Ergocalciferol: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Ergocalciferol is a provitamin d2 compound sold in the U.S. under 2 brand and generic names, for hypoparathyroidism, rickets and hypophosphatemia. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
Key facts
- Drug class
- Provitamin D2 Compound
- Treats
- Hypoparathyroidism, Rickets and Hypophosphatemia
- Available as
- Capsule
- Sold as
- 2 products — Drisdol and Ergocalciferol
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Yes
- What the pharmacy pays
- about $3 for a 30-count supply — not your price
How ergocalciferol is dosed
From the FDA label for Drisdol (application NDA003444). Other ergocalciferol products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Vitamin D Resistant Rickets: 12,000 to 500,000 IU units daily. Hypoparathyroidism: 50,000 to 200,000 IU units daily concomitantly with calcium lactate 4 g, six times per day. DOSAGE MUST BE INDIVIDUALIZED UNDER CLOSE MEDICAL SUPERVISION. Calcium intake should be adequate. Blood calcium and phosphorus determinations must be made every 2 weeks or more frequently if necessary. X-rays of the bones should be taken every month until condition is corrected and stabilized.
Ergocalciferol side effects
Hypervitaminosis D is characterized by effects on the following organ system: Renal: Impairment of renal function with polyuria, nocturia, polydipsia, hypercalciuria, reversible azotemia, hypertension, nephrocalcinosis, generalized vascular calcification, or irreversible renal insufficiency which may result in death. CNS: Mental retardation. Soft Tissues: Widespread calcification of the soft tissues, including the heart, blood vessels, renal tubules, and lungs. Skeletal: Bone demineralization (osteoporosis) in adults occurs concomitantly. Decline in the average rate of linear growth and increased mineralization of bones in infants and children (dwarfism) vague aches, stiffness, and weakness. Gastrointestinal: Nausea, anorexia, constipation. Metabolic: Mild acidosis, anemia, weight loss. To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Torrent Pharma Inc. at 1-800-912-9561 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Who shouldn’t take ergocalciferol
Ergocalciferol is contraindicated in patients with hypercalcemia, malabsorption syndrome, abnormal sensitivity to the toxic effects of vitamin D, and hypervitaminosis D.
Ergocalciferol drug interactions
Mineral oil interferes with the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, including vitamin D preparations. Administration of thiazide diuretics to hypoparathyroid patients who are concurrently being treated with ergocalciferol may cause hypercalcemia.
Every ergocalciferol product we track (2)
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
| # | Drug | Rating | Type | Form | Generic? | Pharmacy pays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Capsule | Generic | $3 | View → | |
| 2 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Capsule | Generic | $3 | View → |
What ergocalciferol pills look like
Imprint codes, colour and shape from the FDA’s labelling data. Match the imprint on your pill — or search any imprint.
Combination products containing ergocalciferol
A combination is a different drug — different dosing, different warnings. It is listed here so you can find it, not so you can substitute it.
Ergocalciferol recalls
From the FDA Enforcement database. A recall covers specific lots — not the drug as a whole.
How long ergocalciferol keeps
No ergocalciferol label we read sets a separate limit for after opening, but they do specify how it must be stored — and the stability behind any date assumes those conditions.
Does ergocalciferol expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labelsWhat people report to the FDA about ergocalciferol
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 38,079 reports naming ergocalciferol, and the FDA flagged 80% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:
- fatigue5,149 reports
- nausea4,475 reports
- dyspnoea4,463 reports
- headache4,340 reports
- diarrhoea4,123 reports
- arthralgia3,778 reports
- vomiting3,767 reports
- pneumonia3,251 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean ergocalciferol caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.
Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved July 25, 2026.
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
What is ergocalciferol?
Drisdol (Ergocalciferol) is a provitamin d2 compound used to treat Hypoparathyroidism, Rickets, Hypophosphatemia.
What kind of drug is ergocalciferol?
The FDA classifies ergocalciferol as a provitamin d2 compound. If you are checking whether it is safe to combine with something else, the class is what matters — two drugs from the same class usually should not be stacked.
Can you take ergocalciferol with other medicines?
It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run ergocalciferol against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
What brand names is ergocalciferol sold under?
We track 2 ergocalciferol-containing products in the U.S.: Drisdol and Ergocalciferol. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.
What forms does ergocalciferol come in?
Across the brands we track, ergocalciferol is currently marketed as capsule, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.
Is there a generic ergocalciferol?
Yes. Our catalog lists 1 generic ergocalciferol product alongside the brand versions. A generic has the same active ingredient and must meet the FDA's bioequivalence standard; it usually costs less. Ask your pharmacist which one your plan covers.
Has ergocalciferol been recalled?
The FDA's Enforcement database lists 1 recall record whose product description mentions ergocalciferol. The most recent: Ergocalciferol (Feb 17, 2025). A recall applies to specific lots, not to the drug as a whole — check the record for the affected lot numbers.
Cite this page
- APA
- pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Ergocalciferol: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/ergocalciferol
- MLA
- “Ergocalciferol: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/ergocalciferol.
We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Read the full FDA label for ergocalciferol on DailyMed (NIH) ↗.