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Vitamin D-3, High Potency, 5,000 IU, 120 Softgels vs Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D3, 120 Capsules

Side-by-side comparison of scores, ingredients, prices and real customer feedback for Vitamin D-3, High Potency, 5,000 IU, 120 Softgels and Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D3, 120 Capsules.

Last verified: 07 Apr 2026 · Based on 99 reviews

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82.0
Quick Answer

Vitamin D-3, High Potency, 5,000 IU, 120 Softgels scores 82.0/100 vs Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D3, 120 Capsules at 81.0/100. Vitamin D-3, High Potency, 5,000 IU, 120 Softgels wins on effectiveness, certifications. Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D3, 120 Capsules is stronger on ingredient quality and value for money.

Which is better: Vitamin D-3, High Potency, ... or Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D3, 12...?

NOW Foods wins: £6.74 with an 82.0 score beats Nutricost's £12.96 and 81.0 score, plus you get a simpler single-ingredient formula. Choose Nutricost if you want K2 alongside your D3 for bone health.

— AIScored Editorial Team

How Do the Scores Compare?

Vitamin D-3, High Potency, ...
Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D3, 12...
Vitamin D-3, High Potency, 5,000 IU, 120 Softgels
Vitamin D-3, High Potency, ...
NOW Foods
 Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D3, 120 Capsules
Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D3, 12...
Nutricost
Overall Score 82.0 81.0
Effectiveness 86.0/100
Best
 82.0/100
Ingredient Quality 83.0/100 84.0/100
Best
Value for Money 90.0/100 91.0/100
Best
Side Effects 87.0/100
Best
 87.0/100
Best
Certifications 58.0/100
Best
 42.0/100
Best Price £6.74 iHerb →
Cheapest
 £12.96 iHerb →
Form None None
Dose None None
Third-Party Tested ✗ No ✗ No
Reviews Analysed 50 49

Vitamin D-3, High Potency, 5,000...

Pros

  • ✓D3 (cholecalciferol) in an olive oil and safflower oil base — the most bioavailable form, in the most appropriate delivery medium for a fat-soluble vitamin
  • ✓Multiple reviewers confirmed blood test levels returning to normal after consistent use, including doctor-prescribed cases of significant deficiency
  • ✓Small softgels praised consistently as easy to swallow, tasteless, and gentle on the stomach
  • ✓5,000 IU therapeutic dose in a single capsule — practical for deficiency correction without splitting doses

Cons

  • ✗Not third-party tested — no independent lab has verified potency or purity; specs confirm this
  • ✗Not vegan or vegetarian: bovine gelatin capsule
  • ✗5,000 IU exceeds standard maintenance levels and is not appropriate for unsupervised long-term use without periodic blood monitoring
  • ✗Does not include K2, which several reviewers note is needed for proper calcium routing — requires a separate purchase

Best For

Adults with confirmed vitamin D deficiency, especially those prescribed 5,000 IU by a doctor People in low-sunlight climates or spending most of the year indoors Budget-conscious buyers wanting a clean single-ingredient D3 without unnecessary additives Those who already take a separate K2 supplement and want a standalone high-dose D3
iHerb £6.74
View full review →

Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D3, 120 Capsules

Pros

  • ✓K2 is supplied as MK-7 (menaquinone-7) — the longer-acting form with significantly better bioavailability than the cheaper MK-4 used in many budget products
  • ✓5000 IU D3 is a genuinely effective dose for correcting deficiency, not the token 400–1000 IU found in most multivitamins
  • ✓Softgel format in sunflower oil delivers fat-soluble vitamins in their ideal absorption medium
  • ✓120 softgels at four months' supply represents strong value — reviewers repeatedly flag the price-to-quantity ratio as a key reason to buy

Cons

  • ✗No verified third-party batch testing — the product specs confirm third_party_tested is false, despite some label copy referencing lab testing
  • ✗Gelatin softgel is not suitable for vegans or vegetarians
  • ✗5000 IU daily is a high-dose protocol; without blood monitoring it is easy to overshoot optimal levels long-term
  • ✗K2 at 100 mcg is workable but some clinical protocols use 180–200 mcg alongside high-dose D3

Best For

Adults with confirmed or suspected vitamin D deficiency who want a cost-effective high-dose protocol People over 40 focused on directing calcium to bone rather than arteries Anyone already buying separate D3 and K2 supplements and wanting to consolidate for less money
iHerb £12.96
View full review →

What does the data say about Vitamin D-3, High Pote... vs Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D...?

NOW Foods and Nutricost both deliver 5,000 IU vitamin D3, but with different strategies. NOW's formula is pure cholecalciferol suspended in olive and safflower oil. Nutricost adds 100 micrograms of MK-7 vitamin K2—the clinical form for bone health. Both use oil-based delivery, but the addition of K2 to one product changes the entire purpose.

Price creates the natural divide. NOW costs £6.74 and scores 85/100; Nutricost is £12.96 and scores 83/100. If you have confirmed vitamin D deficiency and want the cheapest effective option, NOW is the obvious choice. If you're over 40 and concerned about calcium being deposited in arteries rather than bones, Nutricost's K2 combination justifies the extra £6.22.

Both products exclude vegans and vegetarians—they use bovine gelatin. NOW declares no third-party testing. Nutricost's testing is murkier; labels mention testing, but certificates of analysis aren't readily published. NOW's softgels are small and easy to swallow. Nutricost uses standard capsules. Neither product has obvious allergen issues beyond gelatin.

Vitamin D-3, High Potency, 5,000 IU, 120 Softgels Winner 82.0/100

5,000 IU of cholecalciferol per softgel puts this firmly in therapeutic territory — a dose multiple reviewers had validated by blood tests showing deficiency fully corrected.

Effectiveness
Vitamin D-3, Hig..
86.0/100
Vitamin K2 + Vit..
82.0/100
Ingredient Quality
Vitamin D-3, Hig..
83.0/100
Vitamin K2 + Vit..
84.0/100
Value for Money
Vitamin D-3, Hig..
90.0/100
Vitamin K2 + Vit..
91.0/100
Side Effects
Vitamin D-3, Hig..
87.0/100
Vitamin K2 + Vit..
87.0/100
Certifications
Vitamin D-3, Hig..
58.0/100
Vitamin K2 + Vit..
42.0/100

What are the key differences?

Vitamin D-3, High Poten.. is best for: Adults with confirmed vitamin D deficiency, especially those prescribed 5,000 IU by a doctor, People in low-sunlight climates or spending most of the year indoors
Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D3.. is best for: Adults with confirmed or suspected vitamin D deficiency who want a cost-effective high-dose protocol, People over 40 focused on directing calcium to bone rather than arteries

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Vitamin D-3, High Potency, 5,000 IU, 120 Softgels or Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D3, 120 Capsules? ▼
Vitamin D-3, High Potency, 5,000 IU, 120 Softgels scores 82.0/100 overall while Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D3, 120 Capsules scores 81.0/100. Vitamin D-3, High Potency, 5,000 IU, 120 Softgels comes out ahead, scoring higher on effectiveness (86.0 vs 82.0). Vitamin D-3, High Potency, 5,0 is best suited for Adults with confirmed vitamin D deficiency, especially those prescribed 5,000 IU by a doctor and People in low-sunlight climates or spending most of the year indoors. Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D3, 120 C is better for Adults with confirmed or suspected vitamin D deficiency who want a cost-effective high-dose protocol and People over 40 focused on directing calcium to bone rather than arteries.
Is Vitamin D-3, High Potency, 5,000 IU, 120 Softgels worth the price compared to Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D3, 120 Capsules? ▼
Vitamin D-3, High Potency, 5,000 IU, 120 Softgels costs £6.74 while Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D3, 120 Capsules is £12.96. For value, Vitamin D-3, High Potency, 5,000 IU, 120 Softgels scores 90.0/100 vs Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D3, 120 Capsules's 91.0/100. Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D3, 120 Capsules delivers better value relative to its quality.
Which has fewer side effects? ▼
Vitamin D-3, High Potency, 5,000 IU, 120 Softgels scores 87.0/100 for side effects (higher means fewer reported issues) while Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D3, 120 Capsules scores 87.0/100. Both have similar side effect profiles based on user reviews. For certification and testing, Vitamin D-3, High Po scores 58.0/100 vs Vitamin K2 + Vitamin's 42.0/100. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement.

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What the Data Says

Why do 97% of UK vitamin D supplements lack third-party certification?

Only 1 out of 35 vitamin D products we scored has independent certification. That's 97% without any third-party verification of purity, potency, or label accuracy.

This is worse than most supplement categories. The reason is simple: UK law doesn't require it, and testing costs money. Most vitamin D brands sell on price alone, especially in the D3-only space where the raw ingredient is cheap. Certification adds cost that budget brands won't absorb.

What does this mean for you? Without third-party testing, you're trusting the manufacturer's label claims. A 2021 study in Nutrients found that vitamin D supplements varied from 52% to 135% of their labelled dose. That's a problem if you're relying on a specific daily intake.

Among the 35 products we scored, the top performers are all from brands with strong manufacturing track records: NOW Foods D3 5000 IU and Thorne Vitamin D + K2 both score 87/100 overall. Thorne holds the highest certification score in the category at 85/100. If independent testing matters to you, that's the product to look at.

Do you need vitamin K2 with high-dose vitamin D?

Probably yes at high doses, and our data backs the pairing. Thorne Vitamin D + K2 Liquid is the only D3+K2 combo product in our 35-product database that scores 87/100 overall, matching the top-ranked D3-only options from NOW Foods. It also holds the highest certification score in the category at 85/100.

Here's the science behind it. Vitamin D increases calcium absorption from food. Vitamin K2 activates proteins that direct that calcium into bones and teeth, keeping it out of your arteries and soft tissue. At standard doses (1000-2000 IU daily), most people get enough K2 from diet to handle the extra calcium. At 4000-5000 IU daily, the calcium load increases enough that K2 becomes a more serious consideration.

The Endocrine Society doesn't yet include K2 in its vitamin D guidelines. But a growing body of research, including a 2019 meta-analysis in International Journal of Molecular Sciences, shows the D3+K2 combination improves bone mineral density more than D3 alone.

If you eat K2-rich foods regularly (natto, hard cheese, egg yolks, chicken liver), a standalone D3 product like NOW Foods D3 5000 IU 360 Softgels (87/100) is a solid choice. If your diet is low in K2, or you're taking 4000+ IU of D3 daily, Thorne D + K2 covers both bases in one product.

Disclaimer: AIScored provides data-driven comparisons based on publicly available reviews. This is not medical advice. Affiliate links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.

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