Dawaa Reference

chronic

Vitamin D Deficiency (Nutritional)

Treatment options, dosing, cautions and Egyptian brands from the shipped Dawaa Reference card.

Evidence status

Checked against the sources named below

Sources3 sources

NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries (CKS) Vitamin D deficiency / Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS) Vitamin D Guidelines 2020 & Invita D3 50,000 IU Capsules SmPC (https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/10188/smpc) · NICE Guideline PH56: Vitamin D 2014 · One-Alpha (alfacalcidol) 1 microgram soft capsules SmPC sections 4.1-4.4 (eMC product 5516)

Verified against3 documents
  • DailyMed DRISDOL (ergocalciferol) 50,000 IU capsule label, SetID acb61678-d23d-405d-8c14-1a16cfd3a776
  • Vitamin D Deficiency - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf (NBK532266)
  • Vitamin D Deficiency - disease-level clinical article (vitamin-d-deficiency-clinical.txt)

Verified date2026-08

Presentation reference

Is it this?

Reference only, to read alongside your own examination.

Symptoms — what the patient reports (3)

  • Most people with low vitamin D have no symptoms at all
  • Bone pain, joint and muscle aches, fatigue, and muscle twitching from secondary hyperparathyroidism [bone pain · fatigue · muscle pain]
  • In children: irritability, lethargy, developmental delay, and bone changes [developmental delay · irritability · lethargy]

Tests (5)

  • Total serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D is the test used to check for deficiency in high-risk patients
  • A level of at least 30 ng/mL is recommended to limit fall and fracture risk in older adults
  • Levels above 100 ng/mL carry a risk of toxicity from secondary high calcium
  • A level over 150 ng/mL is considered frankly toxic
  • PTH and serum calcium are checked once deficiency is confirmed, to screen for secondary hyperparathyroidism

If not this — what else fits (6)

  • Celiac disease is one condition to rule out as a cause
  • Cystic fibrosis is also on the list of possible causes
  • End-stage liver disease is included among possible causes
  • Not enough sun exposure is a cause to consider
  • Insufficient dietary intake is a cause to consider
  • Antiepileptic drug use is a cause to consider

SourceStatPearls "Vitamin D Deficiency" - disease-level clinical article

Presentation findings are traced to the source above.

1

CHOLECALCIFEROL

1st line

Strength1.25 mg

Formoral.solid

Adult dose and duration

Loading: 50,000 IU (1.25 mg) once weekly for 8 weeks. Maintenance after loading: 1,000-2,000 IU daily. An equivalent loading option is 6,000 IU daily for 8 weeks. Always prescribe in IU - do not write "one tablet", because Egyptian products range from 1,000 IU tablets to 50,000 IU capsules.

Paediatric dose

Children: 2,000 IU daily, or 50,000 IU once weekly for 6 weeks, then 1,000 IU daily as maintenance. Check the product strength before prescribing.

Dose source

Regimen per Vitamin D Deficiency - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf (NBK532266), stated here in our own words; strength conversion and the toxicity warning from DailyMed DRISDOL (ergocalciferol) 50,000 IU capsule label, SetID acb61678-d23d-405d-8c14-1a16cfd3a776

Why

Vitamin D3 replacement that restores vitamin D stores needed for intestinal calcium absorption and bone mineralisation; corrects nutritional vitamin D deficiency and helps prevent the metabolic bone disease that results from chronic deficiency.

Cautions
  • Take with a fat-containing meal to maximize gastrointestinal absorption.
  • The margin between an effective and a toxic dose is narrow - the US label states: "THE RANGE BETWEEN THERAPEUTIC AND TOXIC DOSES IS NARROW." (DailyMed DRISDOL (ergocalciferol) 50,000 IU capsule label, SetID acb61678-d23d-405d-8c14-1a16cfd3a776)
  • Monitor serum calcium; avoid in hypercalcemia or granulomatous conditions (sarcoidosis).
  • 50,000 IU corresponds to 1.25 mg elemental cholecalciferol.
  • Alfacalcidol belongs to renal osteodystrophy, hypoparathyroidism and the other states where 1-alpha hydroxylation is actually impaired. If that entry is wanted, it is a separate condition, not a line on this one.
Egyptian brands
Egyptian brandManufacturerIndicative price
DAVALINDI 1000 I.U. 100 TABS.? strength differsMUP77.00 EGP (0.77/unit)
D3 PANAX BUTRITION 5000 I.U. 30 CAPS.? strength differsPANAX PHARMA32.00 EGP (1.07/unit)
D3 5000 I.U. 30 TABS.? strength differsNAPCO38.00 EGP (1.27/unit)
HINDA D3 - 30 TABS.? strength differsHP PHARMA92.00 EGP (3.07/unit)
AVALON VITAMIN D 30 CAPSULES? strength differsORGANIX COMPANY > EL-NOR PHARMACECEUTICAL COMPANY170.00 EGP (5.67/unit)
DETHREA D 10 ML? strength differsCOPAD > VIGOR MED PHARAMA45.00 EGP
VITAMIN D3 2000 I.U. 120 SOFTGELS (NOW)? strength differsNOW FOODS > SOFICOPHARM999.00 EGP
VITAMIN D3 10.000 I.U. 120 SOFTGELS (NOW)? strength differsNOW FOODS > SOFICOPHARM1300.00 EGP
UR-D 200 I.U./ML ORAL DROPS 25 ML? strength differs? different route - not oral solidHI-PHARM21.60 EGP
VIDROP 2800 I.U./ML ORAL DROPS 15 ML? strength differs? different route - not oral solidMUP26.00 EGP
2

REFERRAL & SAFETY-NETTING (NO DRUG THERAPY)

1st line
Dose source

Vitamin D Deficiency - disease-level clinical article (vitamin-d-deficiency-clinical.txt)

Why

Carries the referral criteria and warning signs for this condition, which apply whichever treatment is chosen.

Cautions
  • RED FLAG - The features of vitamin D toxicity and hypercalcemia are confusion, anorexia, vomiting, polyuria, polydipsia, muscle weakness, and nephrocalcinosis.
3

CALCIDIOL

2nd line

Formoral.solid

Adult dose and duration

30 to 200 μg daily

Paediatric dose

No paediatric dose is stated in the sources held for this drug.

Dose source

Vitamin D Deficiency (Nutritional) - disease-level clinical article (vitamin-d-deficiency-clinical.txt)

Why

Vitamin D metabolite for patients with severe hepatic dysfunction that does not require 25-hydroxylase activation in the liver.

Cautions
  • Serum calcium levels should be monitored to prevent hypercalcemia.
Egyptian brands

No Egyptian brand matched — prescribe by generic name.

Prices are indicative (dataset snapshot 2026-06); verify with the pharmacy.