Differentiation between Ercalcidiol (25(OH)D
2
) and 25(OH)D
3
is important for monitoring vitamin D therapy, as vitamin D
2
is the predominant prescription form. The half-life of Ercalcidiol is shorter than that of 25(OH)D
3
and it binds less well to the vitamin D binding protein, making it less potent and, therefore, required to be administered at much higher doses than vitamin D
3
. Some currently used assays have a diminished capacity to detect Ercalcidiol, which can lead to dangerous overdosing when attempting to monitor therapy with vitamin D
2
.
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