Vitamin D-3, High Potency, 5,000 IU, 240 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, 240 Softgels and Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D3, 120 Capsules.
Last verified: 07 Apr 2026 · Based on 99 reviews
Vitamin D-3, High Potency, 5,000 IU, 240 Softgels scores 82.0/100 vs Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D3, 120 Capsules at 81.0/100. Vitamin D-3, High Potency, 5,000 IU, 240 Softgels wins on effectiveness, certifications. Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D3, 120 Capsules is stronger on ingredient quality.
Which is better: Vitamin D-3, High Potency, ... or Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D3, 12...?
NOW Foods wins on score (82 vs 81), is cheaper (£11.93 vs £12.96), and gives you 240 softgels instead of 120. Pick Nutricost if you want K2 (MK-7) to direct calcium towards bone rather than arteries.
— AIScored Editorial Team
How Do the Scores Compare?
Vitamin D-3, High Potency, ...
NOW Foods
|
Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D3, 12...
Nutricost
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | 82.0 | 81.0 |
| Effectiveness |
85.0/100
Best
|
82.0/100 |
| Ingredient Quality | 83.0/100 |
84.0/100
Best
|
| Value for Money |
91.0/100
Best
|
91.0/100
Best
|
| Side Effects |
87.0/100
Best
|
87.0/100
Best
|
| Certifications |
52.0/100
Best
|
42.0/100 |
| Best Price |
£11.93
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
- ✓Cholecalciferol (D3) in olive oil — correct form and fat-soluble delivery for meaningful absorption
- ✓240 softgels at 5,000 IU is exceptional value; multiple reviewers explicitly note how long a single purchase lasts
- ✓Tiny, tasteless, odourless softgels — easy to swallow, praised consistently across dozens of reviews
- ✓Several reviewers confirm blood levels normalised after taking this at a doctor-recommended 5,000 IU dose
Cons
- ✗Not vegan — bovine gelatin capsule shell rules it out for plant-based users
- ✗No independent third-party purity or potency testing (no NSF, USP, or equivalent verification)
- ✗5,000 IU is a therapeutic dose, not a maintenance dose — appropriate only with confirmed deficiency and blood monitoring
- ✗No K2 included; several reviewers specifically flag that K2 should be taken separately to direct calcium properly
Best For
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
What does the data say about Vitamin D-3, High Pote... vs Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D...?
NOW Foods' Vitamin D-3 (£11.93, score 84.0) is the simpler option: pure D3 at 5,000 IU in oil-based softgels. Reviewers report blood levels normalising within 1–3 months, and the small softgels are easy to swallow. Nutricost's Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D3 (£12.96, score 82.0) pairs the same 5,000 IU D3 with 100 mcg of K2 in the superior MK-7 form. The extra cost is modest, but you get a compound designed for bone density and cardiovascular health.
Both use oil-based delivery, the right choice for fat-soluble vitamins. The practical difference: NOW Foods suits D3-only users who value the lower price. Nutricost makes sense if you're over 40 or concerned about bone health, since K2 and D3 work together. Both use bovine gelatin, ruling them out for vegans.
The 5,000 IU dose is therapeutic, not maintenance—Nutricost reviewers flag the need for blood testing before and during use. If you're correcting a confirmed deficiency under medical supervision, either works well. For routine supplementation, you might prefer a lower maintenance dose.
5,000 IU of cholecalciferol delivered in an extra virgin olive oil base — the fat-soluble carrier is correct science, not a gimmick.
What are the key differences?
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Vitamin D-3, High Potency, 5,000 IU, 240 Softgels or Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D3, 120 Capsules? ▼
Is Vitamin D-3, High Potency, 5,000 IU, 240 Softgels worth the price compared to Vitamin K2 + Vitamin D3, 120 Capsules? ▼
Which has fewer side effects? ▼
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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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