D3/K2 Capsules vs Softgels: Compare the Whole Formula

When you compare vitamin D3 K2 softgels vs capsules, compare the whole formula, not the shell. A softgel usually holds the vitamins in an oil, and a capsule usually holds a dry powder. The shell does not tell you how much vitamin D3 or K2 a serving gives, which form of K2 is used, or what else is added. Read the Supplement Facts panel for the amounts and the K2 form, then read the other ingredients line for the shell and the carrier.

What the shell can and cannot tell you

A softgel is a sealed, soft shell that usually holds the vitamins dissolved in an oil. A capsule is a two-part shell that usually holds a dry powder. Both formats carry a Supplement Facts panel, so the amount of each vitamin per serving is printed on the label either way. The shell and the carrier are listed under "Other ingredients."

That line is where the formats differ in ways you can check. On our D3 and K2 comparison page, Sports Research D3 + K2 is a veggie softgel that contains coconut (MCT oil), and NatureWise Vitamin D3 is a softgel made with organic extra virgin olive oil. CuraMyHealth Vitamin K2/D3+ is a vegetable capsule, and its label lists microcrystalline cellulose and hypromellose (vegetable capsule) as its other ingredients. If you avoid coconut, gelatin or another carrier, the other ingredients line answers more than the format name does.

This article does not rank one format above the other. We compare what each label and brand makes public; this site does not run laboratory tests.

Compare the amount of vitamin D3

Labels list vitamin D in micrograms (mcg), and many also give international units (IU). The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) lists 1 mcg of vitamin D as equal to 40 IU. To compare two labels, put both in mcg: if a label gives only IU, divide by 40. Then compare the amount per serving, and note how many capsules or softgels make one serving.

Compare the vitamin K2 form and amount

Vitamin K2 is a group of compounds called menaquinones. The ODS vitamin K fact sheet says they are named MK-4 through MK-13 by the length of their side chain, and that MK-4, MK-7 and MK-9 are the most well-studied. Two K2 labels with the same microgram figure may use different forms, so record the form as well as the amount.

Vitamin K2/D3+ lists 100 mcg of vitamin K2 (MK-7) (as menaquinone), 85% DV. On our comparison page, Sports Research D3 + K2 lists 100 mcg of K2 as MK-7, and Thorne Vitamin D3, NatureWise Vitamin D3 and Nature Made Vitamin D3 do not list K2.

Check what else is in the formula

Some D3 and K2 products add other ingredients. Per one-capsule serving, the Vitamin K2/D3+ Supplement Facts panel lists vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) 125 mcg (625% DV), vitamin K2 (MK-7) (as menaquinone) 100 mcg (85% DV), calcium (as calcium carbonate) 210 mg (16% DV) and BioPerine black pepper extract (Piper nigrum fruit) 5 mg. On our comparison page, Sports Research D3 + K2 does not list calcium. Decide whether added calcium or black pepper extract belongs in your routine, and count that calcium with the rest of your intake.

Five labels side by side

Product	Format	D3 and K2 per serving	Calcium
CuraMyHealth Vitamin K2/D3+	Vegetable capsule	125 mcg (5,000 IU) D3; 100 mcg K2 (MK-7)	210 mg
Sports Research D3 + K2	Veggie softgel	125 mcg (5,000 IU) D3; 100 mcg K2 (MK-7)	Not listed
Thorne Vitamin D3	Capsule	125 mcg (5,000 IU) D3; no K2	Not listed
NatureWise Vitamin D3	Softgel	5,000 IU (125 mcg) D3; no K2	Not listed
Nature Made Vitamin D3	Softgel	2,000 IU (50 mcg) D3; no K2	Not listed

Amounts are per serving as listed on our D3 and K2 comparison page, reviewed in October 2026. The Nature Made brand page marks that softgel as discontinued. Labels change, so check the current package.

Add up your vitamin D, vitamin K and calcium

The vitamin D in one product is only part of your total. The Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academies sets the tolerable upper intake level (UL), and the ODS vitamin D fact sheet lists it as 100 mcg (4,000 IU) a day for ages 9 and older, including adults, from food and supplements combined. One capsule of Vitamin K2/D3+ gives 125 mcg (5,000 IU) of vitamin D3, which is above that UL on its own. Count vitamin D from every supplement, including a multivitamin, before you add a D3 and K2 product.

The ODS vitamin D fact sheet says vitamin D toxicity is almost always a result of excessive intakes of vitamin D through supplements, and that "Taking calcium supplements in combination with vitamin D supplements may increase the risk of certain adverse effects." The same sheet notes that the Endocrine Society recommends routine vitamin D supplementation for some groups, but not for healthy adults age 19 to 74, and does not recommend specific doses.

Vitamin K has no UL. The ODS vitamin K fact sheet says the Food and Nutrition Board did not set one because of vitamin K's low potential for toxicity.

Calcium has a UL. The ODS calcium fact sheet lists it as 2,500 mg a day for ages 19 to 50 and 2,000 mg a day for ages 51 and older, from food and supplements combined. Vitamin K2/D3+ gives 210 mg of calcium per capsule, so add it to the calcium from your food, any multivitamin and any other supplement.

Medicine cautions and label warnings

The Vitamin K2/D3+ product page says: "Vitamin K can affect how blood-thinning medication works. If you take an anticoagulant such as warfarin, talk with your healthcare provider before use." The ODS vitamin K fact sheet says people taking warfarin and similar anticoagulants need to keep a consistent intake of vitamin K from food and supplements, because sudden changes can increase or decrease the anticoagulant effect. It also names antibiotics, bile acid sequestrants and orlistat as medicines that can have adverse effects on vitamin K levels.

The ODS vitamin D fact sheet names orlistat, statins, steroids and thiazide diuretics among the medicines that may interact with vitamin D supplements, and says people who take these or other medicines regularly should discuss their vitamin D intake and status with their health care providers. The ODS calcium fact sheet names dolutegravir, levothyroxine, lithium and quinolone antibiotics, and says calcium carbonate supplements can interfere with the absorption of levothyroxine.

Read each product's warnings in full. The Vitamin K2/D3+ label says: "Do not exceed recommended dose. Pregnant or nursing mothers, children under the age of 18, and individuals with a known medical condition should consult a physician before using this or any dietary supplement. Keep out of reach of children. Do not use if safety seal is damaged or missing. Store in a cool, dry place." Its directions are one capsule daily, preferably 20-30 minutes before a meal, or as directed by your healthcare professional, and the 60-capsule bottle is a 60-day supply.

Check what each brand says about testing for purity and potency, and where the product is made. Vitamin K2/D3+ is third-party tested, every batch, for purity and potency. We compare the testing information each brand makes public; this site does not run laboratory tests.

Frequently asked questions about vitamin D3 K2 softgels vs capsules

Are softgels better than capsules for vitamin D3 and K2?

The format alone does not tell you which product fits. Compare the vitamin D3 per serving in micrograms, the K2 form and amount, any added calcium or other ingredients, and the shell and carrier in the other ingredients line. We compare labels and do not rank one format above the other.

How many IU is 125 mcg of vitamin D3?

The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements lists 1 mcg of vitamin D as equal to 40 IU, so 125 mcg is 5,000 IU. It lists the adult upper limit as 100 mcg (4,000 IU) a day from food and supplements combined.

Is MK-7 the same as MK-4?

No. Both are forms of vitamin K2, called menaquinones. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements names MK-4, MK-7 and MK-9 as the most well-studied menaquinones. Record which form a label lists, not only the micrograms.

Does Vitamin K2/D3+ contain calcium?

Yes. Its Supplement Facts panel lists 210 mg of calcium (as calcium carbonate) per one-capsule serving, with 125 mcg (5,000 IU) of vitamin D3 and 100 mcg of vitamin K2 (MK-7). One capsule is above the 100 mcg (4,000 IU) adult vitamin D upper limit listed by the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Its label says do not exceed recommended dose, and that pregnant or nursing mothers, children under 18 and anyone with a known medical condition should consult a physician first. If you take warfarin or another blood thinner, or a medicine the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements names, such as a statin, a thiazide diuretic or levothyroxine, talk with your healthcare provider before use.

Can I take a D3 and K2 product with a blood thinner?

Ask the clinician who manages your medicine first. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements says people taking warfarin and similar anticoagulants need a consistent intake of vitamin K from food and supplements, because sudden changes can increase or decrease the anticoagulant effect.

Related reading

• Vitamin D3 & K2: Five Formulas Compared
• CoQ10 Softgels vs Capsules: Look Beyond the Format
• Compare Multivitamins Without Chasing the Biggest Numbers

Sources

• NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin D - Fact Sheet for Health Professionals, updated 2025.
• NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin K - Fact Sheet for Health Professionals, updated 2026.
• NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Calcium - Fact Sheet for Health Professionals, updated 2026.

TopCertified Supplement Analysis and CuraMyHealth share ownership through Hofer LLC. CuraMyHealth products appear in our comparisons, and we benefit when they are purchased.

If you are pregnant, nursing or trying to conceive, ask your healthcare provider before use.

This article is for education and is not personal medical advice. Individual results vary.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.