Drug & supplement interaction

Vitamin D + Calcipotriene

Calcipotriene brand name: Dovonex.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Vitamin D has a moderate interaction with Calcipotriene. Taking calcipotriene with vitamin D increases the risk for hypercalcemia.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodProbable
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Vitamin D and Calcipotriene

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

CALCIPOTRIENE (Dovonex)

Taking calcipotriene with vitamin D increases the risk for hypercalcemia.
Calcipotriene is a vitamin D analog used topically for psoriasis. It can be absorbed in sufficient amounts to cause systemic effects, including hypercalcemia. Theoretically, combining calcipotriene with vitamin D supplements might increase the risk of hypercalcemia.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence D

Interaction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the simple version. Calcipotriene is a man-made cousin of vitamin D that you rub on psoriasis patches. Even though it's a cream, small amounts can soak through your skin into your bloodstream. Because it acts like vitamin D in your body, stacking it on top of a vitamin D supplement could, in theory, push your blood calcium too high (a state called hypercalcemia).

I want to be honest about the evidence here: this concern is based on how these two work, not on a pile of real-world reports. For most people using normal cream amounts and a sensible vitamin D dose, this isn't likely to cause trouble. But signs of high calcium (nausea, constipation, extra thirst, frequent urination, feeling tired or foggy) are worth knowing. If you use a lot of cream or take high-dose vitamin D, check in with your pharmacist or doctor first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. McEvoy GK, ed. AHFS Drug Information. Bethesda, MD: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 1998.

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Vitamin D Also Interacts With Other Medications

Vitamin D has 79 moderate, 635 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Calcipotriene one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 79 Minor 635 No known interaction 2,116 (incl. Calcipotriene)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Vitamin D

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Vitamin D. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About Vitamin D or Calcipotriene

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Vitamin D or Calcipotriene, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Calcipotriene

This page covers Vitamin D only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Calcipotriene page lists 5 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Calcium (moderate), Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) (moderate), Turpentine Oil (moderate) and Alchemilla (minor).

By severity: 4 moderate · 1 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Calcipotriene page

“Calcipotriene (Dovonex) is a psoriasis cream built around a lab-made form of vitamin D, and that is exactly why its short supplement list, just five ingredients, centers on calcium. Enough of the drug can soak through the skin to raise blood calcium, so taking vitamin D or calcium supplements alongside it can theoretically stack onto t…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Calcipotriene interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Vitamin D as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 26,930 real supplement products containing Vitamin D, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Vitamin D. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Calcipotriene too, on top of Vitamin D — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Vitamin D and Calcipotriene Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Vitamin D
Top 10

#4 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Calcipotriene
Steady interest

#2,086 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Vitamin D

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D
  • Bone health and osteoporosis
  • Correcting vitamin D deficiency
  • Immune system support
  • Muscle strength in older adults
  • General supplementation when sun exposure is low

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps your body absorb calcium and is important for healthy bones, muscles, and immune function. Many people, especially those with low sun exposure, benefit from supplementation, but more is not always better and very high doses can be harmful. Ask your pharmacist or doctor whether a blood test and supplement make sense for you.

Read the full Vitamin D monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Calcipotriene Topical

What Is Calcipotriene Topical Used For?

Brand name: Dovonex

Calcipotriene is applied directly to the skin to treat plaque psoriasis — the common form of psoriasis that causes raised, scaly patches. Calcipotriene foam (brands include Sorilux) is approved for plaque psoriasis of the scalp and body in adults and children 4 years and older.

Pellix Topical Solution is applied specifically to scalp psoriasis lesions. Calcitrene ointment (and related creams) is also used for plaque psoriasis, but should not be applied to the face.

See full Calcipotriene Topical drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Vitamin D

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Vitamin D — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
79Moderate
635Minor
2,115No known interaction
79 Moderate 635 Minor 2,115 No interaction
Moderate

79 interactions

Showing 60 of 79 moderate interactions — see all 79 on the Vitamin D page.

Minor

635 interactions

Showing 60 of 635 minor interactions — see all 635 on the Vitamin D page.

No interaction 2,115 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Vitamin D against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,115 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Vitamin D list.

See the full Vitamin D interactions page
See every supplement checked against Calcipotriene, ranked by severity
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

Keep exploring
Vitamin D monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Calcipotriene supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Calcipotriene, ranked by severity Calcipotriene Topical drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Vitamin D and Calcipotriene Together: Common Questions

Can you take Vitamin D with Calcipotriene?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Vitamin D and Calcipotriene interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Calcipotriene and Vitamin D?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.