Plant based sources of D3

[Kapidolo Farms]

Just a little something to think about.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6326678

Arch Biochem Biophys. 1984 May 15;231(1):67-71.
The isolation and identification of vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 from Medicago sativa (alfalfa plant).
Horst RL, Reinhardt TA, Russell JR, Napoli JL.
Abstract
Vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 were isolated from Medicago sativa (alfalfa) grown under field and laboratory conditions and then irradiated with ultraviolet light. The vitamins were identified by ultraviolet absorption, mass spectroscopy, and comparison with synthetic standards on several chromatographic systems. Sun-cured, field-grown alfalfa contained vitamin D2 at a concentration of 48 ng/g (1920 IU/kg) and vitamin D3 at 0.63 ng/g (25 IU/kg). Laboratory-grown alfalfa, artificially irradiated, contained vitamin D2 at a concentration of 80 ng/g and vitamin D3 at 1.0 ng/g. Therefore, the presence of vitamin D2, as well as vitamin D3, has unequivocally been demonstrated in alfalfa plant tissue.

 

[MichaelaW]

Very interesting!

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

There is some thought that a bacteria may be a symbiote with the alfalfa and that is what is producing the D3. Either way, I do feed USDA certified organic alfalfa, sun cured and pelleted. I rehydrate the pellets and mix them in with the giant salad.

 

[Tom]

Is that enough to benefit them?

Can they use dietary D3?

 

[RosemaryDW]

Sometimes I find your introductory points a little mysterious Will.

I take it there are ideas/concerns that plant sources don’t provide D vitamins to tortoises? And this is tied to the need to ensure our inside tortoises get enough of it?

Or maybe it’s something entirely different!?

 

[Markw84]

Although very interesting to find any D3 in plant material, that is still an EXTREMELY small amount of D3. I kg of alfalfa to get get 25 IU of D3. As a comparison, Mazuri tortoise diet has 2850 IU/kg in it. Approximately 100 times the amount for the same weight.

Still, fascinating they are finding ANY D3 in a plant material!

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Is that enough to benefit them?

Can they use dietary D3?

Broken record tom, broken record. Vitamin D3 can be used from dietary sources, I have several leopard tortoises that have not been in the sun, nor under artificial UV light. If your anecdotal narratives count so do mine. And D3 comes from D2 in the diet, the sun or UV does not infuse molecules into the tortoise, it creates a molecular process to change one molecule to another, if that molecule is already present in the same system then it is present.

Look at Mark's comment, you think the people at Mazuri do it for $hits and giggles?

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Sometimes I find your introductory points a little mysterious Will.

I take it there are ideas/concerns that plant sources don’t provide D vitamins to tortoises? And this is tied to the need to ensure our inside tortoises get enough of it?

Or maybe it’s something entirely different!?

If "something to think about" is mysterious to you I have no follow-up. It will just have to be mysterious.

 

[RosemaryDW]

Ha!