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5 Brilliant K2 + D3 Supplements for Healthy Bones
Learn how this dynamic duo can support mobility, bone health and immune function.
Written by Brilliant Staff
Fact Checked by Melissa Mitri, MS, RD
Vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin, is essential for immune support, positive mood, and avoiding muscle cramps. But this powerful vitamin comes in many forms, each with their own unique benefits. Today we’re going to focus on a lesser known, but important form: vitamin D3.
Vitamin D3 is a fat-soluble vitamin that promotes calcium absorption in the gut, helping to enable normal bone mineralization. This is essential for a healthy bone matrix.
While vitamin D3 is popular for improving bone health and calcium absorption, it can’t do the job alone. This is where D3’s equally potent sidekick, vitamin K2, comes into play.
Vitamin K2 is an essential nutrient, which means our body can’t produce meaningful amounts on its own, and therefore must be taken in through an outside source. Healthy levels of this fat-soluble vitamin can support your heart, blood circulation, and bone health.
Vitamin K2 plays a vital role in vitamin D3’s ability to build and maintain strong and healthy bones. K2 boosts calcium absorption and directs it to your bones and teeth. Without it, vitamin D3 is significantly less effective.
Benefits
Promotes healthy bones and range of motion
Supports heart tissue
Encourages healthy blood circulation
Supports a healthy immune system
The problem is, some K2D3 products use the generic form of K2, called menaquinone-4 (MK-4), resulting in subpar benefits compared to the long-chain version, known as menaquinone-7 (MK-7).
Research has shown thatMK-7 allows for smaller, more convenient doses because it accumulates in the bloodstream. This allows the vitamin to stay in your body and work for longer periods.
If you want to get the most out of your MK-7, go with a clinically studied version such as MenaQ7®. This ensures that you’re getting a product made with the highest quality ingredients.
In addition to MK-7, we recommend looking for formulas with fatty oils, like avocado—that will help increase the absorption of K2 and D3 in your body. Just keep an eye out for synthetic ingredients. At Brilliant, we believe in simple, naturally derived formulas.
Here's our shortlist of key ingredients and doses to look for in your K2D3 supplement.
Key Ingredients
Vitamin K2 is vital for bone metabolism, and research suggests it can keep your bones strong.
The long-chain form of vitamin K2, called menaquinone-7, offers more advanced benefits than its short-chain form, menaquinone-4, due to its ability to stay in the bloodstream for longer periods.
MK-7 also aids in bone mineral density, helping with bone quality and strength—making it the superior form of K2.
Like K2, vitamin D3 is essential for healthy bone formation, since it helps with calcium absorption. Some studies suggest that taking both vitamins together is more beneficial than taking either one alone.
Think of it this way: D3 boosts calcium absorption, and K2 directs it to where it’s needed most.
Watch Out For
Beware of unlisted sources of Vitamin K2 on product labels and low-cost supplements, which may contain synthetic versions of Vitamin K2 that can cause side effects in some individuals.
There’s nothing “wrong” with this form of vitamin K2, but if you really want to reap the benefits of a K2 supplement, MK-7 is the far superior form and will maximize your benefits by staying in your body longer.
When a company claims that they meet specific requirements, you want to make sure someone is checking their work.
Third-party testing means that an independent organization not associated with the supplement manufacturer evaluates the quality, safety, purity, and potency of the supplements.
The Brilliant Process
Like you, we’re picky about products — and serious about quality.
Whether we’re featuring an award-winning product from one of our five beauty and wellness brands — or somebody else’s — a Brilliant recommendation doesn’t see the light of day until it has been medically reviewed by our Fact Checkers for accuracy and has fulfilled our Brilliant Criteria.
At Brilliant, although we often feature products that we sell, we’re not afraid to highlight and celebrate other brands who are doing things right.
We take great care in handpicking high-quality products to feature on Brilliant. Here’s how we choose them:
- High-Quality Ingredients: We dig deep into the latest research and look for products that contain comprehensive ingredients for optimal impact.
- Pure, Holistic Formulas: We prioritize products that contain clean, wholesome ingredients. A product should only contain what it needs and nothing else—period.
- Brand credibility: Each product on our list is produced by a company with trusted credibility. We've also verified that each brand adheres to labeling requirements set forth under current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP).
- Value: We evaluate products based on industry averages and price per serving or application. We also consider quantity and return policy.
As veteran leaders in the wellness space with an award-winning brand portfolio of 100+ health and beauty products, we are committed to honesty and transparency, providing thoughtful insights into the benefits and limitations of the information and products we evaluate — including our own. Every Brilliant Buying Guide is thoroughly vetted for medical accuracy by our Fact Checkers prior to publication.
With our discerning selection process, you can feel confident that the products we recommend meet the highest benchmarks of quality, transparency, and efficacy. If we wouldn’t use a product ourselves, it’s not Brilliant.
Now that you know what to look for, let’s compare some must-have K2 & D3 supplements on the market, including our Live Conscious® K2+D3 and Essential elements® Bone boost.
2024’s Must-Have K2D3 Supplements
What We Like:
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MK-7
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Vitamin D3
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Third-party tested
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365-day return policy
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Gluten-free
Room To Improve:
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Only available in US & Canada
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Does not contain calcium
Only available in US & Canada
Final Thoughts
K2+D3 from Live Conscious®, a Brilliant Wellness brand, is formulated with MK-7, known for its effective absorption and clinical support. plus 125 mcg of vitamin D3 for enhanced heart and bone support. K2+D3 also uses organic avocado oil to ensure effective absorption.
At Live Conscious, weoffer a comprehensive 365-day money-back guarantee on all of our products. Although we think you’ll love it, if you’re not 100% satisfied with K2+D3, you have a full year to return it.
Product Specs
- 60 capsules per bottle (30 servings)
- 125 mcg vitamin D3, 100 mcg K2 (MK-7)
- Price: $$
What We Like:
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Contains vitamin D3
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Contains calcium
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365-day return policy
-
Gluten-free
-
Third-party tested
Room To Improve:
-
Sold exclusively online
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Does not contain clinically studied K2
Final Thoughts
Another preferred choice is Bone boost by Essential Elements, a Brilliant Wellness brand, for its effective formula.
Bone boost contains 100 mcg of vitamin K2 and 50 mcg of vitamin D3. While it doesn't use a clinically studied form of vitamin K2, Bone boost makes up for it with the addition of ingredients, Cissus quadrangularis and calcium hydroxyapatite.
Cissus quadrangularis, commonly known as veldt grape, has been shown to help aid in bone formation. However, it's important to note that while promising, the evidence is not yet conclusive, and more extensive clinical trials are needed to firmly establish its efficacy for bone formation. Calcium hydroxyapatite is a highly bioavailable form of calcium derived from bovine, and includes another important bone mineral, phosphorus.
Essential Elements offers a solid, 365-day money-back guarantee.
Product Specs
- 60 capsules per bottle (30 servings)
- 50 mcg vitamin D3, 100 mcg vitamin K2 (MK-7)
- Price: $$
What We Like:
-
Gluten-Free
-
Non-GMO
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Made in USA
-
Third-party tested
Room To Improve:
-
Does not contain absorption boosting fats
Final Thoughts
ForestLeaf's K2+D3 contains MK-7, a clinically-studied form of vitamin K2, along with a potent dose of vitamin D3.
Its 60-day money-back guarantee gives a decent amount of time to determine if this supplement is right for you.
However, we felt the lack of absorption-boosting fats kept this product from placing higher on our list.
Still, this is a strong overall supplement. It contains proper dosages of high-quality ingredients and lacks artificial fillers.
Product Specs
- 60 capsules per bottle (30 servings)
- 125 mcg vitamin D3, 100 mcg K2 (MK-7)
- Gluten Free, Non-GMO
- Price $
What We Like:
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Contains MK-7
-
Contains vitamin D3
-
Ideal for people who prefer gummies
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Gluten-free
-
Third-party tested
Room To Improve:
-
30-day return policy
-
Does not contain clinically studied K2
Final Thoughts
Coming in at number 4 on our list is D3+K2 Gummies by Nordic Naturals. Gummies are a nice option for people who have difficulty taking vitamins in capsule or pill form.
While D3+K2 Gummies aren't formulated with clinically studied vitamin K2, they do use menaquinone (MK-7), a form of Vitamin K2 known for its longer half-life and effectiveness in supporting bone health.
It's worth noting that many gummies contain excess sugar. If you’re trying to limit your sugar intake, you may want to consider other options.
If you purchase and dislike D3+K2 Gummies and want to return them, you should act quickly, as Nordic Naturals only offers a 30-day return policy.
Product Specs
- 120 gummies per bottle (60 servings)
- 25 mcg vitamin D3, 45 mcg K2 (MK-7)
- Non-GMO
- Price $$
What We Like:
-
Contains vitamin D3
-
Non-GMO
-
Gluten-free
Room To Improve:
-
Contains MK-4
-
Does not contain absorption boosting fats
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30-day return policy
-
Not third-party tested
Final Thoughts
Vitamin D-3 & K-2 by NOW Foods ranked in our top five because it contains key ingredients like vitamin D3 and is ideal for shoppers on a budget.
Unlike the other products on our list, which use MK-7, this product uses a form of vitamin K2 known as MK-4. Another downside is that they only offer a 30-day return policy.
Product Specs
- 60 capsules per bottle (30 servings)
- 25 mcg vitamin D3, 45 mcg vitamin K@ (MK-4)
- Non-GMO, Gluten free
- Price $
Frequently Asked Questions
Typically, it takes 1-3 months of consistent supplementation before you’ll see results. However, there are many factors to consider. Baseline vitamin levels, diet, and underlying health issues can all affect this timeline. It's important to consume a healthy diet to achieve optimal results.
It’s best to take a vitamin D3 & K2 supplement in the morning with food. This way you can easily build the habit and stay consistent with your supplementation. Also, some studies have shown that higher blood levels of vitamin D may be linked to lower levels of melatonin, making it harder to fall asleep at night, though more research is needed.
- ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminK-HealthProfessional/.
- ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9237441/ accessed 16 Jan 2024.
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33549284/
- ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5613455/ accessed 16 Jan 2024.
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7436967
