Study shows bread made with Lallemand VitaD bakers yeast is as bioavailableas a vitamin D supplement

A study led by Professor Christel Lamberg-Allardt from Helsinki University aimed to evaluate the bioavailability of vitamin D from bread baked with vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) containing baker’s yeast, using 25 µg (or 1000IU) as the daily dose. Results showed that bread baked with vitamin D2 containing yeast had an equal effect on vitamin D (S-25-Hydroxyvitamin D) serum level as vitamin D2 supplement.

The subjects in this bioavailability study, 38 healthy women aged 19 - 41 year old, had a mean serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration of 58.7 nmol/L (55.9-60.2 nmol/L). They were randomly assigned different wheat bread and supplement regimes: bread baked with vitamin D2 baker’s yeast and a placebo supplement, regular bread and a vitamin D supplement, or regular bread and a placebo supplement.

Natural dietary sources of vitamin D are limited. Vegetarian and persons with lactose intolerance who are not reached by dietary sources of the current fortification policy could benefit from the introduction of a low-fat staple food, such as a bread naturally rich in vitamin D Senior author of this study, Dr. Christel Lamberg-Allardt who is Professor in Nutrition and Head of Department of food and environmental sciences at Helsinki University(Finland), and an internationally recognized expert in vitamin D actively involved in the elaboration of European nutrition policies, concludes: “This 4 weeks trial clearly showed that bread baked with vitamin D2 containing yeast had an equal effect on S-25OHD concentration as a vitamin D2 supplement”.

According to Jean Chagnon, CEO of Lallemand: “Bread is a staple food consumed daily by persons of different ages and different ethnicities and yeast is a key ingredient in the production of bread The simple process improvement used in making Lallemand VitaD Baker's Yeast, with this scientific evidence will certainly result in a significant percentage of all breads and yeast leavened goods becoming new natural sources of vitamin D. This is good news at a time when the importance of this sunshine vitamin D is increasingly recognised by health professionals, public health officials and the general public. This study confirms that bread baked with Lallemand VitaD bakers yeast is as effective (bioavailable) as a vitamin D supplement.”

To read a poster of the study, visit: http://www.lallemand.com/vitaminD/study-Finland.pdf