In our first article on vitamin K2 titled, An easy step toward stopping tooth decay, we asked if you’d like us to analyze the various vitamin K2 supplements on the market. With over 150 comments on that article, we heard your resounding “YES”.
So let’s continue the conversation about this often-overlooked cavity-stopping vitamin by reviewing the best vitamin K2 supplements on the market.
Note: Don’t have time to read the whole thing? Click here to jump straight to our brand reviews.
As we explored in our expert interview with Dr. Kate Rheaume-Bleue (the person who literally wrote the book on vitamin K2), let’s start this discussion by stating that food really is our best option for maintaining optimal K2 levels.
However, in our modern lifestyle, it can be difficult to ensure that our ideal nutritional needs are met each day through diet alone.
So, for some, supplementation may be helpful. But which one is right for you?
To help you navigate this path, we’re going to need to recruit your values.
You see, there is no ‘best’ vitamin K2 on the market. Yeah, it’s true that some are better than others, and we’ll share what our research has found. But as you’ll see, what one person will consider ‘best’ for their needs may not be best for another.
Values determination
There are really three main variables we want to explore in this article to help us see clearly through the maze of K2 supplements on the market.
1 What are you looking to achieve?
As we’ll explore, there are various types/forms of vitamin K2. Some forms may be better for certain health applications than others.
2 Are you ok with using a bio-identical synthetic form of vitamin or does it have to be naturally occurring?
We will explore each side of this discussion and offer our findings for the best of each.
3 Do you use soy products or does it have to be non-soy based?
Many vitamin K2 supplements on the market are produced using soybeans. Due to GMOs and soy-related inflammatory issues, many of us look to steer clear of soy products. So we’ll explore the soy factor, too.
Let’s roll up our sleeves and jump into this fascinating subject by first understanding the various forms of vitamin K2.
Differences between MK4, MK7 and other forms of K2
Ok, this tends to be the first place we all get snagged with understanding vitamin K2. For the record, vitamin K2 is the name for a group of compounds that are all very similar but have different length molecular ‘tails’, each designated by numbers. MK4 and MK7 are two examples.
The official name for K2 is menaquinone. So, if we ‘decode’ MK4 for example, the ‘M’ stands for menaquinone, the ‘K’ is for vitamin K and the ‘4’ is the length of the tail.
While there are several forms of K2, for this discussion, we’re going to focus on the two main forms science has studied: MK4 and MK7.
MK4 – animal source K2
MK4 is found most commonly in animal products, and it is most likely the nutrient that Dr. Weston Price identified as ‘activator X’ during his studies and travels around the world researching indigenous peoples and their native diets. Dr. Price noticed that many tribes tended to eat certain foods in specific combinations, and although the exact foods varied from place to place, we now see that these foods are all high in MK4.
Some of the food sources with the highest levels of MK4 are goose liver and dark meat from chicken/goose. While much less potent, even pastured egg yolks are a decent source of MK4 (and duck eggs even better).
MK7 – bacterial source K2
Unlike MK4, MK7 is produced from bacterial fermentation rather than directly from animal sources. This is of obvious importance if you eat a vegetarian/vegan diet.
The food that contains the highest amount of MK7 is a Japanese fermented soybean product called natto. Interestingly, the traditional Japanese diet is heavily based in ocean animals, and seafood does not contain a lot of MK4 (from animal sources). So, in the wisdom that only time can bring, the traditional Japanese culture identified fermented natto as another source for this critically important nutrient.
Other good food sources for MK7 include aged cheeses (again, this is due to the fermentation process).
Now that we have a good base understanding of MK4 and MK7, let’s see why the distinction between the two forms plays an important role in navigating this maze.
What are you trying to achieve?
If you’ve done any reading on the benefits of K2, you already know that its main health benefits all revolve around how our bodies utilize calcium. When we interviewed Dr. Kate Rheaume-Bleue, we discussed how K2 helps give calcium an ‘intelligence’ of where to go (and where not to go) in the body.
You see, when calcium makes its way to the right places in the body, it helps us maintain healthy, strong bones (to avoid osteoporosis) and strong teeth (to avoid tooth decay).
However, when calcium winds up in the wrong places, it can result in arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and kidney problems. So, it’s really important that we have enough vitamin K2 in our system to guide the calcium to where it’s needed and keep calcium out of where it can cause trouble.
However, aside from giving calcium intelligence, vitamin K2 plays an important role in lots of other body functions as well. It:
- Supports whole-body health by optimizing sex hormones
- Helps to stabilize blood sugar by keeping us sensitive to insulin
- It even helps our bodies produce a healthy genetic expression to avoid cancer
Since we’re all about oral health around here, we’re going to focus on how K2 can help us to avoid the dentist’s drill and live a cavity-free life.
How K2 helps may be partly determined by how long it lasts in the body.
In his absolutely stellar article on vitamin K2, Chris Masterjohn explains that the amount of time that K2 remains active in the body may determine whether the K2 will be able to help recover soft tissues or be around long enough to help rebuild bones (and teeth).
You see, MK4 doesn’t last as long in the body as MK7. In fact, if you choose to consume or supplement MK4, you’ll want to do it multiple times per day. Because of this shorter half-life (kind of like a ‘lifespan in the body’), Masterjohn points out that MK4 isn’t going to reach the bones as easily.
Interestingly, MK4 does have a particular affinity to support sex hormones and genetic expression.
In contrast, MK7 has a longer half-life and you can supplement once daily, so it has a greater opportunity to support bone tissue than MK4.
So, if you’re looking for support to live a cavity-free life, MK7 may be the better choice. On the other hand, if you’re simply looking for more support for soft tissues and hormones, you might choose to go with MK4 instead.
Are you ok with using synthetic K2 or is ‘natural’ a must?
Since this article is all about K2 supplementation, we’re going to assume that you’re not able to get enough K2 into your system via diet alone.
All of the MK4 supplements we found on the market are synthetic. That said, the molecular structure of these supplements is identical to naturally-occurring MK4.
In contrast, there are plenty of MK7 products on the market that are produced via natural fermentation.
So, if your values require that you avoid synthetic anything, then MK7 is your only choice for supplementing with K2.
Do you do soy?
In this world of ever-increasing jumpy immune systems, many of us are choosing to avoid soy products. And honestly, it’s for good reason.
93% of soy grown in the US is genetically modified to give it an increased tolerance to herbicides and pesticides. The chemicals that are sprayed on GMO crops have been linked to an increased risk of leaky gut, which causes systemic inflammation and opens the door to autoimmune disease.
As we shared above, the main source for MK7 is fermented soy.
So, one of the criteria we included in our research was whether or not the product was produced using soy. If it’s soy-based, it has to be organic to avoid the above inflammation-causing factor.
The good news is that companies have noticed that consumers are shifting away from soy, so they’ve begun to produce MK7 via the fermentation of chickpeas (garbanzo beans).
How much is the ‘right’ amount?
Given all of the variables, it has proven a bit tricky to determine how much K2 to supplement daily.
One factor to consider is how much you’re able to supply via diet. Another factor is whether you’re looking for nutritional support or a pharmacological dose. Thankfully, there’s quite a bit of active research being performed on K2, so we should have more questions answered in the next few years.
To help us find a general nutritional amount of K2 needed to help us steer clear of tooth decay, let’s quickly review the research for pharmacological doses.
For MK4, research suggests that 45 mg/day is needed to provide a pharmacological dose. And for MK7, the amount most recognized as ideal (again, for pharmacological purposes) is 320 mcg/day. (Note the distinction between mg and mcg. 1 mg = 1000 mcg)
As we discussed in An easy step toward stopping tooth decay, MK4 and MK7 become bio-available in the body in different amounts. We can take much less MK7 and see impact in blood markers that measure K2. In one study, researchers found that there was no change in blood markers for participants who took a dose of MK4 that was less than 500 mcg.
So for a nutritional amount of MK4, we believe that we have to get above 500 mcg daily (and more likely approach 1500 mcg [1.5 mg] daily) to see results.
On the other hand, the research for MK7 indicates that somewhere between 100 – 200 mcg of MK7 daily seems to provide consistent results in participants.
So, for the purposes of comparing the daily cost of some of the supplements on the market, we’re going to use 1000 mcg of MK4 and 100 mcg of MK7 as our baseline.
What about the ‘right’ amount for children?
One study found that pre-puberty children responded well to MK7 at 45 mcg daily.
Additional K2 tips
As always, be responsible with any supplement advice and seek the opinion of your healthcare provider before starting any new supplementation.
On blood thinners? Stay away from K2
If you are on blood thinner drugs like Warfarin or are at risk of clotting issues, please check with your physician before supplementing vitamin K2.
Take K2 with meals…
Last point, like other fat-soluble vitamins, you’ll increase absorption if you take the K2 supplement with some fats. We choose to just take it around a meal to support absorption.
Brand Evaluations
Ok, with all that in place, let’s discuss our findings on the best supplement options based on the criteria we’ve discussed above.
We intentionally chose to include K2-only supplements and to exclude supplements that are a combination of K2 and vitamin D. It just got too confusing to attempt to include the vitamin D variable in this analysis.
Full disclosure: We don’t have any affiliation with any of the brands here but the links below are affiliate links to amazon when appropriate.
Top MK4 options:
Thorne liquid K2 wins on cost. At 1 mg (1000 mcg) of MK4 per one drop, taking 1-2 drops a day costs 5-10 cents a day.
In response to our first article on K2, many of you asked for our thoughts on Now brand K2. This product is MK4 form but contains only 100 mcg per capsule. So, to get to the 1000 mcg, you’d have to take 10 capsules daily. And while the price on the surface is an attractive $8.49 on amazon, it would cost you 85 cents per day to get to our benchmark 1000 mcg of MK4.
Honorable mention goes to Relentless Improvement brand K2. At a whopping 15mg (15000 mcg) per serving, this product is fully going after pharmacological levels. So, while it’s not possible to bring the per day amount down to our 1mg (1000 mcg) goal, for anyone looking for a bigger amount, this may be the one for you.
Top MK7 options (soy free):
One cool brand is Sports Research. They have taken the MK7 from chickpea at 100 mcg and combined it with coconut oil for improved absorption (with fats, right?). I’m not sure if adding a little coconut oil warrants 25 cents per day, but the idea is sound. This brand is soy-free.
Several of the brands that sell MK7 use a form produced by NattoPharma, a company that specializes in creating MK7 on chickpea instead of the customary soy. Look for the name ‘MenaQ7’ for MK7 without soy. They are all around the same cost at 17 or 18 cents per day for 100 mcg of MK7.
One of our favorites has been ProNordic K2. Like many others, the K2 is MK7 produced on chickpea, so soy-free. It also has some MCT oil with it to increase absorption. Regular retail on amazon is 30 cents per 100 mcg. But we have noticed that every once in a while, the company lowers the price to move stock. So, if you time it right, we’ve found that you can get it for around 14 cents per 100 mcg. One drawback is they do include carmel color though.
Honorable mention to Megaquinone. They have extensive research behind their product and have combined the MK7 from fermented chickpea with essential cofactors that increase uptake of vitamin K2. It has 160 mcg of MK7 per capsule. The drawback is that it’s more expensive. Depending on where you shop, it’s around 70 cents per day. This product is soy-free.
Top combination MK4/MK7 options:
Our top pick supplement that contains both MK4 and MK7 is LifeExtension Super K. With its combination of 200 mcg of MK7 and 1000 mcg of MK4, you get both forms of K2 at good nutritional levels. And the price is really competitive at 18 cents per day.
Also, InnovixLabs Full Spectrum K2 provides a nice blend of 100 mcg MK7 and 500 mcg of MK4 with medium-chain triglycerides (fat) for improved absorption. At 25 cents per day, it’s definitely worth considering.
We like the idea of Garden of Life Raw K because like many GoL products, it contains lots of extras. However, at 29 cents per day the price is pretty steep. It contains 100 mcg of MK7 and only 100 mcg of MK4.
A food-based DIY option?
For those of you who really like to take matters into your own hands, Dr. Mercola has a fermented vegetable starter culture that has been cultivated to encourage K2 (MK7) production.
Also, while it’s true that you can get ‘superfoods’ like high vitamin butter oil, ghee or emu oil which tout high MK4 levels, getting enough K2 from foods is an expensive habit (unless you have the stomach for natto).
If you want to learn more about emu oil, check out our friend Sarah Pope’s excellent article, “The Enormous Benefits of Emu Oil (one of the healthiest fats on the planet)”.
| Brand | Type of K2 | Amount per serving | Cost per benchmark serving | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thorne liquid K2 | MK4 | 1000 mcg (1 mg) | $.05 | best value |
| Now K2 | MK4 | 100 mcg | $.85 | |
| Relentless Improvement | MK4 | 15000 mcg | $.33 | phamacological level |
| Sports Research | MK7 | 100 mcg | $.25 | added coconut oil |
| various brands using MenaQ7 | MK7 | 100 mcg | $.17-.25 | |
| ProNordic | MK7 | 100 mcg | $.30 ($.14 on sale) | added MCT for absorption |
| Megaquinone | MK7 | 160 mcg | $.70 | added cofactors like zinc for increased functionality |
| LifeExtension Super K | MK4 and MK7 | 1000 mcg and 200 mcg | $.18 | great value |
| InnovixLabs | MK4 and MK7 | 500 mcg and 100 mcg | $.25 | added oils for improved absorption |
| Garden of Life Raw K | MK4 and MK7 | 100 mcg and 100 mcg | $.29 | contains LOTS of extra good stuff |
Whew! We made it!
As is often the case, sharing a brand evaluation like this can create more questions than answers. So, please holler in the comments below if you have any follow-up questions after reading this analysis.
We hope this analysis of vitamin K2 brands helps you along your path to optimal oral health.
Still want more? Be sure to download our FREE eBook, How to Stop Tooth Decay and Remineralize Your Teeth. This free resource contains lots and lots of excellent strategies to assist you along your path to a cavity-free life.
Helpful, Related Resources:
An Easy Step Toward Stopping Tooth Decay [article]
How to Stop Tooth Decay and Remineralize Your Teeth [FREE eBook]
Is this the Missing Nutrition that’s Keeping You from Living a Cavity-Free Life? [[expert interview video]]
Other Resources:
Mercola’s fermented vegetable starter culture [product]
The Ultimate K2 Resource by Chris Masterjohn PhD [article]
The Enormous Benefits of Emu Oil (one of the healthiest fats on the planet) by Sarah Pope [article]
Reference Studies:
Amount of MK7
How much MK4 vs MK7
How much MK4 for postmenopausal women
Amount of MK7 for children
MK7 over 3 years significantly reduced bone loss in postmenopausal women
Zinc a helpful cofactor for K2
Hydrogenated oils inhibit vitamin K with bone formation
what is sours of k2 is it sintetiv pronordic pure it is not clear
thank you
Aloha Zhanna,
Great question!
MK4 is a source of K2 that comes from animals. Some of the food sources with the highest levels of MK4 are goose liver and dark meat from chicken/goose. While much less potent, even pastured egg yolks are a decent source of MK4 (and duck eggs are even better).
MK7 is produced from bacterial fermentation rather than directly from animal sources. This is of obvious importance if you eat a vegetarian/vegan diet. The food that contains the highest amount of MK7 is a Japanese fermented soybean product called natto.
All of the MK4 supplements we found on the market are synthetic. That said, the molecular structure of these supplements is identical to naturally-occurring MK4.
In contrast, there are plenty of MK7 products on the market that are produced via natural fermentation.
So, if your values require that you avoid synthetic anything, then MK7 is your only choice for supplementing with K2.
I hope that helps! Aloha 🙂
Thank you so much for excellent and trust worthy information on Vit K. I’m looking for alternate and natural ways to combat Osteoporosis instead of the Pharmaceutical drugs prescribed by my doctor.
I am so glad I came across this article while researching K2. I had no idea it is so complex! How did I miss this? My son almost 2 years of age has tooth decay, which came as a total shock since my oldest has no cavities and they both have same diet and habits. Therefore I was looking to supplement a D3 + K2 in hopes it will stop the demineralization and strengthen his teeth. Do you have an article about D3, which are good products, if you recommend getting a product already combined d3+K2, or products specifically for children? Your input would be a tremendous help to me and other parents for sure.
Aloha Simona,
We’re glad you came across our K2 article! 🙂
We’re sorry, but we don’t have a comparable article for vitamin D3 supplements. However, here’s some related info that may help:
In our expert interview with Dr. Kate Rheaume-Bleue, Dr. Kate talks about vitamin K2 dosages.
The FAQ page on Dr. Kate’s website also shares some info on vitamin K2 dosages, as well as recommended ratios for vitamins K2, D, and A.
This guest blog post from Dr. Al Danenberg discusses some specific brand recommendations for fat-soluble vitamin supplements.
If you haven’t already, here’s a link to a page where you can download our free eBook to get tips on ‘in the mouth’ and ‘whole body’ steps you can take to help teeth remineralize: How to Stop Tooth Decay and Remineralize Your Teeth. You might find it especially helpful to check out the information about vitamin K2 in chapter 3.
Also, we encourage you to view our free 5 Steps to a Healthy Mouth video series to learn how to combine your oral care routine with your diet to take a whole-body approach to oral healing.
Finally, if you haven’t already watched Dr. Steven Lin’s interview, “The role diet plays in the mouth/body connection“, you might want to check it out too.
I hope that helps!
Feel free to contact us with any other questions, Simona. 🙂
Thank you for this detailed account! Very helpful! I was recently given a bottle of GU Magnesium Plus Vitamin/mineral supplement that many cyclists use. It contains Magnesium (citrate), Vit D (cholecalciferol), Vit K (MK-7) and Zinc (gluconate). I have emailed to ask how their K2 is derived so will be interested to hear back. Seems like a great mix of all the right stuff though! It was great to come look at this article for reference so thank you again!
Hi there, this is interesting because your recommendations go somewhat opposite of my experience. Granted, there is a lot of research yet to be done in this area in understanding how it all fits together. I have been following the MK7/MK4 + tooth health connection for about 7 years now, and have come to the conclusion that for our family MK7 doesn’t seem to heal our tooth issues in the the same way as MK4. There is also the issue for us that the guesstimates offered on how much to take have been too low. For myself, I did not see results with Innovix at the recommended dosages. My kids have been on Innovix since they were about 18 months at one gel gap a day (my oldest has been on it about 5 years now) and it works on them, but also noticed I had to increase dosage at about every 20lbs to maintain effects with her. When I saw this connection I concluded I may need a higher amount to get results. I switched myself to a different brand that offered only MK4 at 5mg per capsule (I would need 10 Innovix per day for that amount), and only now am I seeing strengthening in my teeth. To me this somewhat aligns with the other reviewer who noted Japanese researchers recommended a very high dose of MK4 (45mg compared to my measly 5mg) for osteoporosis. I guess for us I’m not convinced that MK7 is as necessary, and that most dosages offered in the supplement world are too conservative. I will likely be moving my daughter off Innovix as her MK4 needs increase (she is already on 2 Innovix capsules per day/1mg of MK4) although it’s been a good baby-dose for early years.
Hello,
Do you have any experience with Truevantage brand of MK-7?
https://truevantagenutrition.com/products/vitamin-k2-mk-7
I think it may be the same brand as what used to be called Evolved Organics — the label looks the same. It’s a synthetic version of MK-7. I’m interested partly because it doesn’t have any additives like carageenan or magnesium stearate that some brands have.
Thanks so much for all the information you provide!
Aloha Susan!
Thanks for stopping by.
I don’t have any personal experience with Truevantage vitamin K2, but at a quick glance, it seems promising. If you try it out, please feel free to reply back here to let us all know your thoughts.
Aloha!
This was extremely helpful. Thank you. I have already read Ramiel Nagel’s book, but even still had some confusion about which K2 to take. Have been giving my kids Thorne MK-4 drops and recently found out some concerns about the absorption, especially due to it being synthetic; and haven’t noticed any huge benefits. I just purchased a bottle of Pure Therapeutics D3+MK4+MK7+MCT liquid and will try it out.
Aloha Samer,
Let us know how you like/benefit from that supplement. If you end up appreciating it, we may add it to our list to research further.
We are glad you find benefit from reading our work. 🙂
Hi…thanks for this article. It is most helpful. I wonder if you can comment on how to take vit k2 with vit D. There are many supplements that contain vit d and k2 in the same formula. There seems to be evidence that it is best to consume each vitamin separately…roughly 8-12 hours apart to prevent
absorption competition (which appears to happen with certain fat soluble vitamins to one degree or another). Can you lend some clarity to this potential concern?
Hi there,
Maybe I missed it, but I don’t see anywhere in your materials here a discussion of the trans (natural form found in food) vs CIS forms of the MK-7. But it seems worth mentioning. I know Will interviewed Dr Steven Lin, which I watched. This is the link from Dr Lin’s own website where he discusses the two different isomers (trans and cis) of MK-7. https://www.drstevenlin.com/how-to-choose-the-right-vitamin-k2-supplement/
He recommends the Innovix product because the MK-7 isomer is all trans form (the one found in nature and food).
For a more extensive discussion (including a very long Q&A section with his readers), go to https://omegavia.com/how-to-choose-the-right-vitamin-k2-supplement/ where Vin Kutty, the creator of Innovix, discusses choosing a Vit K supplement, and how he decided to formulate his own product (Innovix). He now has an addendum to his 2015 article where he states that Life Extension has reformulated, and their Vit K product is now all trans form of the MK-7.
In Dr. Lin’s article, he suggests that taking 1 Innovix capsule every 3 days is sufficient. If that is true, then 1 of Life Extension every 3 days would be more than adequate (since the quantities are twice that of Innovix), and therefore Life Extension would seem to be the brand of choice now that it is reformulated to trans form, plus cheaper than Innovix. And if you really could take it every 3 days, becomes even much more affordable.
So I hope that’s not too confusing! I’m especially interested in Will/Susan’s take on Dr. Lin’s suggestion as to adequate intake (Innovix 100 mcg MK-7 and 500 mcg MK-4 every 3 days). What do you think??
So complex!!!
As always – thanks for all your good work Ora Wellness!
Gail
Hi Gail,
I have been taking the Life Extension brand but have discovered they include maltodextrin in their ingredients. I’ve been looking into maltodextrin and it seems there is reason to believe it has harmful effects on our bodies to ingest it regularly.
Just a tip for eating natto. I was searching around the web for more information on natto and I came across someone who suggested eating the natto with eggs. So I tried it and surprisingly it worked. I took a bowl of rice and added natto then put one or two fried eggs on top. They were actually like over easy with the yolks still runny. I also added soy sauce. But it was the eggs that seemed to make the difference. Not sure why but for me it made the natto much easier to eat.
Aloha Gina!
Thanks so much for sharing this with our community! Terrific strategy and makes complete sense.
Carlson’s has a D3 plus K2 supplement in drops that is the perfect dosage for children. It contains 2000 IU vitamin D3 and 45 mcg K2 per 2 drops.
Which one is it, please?
I take a nice vitamin supplement that includes vitamin K but I believe it’s only K1. Would it be advisable to also add the K2 supplement? I was thinking of purchasing the brand from Life Extension. Thanks so much.
Aloha Patricia,
Thanks for adding to the conversation here.
Yes, most multi-vitamins that contain vitamin K contain the K1 form. And yes, K1 and K2 perform very different functions in the body. So, we believe it’s worth looking at making sure you have plenty of K2 either in your diet or in supplement form. The Life Extension form seems like a good choice to us.
We hope that helps! 🙂
Which one do you personally take?
Have you seen Stephanie Seneff’s comments on gelatin capsules? As she states in the recent Wise Traditions Journal “Gelatin is also the main constituent of gel caps, which have become a standard way of packaging both pharmaceutical drugs and nutritional supplements such as fish oil. I would predict that any nutritional supplement housed in a gel capsule is going to cause you much more harm than good, because whatever benefit the contents provides is more than offset by the damaging effects of the glyphosate. ” (Read more here: https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/environmental-toxins/glyphosate-in-collagen/)
Is the GMO soybean natto worse than the gel cap? No idea.
I just thought of this because I looked up the Life Extn K2 on Amazon and realized that it does have a gelatin capsule. Sorry to add another consideration to throw in the mix!
Aloha Janine,
Thank you for stopping by to add your voice to the conversation here.
While I’m concerned about this point that Stephanie brings up in her article, what I don’t appreciate about it is there are no solutions provided (that I saw). Honestly, without researching this myself, I can’t allow info like this to throw me off. There’s so much info circulating the net that we all have to buffer our consciousness else risk being over stimulated and completely buried with data and not be able to make any decisions.
For what it’s worth, a few years ago, I was diagnosed with pretty severe leaky gut. As I’m sure you know, glyphosate from Roundup is a major contributor to leaky gut. Over the past year years, I’ve taken substantial steps to heal this condition. One of the strategies I applied was supplementing with lots of nutritional support. I can only assume that many of the caps were made from gelatin. I’m happy to report that recent lab tests show that my efforts to heal the intestinal permeability have worked as I have reversed the leaky gut. So, if the article is accurate, I question to what extent it’s truth impacts us. Now, I’m not doubting the research because it’s very well put together. But given my personal experience healing leaky gut, if gelatin capsules commonly used in supplements were a real source for glyphosate, I think it would have caused my healing efforts to fail as glyphosate is such a contributor to leaky gut.
I hope this helps!
I love that perspective. Thanks for sharing.
I also forgot to say thank you for all you do. Thank you! I’ve learned so much from your site and appreciate all the efforts that you make to share this important information!
Thank you for all your incredible work!
I have been taking the Life Extension Super K supplement and discovered it contains maltodextrin which I’ve read has many detrimental effects on the human body including a GI spike far greater than processed sugar gives you.
Have you got any comments about this?
Aloha Soli,
We here at OraWellness aren’t medical or dental professionals, so we can’t treat, diagnose, advise, etc. Instead, what we can do is share information with you to help you become self-empowered on your journey. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s see what information we can share to help. 🙂
We’ve never tried the Life Extension Super K supplement, so we can’t speak directly to its efficacy. However, it’s our understanding that maltodextrin can contribute to inflammation in the brain and body. So, if it were us, we’d look for another vitamin K2 supplement that does not include maltodextrin (or any other questionable ingredients).
I hope that helps! Aloha 🙂
Thank you for such a comprehensive evaluation of K2! I haven’t tried a K2 supplement in the past, but am considering the LifeExtension Super K to get the benefits of both MK4 & MK7. However, I do have a sensitivity to soy. Can you tell me if the MK7 in this supplement is from soy or chickpea?
Aloha Jen,
Thanks for stopping by and adding your voice to the conversation. I just checked and Life Extension doesn’t state for sure. So, unfortunately I’m not able to answer your questions with surety here. Generally speaking, unless it states that it’s from chickpea (the common non-soy base for MK7 production), it’s probably soy.
I started consuming natto after reading Dr Rheaume-Bleue’s book and reading your posts. The only way I can do that (without gagging at the taste or the slimy texture) is in smoothies. I managed to find an organic soy natto in Vancouver, which means it should be non-GMO. I’m going to try a supplement instead to make sure I’m getting enough K2! Plus a supplement is likely more cost effective than natto. Thanks for the analysis you did!
Aloha Sue,
Thanks for sharing your experience with us! You are a very brave person to put natto in your smoothies! I’m curious what other stuff you put in the smoothie to help mask the natto! 🙂 Actually, I’ve found the flavor isn’t too rough, but the texture leaves much to be desired. So, the smoothie strategy is probably a really great idea!
Thank you for putting this info together, I love having clear recommendations!
You state, “If you choose to consume or supplement MK4, you’ll want to do it multiple times per day.” However, Relentless Improvement Vitamin K2 MK4 is taken only once per day. Therefore, isn’t Thorne liquid K2 the better choice as it can be taken several times a day?
Aloha Brenda,
Thanks for stopping by to add your thoughts. Yes, I believe your thought here as merit. The added benefit is the drops from the Thorne K2 are really simple to take.
OOhps… I meant to ask:
Are you of the opinion that it would be extremely difficult to overdose on MK-4 or MK-7?
Thanks,
Laura
Hello Will and Susan,
Thank you ever so much for compiling this research on K2, its various forms and reviewing the various K2 supplement options out there. I am a huge fan of Dr. Rheaume-Bleue’s book, yet after I read her book I found myself asking, “OK, now I would like to use a K2 supplement. How much do I need?” I really feel that your article above could have been the last chapter of her book. You have truly picked up where she left off!
Thank you,
Laura
Hi and thank you for sharing your research and opinions! Did you evaluate an mk7 natto supplement option (ie not soy-free)? Or might have have misread and missed it? Or, because of the GMO possibility, do you feel the chickpea source may be best?
Aloha sweet Jenny!
As always, thanks for coming by to add your voice to the conversation. I didn’t add any soy based MK7 supplements to the analysis. But there are a lot of them out there so it will be easy for you to find one that matches what you’re looking for. Yes, because of the GMO factor, we chose to steer away from soy based MK7 supplements.
life extension super K and almost all the others they have are soy based! I have a low thyroid, therefore cannot have soy. Their label states it has soy & I verified it with a phone call.
Dr. Kate states in her book that for optimal outcomes, Vit. A, Vit D and Vit K2 should be present in the meal or via supplement. My preferred is 2 oz. natto (homemade), 2000 IU Vit. D and 1 teaspoon Red Palm Oil. The natto demands a creative sauce to hide the smell and taste. I also take 1/4 t xylitol after meals and at bed time and use hydrofloss.
Cheers.
How about Just Thrive K2? It is supposedly the best on the market…
Aloha Roxana,
Thanks for stopping by to add your thoughts to the discussion.
I wasn’t familiar with this brand so just checked it out. It seems like a good supplement. Similar to Megaquinone in that it’s going after a pharmacological amount of MK7 with cofactors to help with absorption. Also similarly priced on the high end of the K2 supplement range. If it works for you, go for it!
I am wondering what dosage you would recommend for a three year old? She had decay even on a Weston price diet I ended up with super low d and gum disease so I needed k2- guess she did t get enough either
I give her two caps of emu oil, one in am and pm
Aloha Suzanne,
Thank you for adding to the conversation here.
We can’t make any recommendations for amounts. That said, I think using emu oil is a tremendous step in the right direction!! Perhaps follow with that and see how it goes in 3-6 months. Sometimes we just need a little ‘nudge’ to reach that zone where the body can step clear of decay.
Thanks for your reply
Sorry about asking for a recommendation on amount. Was hoping you had found guidelines in your research. It is so difficult to find a dentist who has any idea of nutrition!!
Also are there any articles about glycerin in products and what to do for a kid if you need a filling?
Thanks
I would suggest cutting out ALL sugar. Go to a ‘wellness’ chiropractor. A child’s organs that can ‘talk’ to the brain can heal easier (than a subluxated child) Read on WAPF website, and drink raw milk, etc. Avoid ALL gmo’s if possible. Read all you can on Sherri Tenpenny’s site about vaccines ( IF you are still vaccinating). Join a local herdshare, or at least supplement with K2! Then your child’s nutrition can start reversing the damage and you may not need to get it filled. A big IF you need a filling, search the area over for a dentist who uses Ozone…and read all you can here on this good site. Loads and loads of good info here, thanks to Will and Susan.
thank you. This is just the article / information all in one place that I have been looking for.
Wishing you the best .
I had heard butter oil was a source of K2. Is this correct or am I miss informed.
Aloha Sonia,
Yes, butter oil is a good form of K2. In fact, this is what Dr Weston Price used for his research and to successfully reverse all kinds of health issues in his practice. However, a really important factor to determine how much K2 is in butter oil is whether the milk cows are grazing on rapidly growing green grass or not. When cows are on hay (over winter), K2 just doesn’t show up in the milk > cream > butter > butter oil in the same quantity.
One rather simple way to check the quality of butter (oil) is the color. Provided no coloring agents are added, the richer the yellow color the better. We’ve all seen rich yellow butter and also pretty pale butter. Go for the color as that’s suggestive of higher vitamin content.
Thank you for taking the time to research and share this information! Nothing is better than when recommendations are made and then options are weighed and spelled out for me. Keep up your great work! Blessings!
Besides Natto, will Tempeh provides sufficient vitamin K-2 to preven tooth decay if eaten
regularly?
Aloha Kim,
Thanks for asking.
No, tempeh is not a rich source of vitamin K2.
Natto has special bacteria involved in its fermentation process, bacillus subtilus natto, which is the bacteria responsible for producing the K2 in natto.
Dr. Mercola has a product called “Vitamins D & K2”. It’s 5000 IU of vitamin D3 and 180 mcg. of vitamin K2 in the form of Mk-7.
Any idea of how much Natto one needs to eat to get the desirable levels of Mk7if you choose that option?
Aloha Joann,
According to the excellent k2 resource guide I reference in the article, the amount of K2 in natto depends on several factors. However, it tends to be rather high. Here’s the link: https://chrismasterjohnphd.com/advanced-results-mk-4/entry/5819/
I hope that helps!
What about gouda cheese for the vitamin K2? It is rich in vitamin K2 from what I understand.
Thank you for the review of the supplements. I am allergic to soy and am glad to know there are supplements out there for this vitamin that are soy free.
Aloha Kathy,
Thanks for stopping by to add to the conversation.
Yep, gouda is one of the cheeses that tend to be higher for MK7. Unfortunately, to reach daily nutritional levels, you’d better love gouda and/or be Swiss 🙂 The good news is cheeses like gouda tend to have a wide range of K2 forms in them, which provides us a wider span of health-giving components.
Thank you. I use Jarrow mk7 (I know several people in the WAPF camp use this). I was surprised it wasn’t on your list. Would love to know if you considered this brand.
Aloha Anita,
Thanks for stopping by to add to the conversation!
Ok, this is a silly one… Jarrow produces good supplements from our perspective. The reason I didn’t include their K2 product in the analysis is because the amount is 90 mcg and I was aiming for 100 mcg. Purely number based. Great choice!! 🙂
Thank you. Very helpful information. However, I have a food sensitivity to chickpeas. I typically stay far away from soy for all the reasons mentioned, but wonder if there is anything made from organic soy that might be worth considering. Thanks!
Aloha Kellye,
Thanks for stopping by to ask!
What?!? No hummus for you? 🙂 I’ve never heard of a chickpea food sensitivity. Yeah, there are plenty of products made from soy. Jarrow manufactures a good K2 product made from GMO-free soy. Here’s a link to it on amazon.
I hope that helps!
For osteoporosis in Japan, 45 mg K2MK4 per day is an official remedy to reduce fracture risk.
AOR has a 15 mg capsule to take 3 times a day.
Just to make sure I get the needed vitamin K2, I take both, 45 mg of MK4 and 100 mcg of MK7; I have been taking this for the past few years.
Dr. Neustadt of NBI says no study demonstrated a reduction of fractures with MK7, but only with MK4.
Aloha Luc!
Thanks for stopping by. As always, your input is spot on!
Your research is correct on MK4 vs MK7. And while some research didn’t find a reduction of fractures with MK7, that’s a bit misleading as other indicators of K2 markers do show change from MK7.
I think your approach to take both is wise. Given that you’ve been taking both for the past few years, I’m really curious to hear how you are feeling, what your plaque levels in your mouth feel like (my personal ‘litmus test’ to feel how my K2 levels are in the body), and general health.
Thanks again for sharing your story with us!!
Thank you so much for replying.
I am feeling fine, not the greatest because I tend to worry too much and have a tendency to anxiety. I feel the same as before K2.
I always had plaque, but not more than before K2, but more in the last year. I have a lot of plaque, but no cavities. I was a mouth breather and still struggle to breath through my nose, especially in sleep.
However if I eat or drink acidic food, my saliva is at 8 in a about 2 minutes after eating.
Thanks so much for caring!
Aloha Luc,
Glad to hear you are well. Re: anxiety, what are you doing to balance this? I have found that nearly all anxiety simply drops away when we question our thoughts and don’t let ‘the monkey mind’ run incessantly about what we don’t want. While it is so simple in theory, to shift our attention from what we don’t want to what we want has very powerful implications.
Re: mouth breathing, yes, this will always undermine one’s optimal health. Our bodies were developed to breathe through the nose almost exclusively. So, when this fundamental system breaks down, we have to find solutions otherwise will always be chasing symptoms. Have you learned to habituate putting your tongue to the roof of your mouth? We plan to produce a video tutorial that shows this ancient strategy soon. I hope it helps!
I wanted to add some thoughts to the marker and fracture question. I have a severe scoliosis and bone spur growth on the side of the vertebrae as seen on X-Ray. (Yet this neither painful nor restricts any movements).
So the markers in this case would show high bone formation even though the rest on the bones would see elevated resorption.
I need now to find out the long term effects of MK4.
Thanks so much for evaluating Vitamin K2. Great information.
Thanks Mary.
It’s an honor to serve you in this precious way.
Show the world your smile! 🙂
Just have to thank you for this great analysis! Saves me time and money. And I agree – vitamin K is THE most important nutrient for tooth decay prevention.
Thanks Bud!
I’m so glad it helped.
Great review – thanks! So, cost aside, which of the top three recommendations would you personally choose?
Thanks, Robert
Aloha Robert,
Thanks for adding to the conversation here.
I think Aine’s comment below hits it. LifeExtension Super K with Thorne on hand to raise levels to find your right amount.
I hope this helps!
Great analysis – thanks. Cirfirming dosage on the Thorne liquid K2 – MK4.
You say 1-2 drops once or twice a day and the bottle says 15 drops once or twice a day. I assume they are using a pharmacological dosage but your recommendation is to meet the 1,000 mcg (1 mg) pr day recommended, correct?
Seems like a great option if extra is warranted at times, along with the LifeExtension Super K daily maintenance.
Aloha Aine,
Thanks for stopping by to add to the conversation.
Yes, you are correct, the Thorne product recommends up to a pharmacological dose. If a person wants to use this level, it’s pretty easy to do so with this product. However, unless you are looking to treat an issue, we find it’s not necessary to push to such a level.
Thanks again!
Thank you Will and Susan! This article is exactly what I was looking for! I am planning to supplement with MK7 every day now!
Awesome Tarah!
We’re so glad it helped!
K2 MK-7 is not what Dr. Price studied or did any of his work on. Did you know that virtually all K2 in the brain is MK-4. Did you know that mother’s milk contains MK-4? or that MK-4 is the only K2 that passes from mother to fetus? MK-4 is what we evolved eating. It is the vitamin K2 Rock Star! 🙂
The Rotterdam Study from 2004: Daily consumption of more than 32 mcg of dietary vitamin K2 from mostly fermented foods. MK-7 stays in your body much longer with a half-life of about 3 days, which allows consistent blood levels to build, compared to MK-4 or K1 (est 1-3 hours half-life).
MK-7 is only produced by bacterial fermentation.
• 50 percent reduction of arterial calcification*
• 50 percent reduction of cardiovascular risk*
• 25 percent reduction of all-cause mortality*
My conclusion is that 1 capsule of Innovix Full Spectrum K2 (500 mcg K4, 100 mcg K7) every 3 days keeps us well above Rotterdam Study levels. You could almost keep blood levels up to these levels with 1 capsule of the Life Extension Super K per week, it seems. No?
I love Walkabout’s pastured emu oil.
Aloha Suzanne,
Yep, great product. And like we state in the article, reaching nutritional levels of K2 with foods on a daily basis can be tricky and downright expensive. Given that Walkabout’s product contains MK4, you’d be looking to take a lot of capsules to reach any nutritional basis. Same thing goes for Green Pastures great products.
I think the error we have to watch out for is a common one with supplements. We tend to think, “I can just take one capsule a day” which leaves us miserably short with products like this.
I hope this helps!!
In your K2 article it is stated that research shows 45mg to be a pharmacological dose for MK4 and 320mcg for MK7. However the avg. daily dose in the various brands is1/3-2/3 of the pharmacological dose for MK7 (100-200mcg) and for MK4 it drops to 1mg or less a mere 1/45. Why such a huge difference?
Aloha Deborah,
Really great question here! We came to these numbers by reviewing the research on various forms of K2. I don’t know why the researchers behind the MK4 studies took such a high dose approach. But 45mg (45000 mcg) was the amount Japanese researchers found tremendous benefit for treatment of osteoporosis. The reason why we ‘settled’ in at the 100-200mcg for MK7 was because this is the level where the research found changes in blood markers that help to measure K2.
In time, I hope that we as a public can have a better understanding of what levels of K2 are best to address various issues.
Really great question!!
Yes, I agree its a good post
Nature always knows best. The K2 MK-4 in Walkabout emu oil is in its own natural synergy and is more potent than any artificial supplement, in small amounts.
Aloha Liz,
Thanks for stopping by to add your thoughts to this discussion. We are in complete agreement that natural forms are best. In fact, in true food form is best in our opinion.
It seems you know quite a bit about Walkabout products. Can you share what the MK4 levels are in emu oil? I hear you that in a natural form, the numbers aren’t as critical because the vitamin is in a complex with its naturally occurring cofactors. None the less, raw data does help, right? 🙂
I actually take Green Pastures cod liver oil capsules, but not really sure how many to take to get to the recommended 2tsp per day suggestion. They are like you and Susan very nice and I think willing to help all they can but my Lord, 120 caps at $48+ shipping can get very expensive. And like already said, not sure how many to take to get equivalent.
Will And Susan;
Relative to this article I think I’ll try the best of both MK4 and MK7 and start with Life Extension combo supplement.
I started taking Walkabout brand emu oil in the last two months or so and my daughter and I have both noticed a reduction in plaque formation on our teeth. I have taken Life Extension’s K2 supplement off and on for years and never noticed a strong, immediate effect like I did with the Walkabout emu oil. It was recommended to me by my naturopathic doctor..and I am now recommending it to EVERYONE !