Best Vit K2 +Vit D3?

[priss58]

Hi. I've been reading here about vits K2 +D3, and am keen to try it as I don't want to take Alendronic acid. However, there's so many "makes"! I'm in the UK. I know you can't advertise but what should I be looking out for? Mk7 for vit K is the thing, containing natto I see from some posts, but what is the best combination for both tablets? I took steroids for years for RA, and early menopause, now my spine and hips are not in great shape. I realise that I really need to sort myself out - no help from GP sadly. Thank you x

[Met00]

Some say Vitamin D and Vitamin K2 should be in oil-filled capsules to aid absorption. I'm not convinced, because you can take them with food that contains fat. I've taken Vitamin D as tablets, oil-filled capsules, drops and spray, and not noticed that it's made any difference to how much gets absorbed. The main thing is that you need to know your blood D level to work out how much Vitamin D you're likely to need, and then monitor it with blood tests at least 2-3 times a year. Your blood level needs to be at least 75nmol/litre (anyone in the US reading this, that's 30ng/ml), and many say 100 or higher (US 40 or higher). K2 needs to be either K2-MK7 or K2-MK4. It's hard to get K2-MK4 in the UK, and when you do find it, the dose is normally much too low. The recommended dose for MK7 is 90-180mcg. For MK4 it's 45mg (that's 45,000mcg!), split into 3 x 15mg doses. I buy from a reputable source and look for what's on offer at the time.

I take Vit D with breakfast and K2-MK7 with my evening meal, to ensure there's enough fat for both. They work together, but both have long half-lives, meaning they stay in the bloodstream for long enough to be available to each other.

[priss58 in reply to Met00]

Thank you, that's useful. I see the RA consultant next week and I intend to ask him for various blood tests that the GP seems reluctant to do. I'm merely trying to help them by helping myself!

[Houseelf in reply to Met00]

This is so helpful to read, thank you so much for sharing!

[Fruitandnutcase]

I’m the same as Met00 - Ive tried all sorts but now I prefer oil filled vitamin D capsules. I mainly use the capsules so that I can fill my daily pill box every week which I couldn’t do with a vitamin D spray. I take my vit D in the morning with breakfast which is usually a two egg omelette and I use K2 Mk7 which I take with my evening meal

I test my own vitamin D levels twice or three times during the year. If I’m only testing vitamin D I use this lab cityassays.org.uk, if I’m testing other things as well I use Medichecks.

I also take magnesium, boron, a DHA Omega 3 oil capsule and I top up my dietary calcium with a seaweed based calcium capsule (my gut couldn’t cope with the calcium carbonate tablets I got from my doctor) which are also supposed to contain 72 trace mineral elements.

[priss58 in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Thank you. I'll definitely need to have a test privately as my hospital appointment has been cancelled yet again. X

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to priss58]

It is so disappointing isn’t it when appointments are cancelled. Hope you can sort something out.

My rheumatologist knows I stopped alendronic after four months so I will be surprised if I hear any more from them other than my normal appointments for my inflammatory arthritis which never happen when they should so I feel pretty much on my own now which is probably only to be expected as I don’t want to have the treatment they recommend.

[MWZ3]

I’m in Australia and take a combination of K2 and D3. Nature’s Way is the name and I like it because it’s a soft gel and easy to swallow.

[beckyiswell]

I'm in the US. My bone Dr recommended Timora Vitamin D3 + K2 6000iu, chewable tablets. I buy from Amazon. Perhaps Amazon in UK has them also?

[Met00 in reply to beckyiswell]

That's a very high dose of Vitamin D3, above the maximum recommended amount of 4000iu daily. I assume you would otherwise have a very low blood level and need that much to maintain Your blood D at an optimum level. Do you know what your blood D level is? Also, the K2-MK7 is higher than the recommended range of 90-180mcg, although this may not be an issue with taking so much vitamin D. However, taking them both at the same time will need far more fat in the accompanying meal to optimise absorption, so you risk spending a lot of money on something that may have a significant quantity unabsorbed. Finally (sorry to be so critical!), as these appear to be gummies, I assume that means they contain sugar or artificial sweetener, neither of which is likely to be good for our bones!

[beckyiswell in reply to Met00]

I forgot to add she recommended taking only 2 a day instead of the recommended 3. They are chewable tablets, not gummies. No fat needed to take.

[Met00 in reply to beckyiswell]

If they're chewable, I'd be very surprised if they don't contain some form of sweetener. If they contain Vitamin D and K2, they need fat to aid absorption.

[beckyiswell in reply to Met00]

I'll admit I'm not very well informed as to the best way to take supplements. Yes, there is added sugar, and I have no problem with fat in every meal.

I used to always take D3 that was in oil until she told me about the supplement I'm now taking. I had never taken K2 before.