorded on 24/09/2026

Product Dose Format Price Cost per day Price per 1,000 IU
Dynveo, plant-based D3 (lichen) 2,000 IU (50 µg) 60 capsules 17.90 EUR 0.30 EUR 0.15 EUR
Dynveo, plant-based D3 (lichen) 1,000 IU (25 µg) 60 capsules 12.90 EUR 0.22 EUR 0.22 EUR
Nutri&Co, plant-based D3 drops (lichen) 1,000 IU (25 µg) per drop bottle, about 5 months 19.90 EUR about 0.13 EUR about 0.13 EUR
Prices recorded on 24/09/2026. The cost per day of the drops bottle is calculated on the stated supply of about five months at one drop a day: as the exact number of drops is not published, this value is approximate, unlike the other two.

Three takeaways.

1. The highest dose is the cheapest for the same quantity. The 2,000 IU works out at 0.15 EUR per 1,000 IU against 0.22 EUR for the 1,000 IU, which is 31% less. It is the opposite of intuition: you pay less for the vitamin by buying the more concentrated product.

2. Drops are the most flexible format, and probably the cheapest. One drop = 1,000 IU, so the dose can be adjusted without cutting a capsule, which is useful for a child, or for going from 1,000 to 2,000 IU depending on the season. A stated caveat: the stated supply is approximate, so its cost per day is too.

3. Lichen is the one thing the three have in common. None of the products recorded is lanolin-based, which simplifies the comparison: only the dose, the format and the price remain.

Which dose, really

Reference Value Equivalent in IU
Adequate intake, adult 15 µg/day 600 IU
Dose of the products in the table 25 to 50 µg/day 1,000 to 2,000 IU
Tolerable upper intake level 100 µg/day 4,000 IU
Anses, nutritional references for vitamins and minerals, published on 21 February 2025. The adequate intake also applies to pregnant and breastfeeding women.

A dose of 1,000 to 2,000 IU a day therefore stays well below the safety limit: it represents 25 to 50% of it. It is justified in winter, at our latitudes, where skin synthesis is almost nil from November to March. What is not justified is stacking it with a multivitamin that already contains some, or taking high-dose ampoules without a prior blood test.

The one real piece of advice in this comparison: a 25-OH vitamin D blood test costs less than a year of supplements and tells you whether you need one. Our guide to the role, deficiency and supplementation of vitamin D details the at-risk situations.

Young woman smiling in the sun in a snowy landscape

Our sources

  • Official Dynveo and Nutri&Co pages, viewed on 24/09/2026: form, origin, dose in IU and µg, formats and prices.
  • Anses, Références nutritionnelles en vitamines et minéraux, published on 21 February 2025: adequate intake 15 µg/day, tolerable upper intake level 100 µg/day.

Frequently asked questions

Which vitamin D should you choose?

A D3, dosed at 1,000 or 2,000 IU, at the best price per 1,000 IU. Among the products recorded, the 2,000 IU dose works out at 0.15 EUR per 1,000 IU against 0.22 EUR for the 1,000 IU: for the same quantity, the more concentrated one is 31% cheaper.

D3 or D2?

D3, without question: cholecalciferol raises blood levels more effectively than ergocalciferol. All serious products are D3.

Is lichen vitamin D better?

No, it is the same molecule as the one from lanolin. Lichen is a criterion of convenience, as it makes the product plant-based, not of effectiveness. If you are not vegan, the extra cost buys nothing.

How much vitamin D a day?

Anses sets an adequate intake of 15 µg, or 600 IU, and a tolerable upper intake level of 100 µg, or 4,000 IU (published on 21 February 2025). A dose of 1,000 to 2,000 IU therefore represents 25 to 50% of the limit, which leaves a comfortable margin.

Drops or capsules?

Drops let you adjust the dose without cutting a capsule, which is useful for a child or for going from 1,000 to 2,000 IU depending on the season. Capsules give an exact dose and a verifiable price per unit.

Should you take supplements all year round?

Skin synthesis is almost nil from November to March at our latitudes, which justifies the winter period. For the rest, a 25-OH vitamin D blood test costs less than a year of supplements and tells you whether you need one. Above all, avoid stacking it with a multivitamin that already contains some.