7 Best vitamin D3 and K2 Supplements in 2024

Hey Warriors! I’m Jacek. If you’ve ever wondered if/why you may need vitamin D and K supplement, questioned the effectiveness of one you are taking or simply looking to include it in your nutrition plan, you’re in the right place my friend.

In this article we will look at 7 best Vitamin D3 and K2 supplements, showing the top ones designed to improve your health, why vitamin D3 and K2 are often paired together, why you may need them etc.

Don’t let the supplement variety hold you back from choosing the best one  – I’m here to help. Let’s explore the important information that goes beyond the surface of the label, bro-science, and address not only your concerns but also your needs. Have a look at vitamin d3 and k2 supplements reviews. Let’s go…

Top 7 Best vitamin D3 and K2 Supplements Reviewed

1. Vitamin D3+K2 by TL – Top Pick
2. Vitamin D3 + Vitamin K2 bundle by BulkSupplements – Budget Pick
3. Sol Food by Ora – Best for Vegans
4. Vitamin D+K by Legion – Best Formulation
5. NOW Supplements, Mega D-3 & MK-7 – Best for NOW Fans
6. Doctor’s Best Natural Vitamin K2 with MK-7 – Best With Lower Vitamin D
7. Nature Made Vitamin D3 K2 – Best for Nature Made Fans

Product	Total	Overall Formulation	Nutrition Label Transparency	Third-Party Testing	Price / Quality
Transparent Labs	39.5	10	9.5	10	10
Bulk Supplements	39	10	10	9	10
Ora	39	10	10	9.5	9.5
Legion	38	9.5	9.5	9.5	9.5
NOW	38	9.5	9.5	9	10
Doctor’s BEST	37.5	9.5	9.5	9	9.5
Nature Made	37.5	10	9.5	9	9

Let’s open our product list with a K2 D3 supplement from one of the best brands out there – Transparent Labs. Their products are always science-backed and 3rd-party lab tested, providing you not only what is shown to work, but in effective doses.

As you will learn later in that article why 3rd-party testing is important, right now understand that with this supplement you will get what is on the label – 125mcg of vitamin D3 – which keep in mind is more suitable for folks with higher vitamin D needs, as it’s slightly above upper limit set as 100 mcg/day (4000 IU), and 100mcg of vitamin K which actually does not exceed Adequate Intake (for vitamin K) provided by National Institutes of Health (NIH).

All of it with outstanding quality, without artificial coloring or sweeteners. If you need to supplement vitamins D and K, Transparent Labs offers great value for price. Everything there is in the form of just one capsule. Bottle contains 120 servings and a very nice price of 0,17$ per serving.

Only one capsule a day makes it quite convenient to take consistently when there is such a need. So even if you will be supplementing yourself everyday, the whole bottle will last 3 months. Unfortunately if you are following a vegan diet you probably won’t choose that supplement as the capsule is made from gelatin and for most vegan folks that can be actually a dealbreaker.

Transparency, price, quality and dose of vitamin K are reasons why it’s number 1 on our list. Add on top of it Highly reputable brand and recognized 3rd party testing and you can easily understand why Transparent Labs D3+K2 is listed as a top pick.

Number 2 on our list is the best budget pick even though you will be buying two separate products. You can get insane amount of 1111, 90mcg servings of vitamin K2, and even higher amount of 2000, 125mcg servings of vitamin D3, both in the form of powders which will allow you to mix them together in a much more personalized way, avoiding possible overdose and making sure you get what you need.

All of it for less than 0.03$ per serving of D3+K2. The only true downside of that bundle is that you need to use an accurate milligram scale to measure servings properly. 

So speaking about Bulk Supplements bundle of vitamins D3 and K2… you are getting, for an insanely low price per serving, with a huge number of serving for both vitamins, quality products that can be adjusted ideally to your needs.

Another plus of that bundle is that you can always change the dose or even completely stop supplementing yourself for example with vitamin K if you somehow manage to get enough with your food - then you can just keep taking your vitamin D3 dosage. I like this approach of getting single ingredient formulas which allow me to fully control what and when I’m taking my supplements.

Both supplements seem to be free of soy, gluten, dairy and yeast. Additionally vitamin K is free of added sugars and vegan friendly. So if you decide to pay “more” upfront  for that bundle (33$ ;-)) you can get yourself a really nice deal! Important note is that you need to make sure you understand how to measure it correctly and not confuse serving size with dose!

Many of you guys for sure will be looking only at vitamins suitable for vegans or organic vitamin d3 and k2 supplements, even if it comes with a higher price. That is why on our list we have this outstanding product - Sol Food High Potency Vitamin D3+K2 by Ora.

Just like Transparent Labs they give you 125mcg of vitamin D3 and 100mcg of vitamin K2, here, in one chewable tablet. On top of it it’s all made with organic and vegan ingredients without artificial flavors or fillers.

This is actually the most expensive product on our list but probably it can be justified as Ora Organic made some solid effort that resulted in such a product, where vitamin D3 is from Lichen and vitamin K is sourced from Chickpea.

Other ingredients you can find on the label are Organic Tapioca Starch, Organic Tapioca Maltodextrin and organic erythritol and xylitol. On top of it Sol Food by Ora does not contain any dairy, soy, gluten, GMO, tree nuts, added sugars, artificial fillers, colors, flavors or sweeteners.

Vitamin dose also does not exceed NIH recommendations for adequate intake. 30 servings which means that if you supplement yourself with 1 tablet a day which is serving size on a label, it will last you for a month. So if you’re cool with paying more for organic and vegan products - this is probably your best choice!

If price is a deal breaker keep in mind that you can save 20% by getting a subscription and Ora Organic will deliver your supplement when you will need one, meaning you can choose the frequency of delivery which is a really nice option.

The reason why Vitamin D and K by Legion is in our list as a best formulation product is because it is the only one, on that list, that also contains vitamin K1, and on top it’s 100% natural product as well. With each capsule you are getting 50 mcg of vitamin D3 (2000 IU) which is less than in our other products on the list, but still higher than the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) that is between 15 and 20 mcg a day.

As to the vitamin K, with every serving you are getting 100 mcg of vitamin K1 (which is still within AI) but also 180 mcg of vitamin K2. Such a dose of vitamin K for some might be very beneficial but unnecessary for others.

Legion is a great company that backs up their supplement choices and formulations with scientific research they list next to every product they sell. Higher price on our list but it’s Made in USA and Lab tested for purity so seems like a great choice.

Just be aware that a higher dose of vitamin K that can’t be splitted might not be the best option for everyone. Be sure to check the article to understand benefits but also possible side effects. 60 servings, so if you decide to take it everyday the whole bottle will last you for 2 months, which is a nice option.

As the company states there is “no artificial food dyes or other chemical junk” and “no return-necessary money back guarantee” option, so you can be quite sure you’re picking one of the best options available on the market. 

If you already use NOW supplements and are looking for a vitamin D3 and K2 supplement this is probably good news for you 🙂 - they have one! 

With their supplement Mega D-3 & MK-7 you are getting 120 servings of 125mcg of vitamin D and 180mcg of vitamin K2. As I already mentioned 180mcg might not be the best option for everyone, but if you need it - NOW supplements give it to you for a very reasonable price.

Their products are 3rd-party tested making sure you get what is on a label, which is extremely important in case of vitamin supplementation (it’s always important tbh). 120 servings with supplementing yourself with 1 capsule a day, will last for 4 months which can be very convenient, just keep in mind that after opening the bottle you should keep it in a cool and dry place. 0,20$ for a serving makes this supplement one of the cheapest on our list - very close to our top pick - Transparent Labs.

One capsule a day makes it a convenient option for folks who need that dose but unfortunately lack of ability to split it can make it unsuitable for those of you who don’t need such an amount of vitamin K. 

One thing to note is although the supplement was not manufactured with wheat, soy, gluten, milk, egg etc. it was produced in the facility that processes other ingredients containing such allergens. Unfortunately if you are following a vegan diet, this product is probably not for you. Good thing is that it was made and quality tested in the USA. 

Next one on the list is an option with lower vitamin D content. With each serving you get 180mcg of vitamin K2 and “only” 25mcg (1000IU) of vitamin D3 which is fairly close to RDA for adults, but still easily fits in the tolerable upper daily intake (UL) which is estimated as 100mcg (4000 IU) daily.

This USA made supplement is a great option for vegetarians. Getting all of that in one capsule is quite convenient, just be aware that it seems that this product is not tested by a 3rd-party lab.

180 mcg of vitamin K2 makes Doctor’s Best Natural Vitamin K2 and D3, another product on our list that has 150% of vitamin K adequate intake - amount provided by NIH. Great for those in need, but not for everyone, as unfortunately there is no chance of splitting the dose.

So be sure you consult taking that supplement with your healthcare provider. 60 servings will last for 2 months simply because the serving size is 1 capsule a day (unless there is a different one recommended by your physician). If we look at price per serving, it leaves Doctor’s Best supplement in the middle of our list.

Non GMO product, free form soy and gluten. Suitable for vegetarians but seems that not really for vegans, as they would mention that otherwise. If added sugars are something you prefer to avoid as much as possible, know that this product contains added sugars such as sucrose and aside from sugars also maltodextrin and modified food starch.

Nature Made is a company that proudly says they have over 50 years of expertise. Nature Made Vitamin D3 and K2 is another product that offers a good reasonable dose of vitamin K. With each softgel you can expect to get 125mcg of vitamin D3 and 100mcg of vitamin K2.

Looks like it does not contain any synthetic dyes or artificial sweeteners and it’s gluten free if that is what you’re looking for. So if you’re one of those folks who have higher vitamin D needs, this supplement may be a good option. Like some of the products on our list, Nature Made Vitamin D3K2 contains an amount of vitamin K within adequate intake suggested by the National Institutes of Health.

Vitamin D is slightly above the Upper Limit which is set as 100mcg (4000 IU) so it is a supplement for folks who have higher vitamin D needs. Although Nature Made vitamin D3 K2 is made in the USA, I believe that 0,42$ for a serving is quite high for a supplement that is not vegan friendly, with some colors added and it looks that this exact product was not USP certified like some of the Nature Made products.

It seems they could save some money on packaging because people complain that they are getting a bottle that is almost completely empty even when it contains all 30 softgels. Getting more servings in a bottle could benefit both sides. That being said, you are getting from an experienced company solid 30 servings with each bottle, which should last you a month if you will be taking 1 serving a day. 

Be sure tho, that your needs for vitamin D and K supplementation are evaluated by a healthcare professional.

Roles of Vitamins D3 and K2 in the Human Body

Let me try to separate good information from bro-science, about vitamin D3 and K2 in terms of nutrition for athletes (and not only for athletes, but overall tbh). Fortunately the evidence is strong about the roles and benefits of Vitamin D3 and K2 for health and well-being.

Vitamin D deficiency is a global health problem probably caused mainly by insufficient sunlight exposure. Can you imagine that it’s estimated that 1 billion people have vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency, particularly prevalent among elderly people. A systematic review of vitamin D status in populations worldwide showed that 88% of participants had low to suboptimal vitamin D levels. This is where supplementation should be considered. 

Vitamin D3 is often associated with bone health and ability to affect your immunity. That is what you probably already know. What you may not know is that it also plays a role in regulation of gene expression and muscular performance. So vitamin D influence is much more important than “just” calcium metabolism. 

I wouldn’t be me if I would not include info about vitamin D and its connection to testosterone synthesis 🙂. It can influence its production in a few ways but let’s talk about the interesting and less obvious ones. Leydig cells in testes that are responsible for testosterone production have receptors for vitamin D - VDRs.

Because Vitamin D can bind to these receptors I think we can make a reasonable assumption that vitamin D can potentially influence testosterone production. The next one is interesting as well. As we know testosterone is synthesized from cholesterol - not directly tho, it requires a series of reactions but eventually leads to testosterone synthesis. 

It looks like vitamin D - particularly its active form vitamin D3 -  plays a role in a regulatory process by modulating the expression of genes responsible for production of human steroid hormones, in this case - sex hormones like testosterone.

Vitamin K2, just like D is a fat-soluble vitamin. It plays a role in blood coagulation and supplementation may possibly (may and possibly are the keywords here) contribute to cardiovascular health. It’s quite often overlooked but it plays a critical role in calcium regulation. K2 ensures proper calcium allocation – keeping the arteries clear of calcification and making sure the bones get the minerals they need. 

Why Is the Combination of Vitamins D3 + K2 So Popular?

Not sure what are vitamin d3 and k2 combination benefits? That interesting connection between D3 and K2 is where the real magic happens - D3 facilitates calcium absorption, and later vitamin K2 ensures its deposition in skeletal tissue rather than arteries. 

Let’s simplify a bit 🙂 let’s say vitamin D helps you with calcium absorption from your digestive tract, but after absorption that calcium needs to go where it should, and this is where vitamin K2 is entering the chat, it makes sure that calcium goes to your bones and not get located in your vascular tissue.

This mutual effect regulates blood calcium levels, can possibly enhance bone health, in some cases can lower injury risks, and fine-tunes muscle function.

For athletes serious about optimizing performance, understanding the evidence-backed interplay between Vitamin D3 and K2 can be an advantage. It's precision science that can be sometimes overlooked. 

1. Possible Beneficial Effects for Bone Density

In terms of bone health, supplementation of Vitamin D3 and K2 seems like a robust approach with some possible benefits. As I said before, Vitamin D3's role in calcium absorption kind of sets the stage for optimal bone mineralization, and K2 makes sure that this essential mineral (Calcium) finds its way to skeletal tissues.

Vitamin K activates proteins like Osteocalcin and MGP. Osteocalcin assists in bone mineralization, while MGP protects blood vessels from excessive calcification. K2's involvement in activating osteocalcin, an important protein for bone health, contributes to the maintenance of bone density.

Meta-analysis of 8 randomized controlled trials shows that combining vitamin D with K can increase total bone mineral density. This action not only potentially improves bone density but also serves as a proactive measure against fractures, particularly relevant for those at risk of osteoporosis. Supplementing the right doses vit D3 and K2 looks like a good strategy. 

Just be aware that not all studies observed similar results and there are also some that after 3 years show no differences in bone health, in the group (older man and women) that had vit K supplement added to a multivitamin dose consisting of vit D and calcium, compared to one that did not get extra vit K. 

So as always context matters. Supplements are meant to help (as the name implies) with deficiencies and adding more than is required is not always better and in some cases can have strong adverse effects.

2. Might Benefit Cardiovascular Health

That synergistic interplay between D3 and K2 prevents arterial calcification, offering potential cardiovascular benefits. Keep in mind that “potential” is the keyword here. There is a huge difference in the studied mechanism and actual result when we include that mechanism in the body orchestra of metabolic pathways.

Just because something is happening in animal studies and petri dishes (in vitro) does not automatically mean the result will be the same, or even similar in humans. Another thing is that just because vitamin K plays a role in calcium allocation, it also does not mean it can reverse “damage” that is already done. All of that requires more studies to be done to fully understand that complex relationship.

That being said when yo?u’re deficient - you’re deficient and supplementation most likely will help. So let’s highlight that important information again - context matters and adequate levels of vitamins and minerals in your body are crucial for your health and well-being, and you already know some of the roles of vitamin D and K in the human body.

For that reason (and specifically in terms of cardiovascular health), because as you probably already know 🙂 I’m a context guy, I won’t give you recommendations for d3/k2 supplement as I believe it should be tailored to individual needs and health status.

How to Choose the Best Vitamin D3 and K2 Supplements?

If you are wondering how to choose the best d3 k2 supplement when you need them, let’s look at a few factors that may play quite an important role and I will try to explain why it matters.

Hey, while it is not always strictly necessary to obtain approval from a healthcare provider before including vitamin D3 and K2 supplements in your diet, especially when you can basically buy them everywhere… I strongly recommend it!

If you have any underlying health conditions, taking any medication or have scheduled surgery, be sure you consult adding any (I really mean ANY!) supplement into your diet with a healthcare professional.

Getting your bloodwork done also should be a regular habit especially if you’re an athlete. More data is always better for outcome based decision making. Remember - what you can measure, you can control.

1. Consider the Dose and Form of Vitamin K

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that comes in two (3 for some folks :)) forms. The main type is called phylloquinone - vitamin K1, found in green leafy vegetables. The other type, menaquinone (MK) - vitamin K2, is found in some animal and fermented foods.

Menaquinones can also be produced by some bacteria in the large intestine but the absorption there has its limitations making dietary intake important.

Know that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) tried to set guidelines for vitamin K, including both phylloquinone and menaquinones. Unfortunately biomarkers alone weren't enough for these guidelines.

Limited data about vitamin K's impact on health made it challenging to set specific values like RDA. So instead of setting that, they stayed with the value called adequate intake (AI). Due to insufficient evidence on menaquinones, they set guidelines only for phylloquinone. 

Depending on the age the recommended intake for vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) ranges from 10 μg/day for infants up to 70 μg/day for adults, with specific amounts for different age groups. 

AI for vitamin K in the United States provided by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) seems to be:

1. for Men (19 years and older): 120 micrograms (mcg) per day
2. for Women (19 years and older): 90 mcg per day

As you already noticed some of the supplements use higher doses than AI recommended by EFSA or NIH, basing their decision on some long-term studies that used higher doses of vitamin K and showed positive outcomes in terms of bone density. 

However to set the specific guidelines there is a need for a body of evidence - like systematic reviews and meta-analysis of RCT. Mentioned study was done on a very specific population like postmenopausal women which may not be applicable for the general population.

Another important case is that there is a lack of data for long-term effects for higher doses, and 3 years is still a specific timeframe. For that reason as I mentioned many times, use vitamin D and K supplements knowing the context like your needs and health status, and if your healthcare provider did not say otherwise, stick to recommended dosages.

2. Consider Dose of Vitamin D

Based on the studies I mentioned in this article already, and personal experience with my athletes, it really seems that the majority of the people are likely deficient in vitamin D, so let’s see what are the recommendations:

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for adults 

• 19 years and older: 600 IU (15 mcg) daily for men and women
• adults >70 years: 800 IU (20 mcg) daily.

The Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) is the maximum daily intake unlikely to cause harmful effects on health. 

• For vitamin D for adults and children ages 9+ UL is 4,000 IU (100 mcg). 

But as I said before, how much you need to supplement depends on many complex factors and if only there would be a way to see how much you need to supplement… 

Oh wait, there is, go to see your doctor and do the bloodwork 🙂 - you will find very interesting facts aside from your vitamin D levels. Outcome based decision making is the best there is and remember - there are no shortcuts in physiology.

Very interesting/concerning fact that you must know is that supplements that are not tested and do not undergo any legit regulations may have absolutely different amounts of vitamin D than they declare on a label.

Just imagine taking your regular daily vitamin D supplement and as a result getting up to few millions UI due to for example error in formulation. So on one side we have possible deficiency but on the other side there is possible toxicity. It is important to know that right balance of vitamin D is crucial to avoid possible hyper- or hypocalcemia. So before you jump on the train, be sure you understand all the risks and vitamin d3 and k2 side effects.

IF there is any medical condition present, you are taking any medications or have upcoming surgery - be sure to consult taking any supplement with your healthcare provider as some supplements may in some specific cases cause life threatening situations (vitamin D for example seems to be quite potent anticoagulant). If you are a healthy human being or even a competitive athlete, it is always a great idea to consult your supplementation with a sport nutritionist. 

FAQ

Is It Better to Take D3 and K2 Together?

It seems to be a good approach as one can regulate some actions of the other one. Keep in mind that balance is a key here as having too much/too little of one of them may affect the action of the other.

Best way to determine supplementation protocol will be to consult your nutrition needs with a healthcare professional. There is absolutely no need of supplementing both vitamins if you’re deficient in only one.

Is It Better to Take D3 and K2 Together?

Vitamin K2 sources from food will be liver and meat organs, meat, egg yolks, dairy and Natto - fermented soybeans. For K1 look for green leafy vegetables.

The reason why vitamin D supplements are so popular is that it’s hard to get enough from food. Quite good food sources will be liver, egg yolk and salmon, but still the primary way to get enough vitamin D in your body will be through adequate sun exposure - can’t beat that.  

Who Should Not Take D3 K2? 

Anyone who is not deficient. Aside from that one - anyone who is using blood-thinning medications, has any underlying health conditions or has scheduled surgery, should be extremely careful and always consult any supplementation with a healthcare professional. 

Can You Take D3 K2 Everyday?

If there is a need for that - absolutely. Just be sure that you’re taking doses that are tailored to your needs and health status. Just don’t jump into D3 and K2 supplementation if you’re only vitamin D deficient.

Conclusions 

Vitamin D and K are essential for health. Vitamins D3 and K2 prove to be effective in impacting genes and hormones, while K2 helps with calcium balance. Together, they play very important roles in bone health and cardiovascular well-being, especially for athletes.

However, supplementation should target deficiencies - if you are, you might be missing some gains so pick one of the supplements from our list like Vitamin D3+K2 by Transparent Labs, but if you are not - most likely supplementation won’t be beneficial and even may have some detrimental effects.

Personalized approach should be a key here. Be sure to get your levels measured by your health professional and supplement accordingly. Did you like the info in the article? what questions we still did not answer about vitamin D3 and K2? Please share your thoughts with us and help us build a better and healthier community!

Also read:

• Best Supplements and Vitamins for Intermittent Fasting
• Best Vitamins for Weight Loss
• Best Organic Vitamins
• Best Vitamins for Men Over 40
• Best Multivitamin for Bodybuilding
• Best Gummy Vitamins
• Best Vitamins for Weight Gain

References

1. Opinder Sahota, “Understanding vitamin D deficiency” National Library of Medicine, 2014 Sep; 43(5): 589–591., https://doi.org/10.1186/s13047-018-0284-z.
2. Jennifer Hilger , Angelika Friedel , Raphael Herr , Tamara Rausch , Franz Roos , Denys A. Wahl , Dominique D. Pierroz , Peter Weber and Kristina Hoffmann, “A systematic review of vitamin D status in populations worldwide” Cambridge University Press 09 August 2013, https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/systematic-review-of-vitamin-d-status-in-populations-worldwide/69657BC57AF7A214271655C5463F5293.
3. B Hamilton, “Vitamin D and Human Skeletal Muscle” National Library of Medicine, 2010 Apr; 20(2): 182–190., https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2860762/
4. Johan Lundqvist, Maria Norlin, Kjell Wikvall, “1alpha,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 affects hormone production and expression of steroidogenic enzymes in human adrenocortical NCI-H295R cells” National Library of Medicine, 2010 Sep;1801(9):1056-62. doi: 10.1016/j.bbalip.2010.04.009., https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20420936/
5. Johan Lundqvist, “Vitamin D as a regulator of steroidogenic enzymes [version 1; peer review: 1 approved, 1 approved with reservations]“, f1000research, https://f1000research.com/articles/3-155