The Most Effective Vitamin D Supplements In 2022 – A Buyer’s Guide
Discover the best Vitamin D supplements that are worth buying and which ones to watch out for.
Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that is responsible for regulating the amount of calcium and phosphate in our bodies, which in turn helps to keep our bones, muscles and teeth healthy. This key nutrient also plays a critical role in maintaining normal immune function, heart health and a balanced mood.
A large amount of the British population is Vitamin D deficient, which is why the government recommends that everyone takes a Vitamin D supplement, particularly during the colder months of the year when the days are shorter and the sun shines less.
Vitamin D supplements either contain D2 or D3, and while both of these forms help to increase levels of Vitamin D in the body, Vitamin D3 is typically regarded as the superior type. Studies show that Vitamin D3 is more effective at raising levels of vitamin D than Vitamin D2, and it raises levels for a longer period of time, which is why it is often recommended for dietary supplementation.
Meeting our daily requirements of Vitamin D is essential to ensure good health, and the best way to make sure you consume adequate doses of Vitamin D is by taking a good quality supplement.
What should I look for in my supplement?
Look for a supplement with vitamin K2
In order to fully benefit from Vitamin D3, it has to be combined with Vitamin K2. Together, these two vitamins amplify each other’s effects, making them even more powerful. Vitamin D helps the body to calcium in the body while Vitamin K2 then helps to deposit the calcium in the bones.
Find a supplement that contains a fat source
Both Vitamin D and Vitamin K2 are fat soluble, which means that they should be paired with a source of healthy fats for best results. Most brands neglect to do this because it is more costly to manufacture, but it is extremely important. Studies have shown the difference is significant. Some of the best brands include MCT (medium chain triglycerides) in their formula, a health fat from coconuts, which helps absorption.
Choose a supplement with potent doses
When buying your Vitamin D supplement, it’s important to choose a product that delivers potent doses of vitamin D3 and K2. We recommend you for supplements with 100ug of Vitamin D3 and 100ug of Vitamin K2.
Money-back guarantee.
Look for a product that offers a money-back guarantee on all purchases. Offering a money-back guarantee is a sign that a company is confident in the quality of the products they are providing.
What should I avoid?
Products with Vitamin K2 in the form of MK-4
The type of Vitamin K2 in the supplement you choose also matters. The best form of Vitamin K2 is MK-7 because it’s highly bioavailable, however, many brands opt to use MK-4 because it’s a cheaper alternative, but studies have shown that this type of Vitamin K2 is poorly absorbed and it has a shorter lifespan in the body. This means that in order to see results with MK-4, you would need to take several doses 2-3 times per day. On the other hand, MK-7 can be taken once daily and is very well absorbed into the bloodstream.
When selecting your Vitamin D supplement with K2, look for one with MK-7 instead of MK-4. If a brand doesn't advertise which type they're using, we suggest staying away.
Low potency products
When choosing a quality Vitamin D supplement, it’s important to choose a potent formula. Make sure that the supplement you choose contains adequate dosages of Vitamin D3 and K2 in their product. Many brands pack their formulas with a great lineup of ingredients, but they don’t put the recommended dosage. Thus, if your supplement is not potent enough, you will likely not see the results you are hoping to see.
Beware of online reviews (especially on Amazon)
Before purchasing any product, one of the first things we do when researching it is check its online reviews. Unfortunately, these are not always a trustworthy way to measure the quality and effectiveness of a product. Companies often pay for reviews on popular online retailers, like Amazon, to try and trick their way to a five star rating. While you should definitely consult these reviews before purchasing, do your own research as well.
How we evaluated the top 5
Due to their many health benefits, Vitamin D supplements have become one of the most in-demand health and wellness products. However, with so much choice on the market, it can be difficult to choose the right Vitamin D supplement for you. So, we made it easy for you.
We researched the top rated vitamin D3+K2 supplements on the internet to find the best ones available on the market and evaluated them based on product quality, customer service, and pricing.
Here are our top 5 vitamin D3 supplement picks for 2022.
1. Vitamin D3 & K2 MK-7 with MCT
Total Ranking
923 votes
9.7/10
A+
Overall GradePROS
- Potent doses of each ingredient in their formula
- Includes 100ug of Vitamin D3 an 100ug of K2
- Contains Vitamin K2 in the form of MK-7
- Contains MCT (medium chain triglycerides), which is a healthy fat derived from coconut oil, to improve absorption
- GMO-free & vegetarian-friendly
- Money-back guarantee.
- Recommended by healthcare professionals.
- Made in the UK.
CONS
- Only Available Online
- Express delivery is only available in the UK and European countries.
The Bottom Line
Hey Nutrition has quickly become one of the UK’s fastest growing supplement brands. They are known for their excellent products that contain great ingredients. Their Vitamin D3 & K2 MK-7 supplement is a great supplement that ticks all the boxes when it comes to finding a top quality Vitamin D3 supplement.
Their product contains a potent daily dosage of 100 ug of Vitamin D3 and 100 ug of Vitamin K2. They have also added MCT from Coconut in their product to help improve absorbency of the Vitamin D3 and Vitamin K2. As previously mentioned, both of these vitamins are fat soluble, so adding a healthy fat source helps to improve bioavailability.
The Vitamin K2 in their formula is MK-7, which, as we previously mentioned, is superior to the MK-4 type because it is more easily absorbed into the bloodstream.
Hey Nutrition offers a 60-day money back guarantee on all purchases and reviews consistently praise their great customer service, so this really is a no-brainer and entirely risk-free to try! Moreover, out of all the other products we have reviewed, Hey Nutrition has the most 5* reviews on Trustpilot, a trusted source for reviews.
*Results are based on the HeyLiving Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
Learn About Our Top Pick2. Vitamin D/K2
Total Ranking
312 votes
8.6/10
B
Overall GradePROS
- Contains Vitamin D3 and K2
- Vegetarian friendly
- Gluten-free
CONS
- Expensive
- Made with Vitamin K2 in the form of MK-4
- Does not include dosage of MCT
- No money back guarantee available
The Bottom Line
Thorne’s D/K2 supplement is unique in that it’s a liquid product, making it one of the few on the market. This means that it may appeal to those who struggle to take tablets and capsules. Their supplement contains both Vitamin D3 and K2, which help to improve each others’ effectiveness. It is also free from gluten and major allergens.
One of the biggest disadvantages of Thorne’s liquid Vitamin D supplement is its price. Their supplement is the most expensive one on our Top 5 list, making it out of budget for a lot of people. Moreover, they chose to add Vitamin K2 in the form of MK-4 instead of MK-7. This is surprising because, with a product this pricey, we would have expected them to use the most easily absorbed form of K2.
Finally, their product includes MCT in the ingredients list, which is a fat source. However, there is no dosage present on the bottle. This leads us to believe that the dosage is potentially very minimal.
*Results are based on the HeyLiving Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
Learn More3. Vitamin D3
Total Ranking
269 votes
8.5/10
B
Overall GradePROS
- Contains 100ug of Vitamin D3
- Non-GMO and Vegan friendly
CONS
- Does not contain Vitamin K2
- No money back guarantee available
The Bottom Line
Nutravita has created a good quality and reasonably priced Vitamin D3 product. Their supplement contains 100ug of Vitamin D3, which is the upper recommended daily dosage. Their formula is free from artificial ingredients and GMOs.
Although this is a good Vitamin D supplement, it is missing Vitamin K2, which we believe is a crucial component of a great Vitamin D supplement. As we discussed previously, Vitamin K2 and D3 amplify each other’s effects, which makes them more effective and efficient. Consumers may need to take a Vitamin K2 supplement alongside Nutravita’s product in order to reap all the benefits that the Vitamin D3 has to offer.
We recommend choosing a different supplement which contains vitamin K2 also.
*Results are based on the HeyLiving Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
Learn More4. Vitamin D3 Complex
Total Ranking
301 votes
8.4/10
B-
Overall GradePROS
- Contains Vitamin D3
- Reasonably priced
- Free from allergens, gluten and artificial ingredients
CONS
- Only contains 55ug of Vitamin D3
- Does not contain any Vitamin K2
- No money back guarantee available
The Bottom Line
Solgar is a reliable and reputable supplement brand that has been a favourite among the British public for a long time. Their Vitamin D3 supplement is free from all allergens, preservatives and artificial colours, making it suitable for everyone.
Solgar’s Vitamin D3 supplement contains an adequate dose of D3, but with only 55ug, it is still less concentrated than many of the other products on our Top 5 list. Moreover, their formula is missing Vitamin K2, which means that consumers may need to take a Vitamin K2 supplement in addition to the Vitamin D3 in order to see all its benefits.
*Results are based on the HeyLiving Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
Learn More5. Vegan Vitamin D3 K2
Total Ranking
207 votes
7.9/10
C
Overall GradePROS
- Made with Vitamin D3
- Contains Vitamin K2
- Vegan friendly
CONS
- No money-back guarantee
- Only contains 50ug of Vitamin D3
The Bottom Line
YR Health has made a Vitamin D product that contains Vitamin D3, Vitamin K2 and Coconut Oil Powder, making it a comprehensive formula. The major downfall of YR’s product is that they have only included 50 ug of Vitamin D3 in their formula, which is 50% less than the other products we have included in our top 5.
Although they have added K2 and Coconut Oil Powder, their product is less concentrated than some of the other supplements that made our list.
*Results are based on the HeyLiving Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
Learn MoreFinal Thoughts
The Bottom Line
When it comes to choosing an effective and high quality Vitamin D supplement, it is essential to choose a product that is made with high quality ingredients that are delivered in potent doses, along with a fat source to increase absorption.
After searching the internet to find the best vitamin D3/K2 products and evaluating them based on their customer service, ingredients and pricing, we believe Hey Nutrition Vitamin D3 & K2 MK-7 is the best on the market.
Hey Nutrition provides a 100% satisfaction guarantee - or your money back.
CITATIONS
1. https://europepmc.org/article/med/9630738
2. https://academic.oup.com/cdn/article/5/Supplement_2/372/6293013?login=true
3. https://akjournals.com/view/journals/036/99/2/article-p133.xml
4. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0037290
5. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0965229917302601.
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22476977/
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* The information contained within this site is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. If you have, expect to have, or suspect you may have any medical condition, you are urged to consult with a health care provider. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration or the European Food Safety Authority. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases or medical conditions. Results are based on the opinion of the author and their own rankings and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Trademarks used on our website belong to their respective owners and no implied or expressed endorsement of our website or services is intended. Rankings can be affected by the relationship or ownership interest we have in various products featured.
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