Vitamin D3+ K2 Drops product Dr. Lynch Q&AUpdated 4 hours ago

I have a 4-year-old and 12-year-old. My youngest's recent level was in the 60's and my oldest was in the mid 30's. I was told to keep my youngest on 2000 IUD to maintain her levels and will need to increase my oldest dose to get her levels between 50-90. I usually give them 22.5 mcg of vitamin K with their vitamin D(2,000IUD) and they also get vitamin K from your Kids MV MF chewable. I am waiting to see what dose to give my oldest to raise her levels, but my concern is the vitamin K. Would they be overdosing or doing damage with the amounts that are in this product and with the 1/2 to 1 chewable they take? I have also been giving them your electrolytes, and they take 1/2 chewable for the Kids MV MF so I am hoping that provides the magnesium they need as well. Any advice would help since I prefer a supplement with both vitamin d and k.

Hi Momma Bear :)

You are good to combine the Kids Multivitamin Chewable along with the Vitamin D3+K2 Drops.

There is no known toxicity or upper limit for vitamin K2:
"The FNB did not establish ULs for vitamin K because of its low potential for toxicity [3]. In its report, the FNB stated that “no adverse effects associated with vitamin K consumption from food or supplements have been reported in humans or animals."
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminK-HealthProfessional/#h14

Looks like you are doing quite well overall with their nutritional supplementation.

You may want to give them a Magnesium Malate Chewable before bed or 1/2 of 1 to provide further magnesium. One serving of Optimal Electrolyte provides 125 mg of magnesium and 25 mg of magnesium in the Kids Multi Chewable so that's a decent amount but not all they need.

Be sure to give the multivitamins and D/K after a meal.

In health,
Dr. Lynch

I'm taking Optimal Prenatal (and the MF version) during pregnancy and am wanting to increase my Vit D intake a little. Would it be better to take 2 drops of the Vit D3 + K2 per day along with the prenatal for 5000 IU total or take 1x 5000 IU capsule every 5 days in addition to the prenatal? Is MK-4 or MK-7 better in pregnancy or does it not matter and is there a concern with getting too much K2? I would go for the straight Vit D drops since there's already 100mcg K2 in the prenatal but I can't find it in NZ and Iherb doesn't appear to stock it. Thanks so much for your comprehensive response to my Optimal Prenatal question Dr Lynch - much appreciated :)

Hi Erika -

You're welcome.

I'd take the Vitamin D3+K2 capsule. It's easier and more potent. I like your thought of taking it just once a week.

If your vitamin D levels are lower, you can take it more frequently until they become at a healthy level.*

MK4 and MK7 are both great forms. The MK7 form lasts longer in the blood whereas MK4 last just a few hours.

In health,
Dr. Lynch

Hi Dr, I have hashimotos and chronic fatigue, severe fatty liver disease, would this help and any other supplement suggestions?

Hi Stephen -

A few things to consider for you.

• read the book, Dirty Genes. It will help teach you a ton about your body.
• stop completely of drinking calories - drink filtered water only - and only filtered water - or tea - or if you have to have something - a Spindrift or Liquid Death
• after eating, go for a brisk 10 minute walk after each meal. This is key for blood sugar
• walk 10,000 steps daily - get a watch like a Garmin Venu 3
• sauna. Many are overweight because they're so loaded with chemicals and the liver gets overwhelmed. Read this - https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0010/0250/4310/files/Sauna-ebook-REV060925.pdf?v=1749503120
• eat your largest meal at breakfast, then decent lunch and a light dinner.
• eat meat (baked, grilled - not fried) and fruit. Limit carbs and fat.
• stop eating around 7 PM - if craving something, have some mineral water. In 2-3 weeks, your body will adjust.
• call me crazy but consider a Nicotine Patch - 7 mg - and put that on different sites of your body each day. Nicotine patches are proving to be very supportive for many people. You can get them over the counter at any drug store.
• Fish Oil: 1 capsule after dinner
• Optimal PC: 1 capsule after dinner
• Bile Nutrients: 4 capsules before dinner
• Liver Nutrients: 1 capsule after dinner
• ProBiota Bifido: 1 capsule upon waking
• Glutathione Plus Lozenge: 1 lozenge upon waking
• Optimal Electrolyte: 1-2 servings a day - and 1 upon waking

This should help a ton.

Keep me posted on your progress.

In health,
Dr. Lynch

Hello! My 4 year old is vitamin d deficient and has been prescribed 4000iu per day. Are these drops tasteless? Thank you

Hi Alexandra -

There will be an olive oil taste to them. It's quite mild. You can also get a spoon of juice, put say 8 drops in it and then give it to him.

He should also be totally fine with you just dropping the drops directly into his mouth from the dropper. Just make sure he doesn't bite down on it or touch it as you want to keep it clean.

In health,
Dr. Lynch

If my 2.5 year old is low on vitamin D (23 ng/mL) and I just started them on the seeking health kids multi at 1/2 tablet dose, would it be too much vitamin D and vitamin K to also add 2 drops of the Vitamin D3 + K2 Drops?

Hi Lis -

Good question.

You're good.

Vitamin D in the Kids Multi Chewable at 1/2 a tablet is quite low - so adding the 2 drops of Vitamin D3+K2 is smart.

Vitamin D is best absorbed and performs the best when taken with magnesium.

Consider additionally:

• Optimal Electrolyte: 1/2 a scoop once to twice a day with some filtered water. Berry and Orange are most popular. You can also make a serving of electrolytes for yourself and your kid and steal some sips. :)
• OR/AND the Magnesium Malate Chewable: this is a great, tasty form of magnesium. Best to take before bed - your kid can just take 1/2.

In health,
Dr. Lynch

Good morning! I read through all of the questions and would like to confirm if my thought process is correct - my primary care doctor recommends that I take 2000iu of D3 per day. The pills are too high a dosage and I don’t mind taking multiple drops. Am I ok to take 4 drops per day? Thank you!

Hi Shannon

You’re correct.

1 drop is 500 IU.

4 drops is 2000 IU

In health,
Dr. Lynch

We live in the Scandinavian, winter time can be dark and hard. I'm eating optimal prenatal and breastfeeding but my baby starting to eating more and more solids 9 months now, can I use this supplement to make sure he gets enough vit d and k? Or should I wait when I'm done breastfeeding? Planning to breastfeeding as long as possible. I read that nutrients in the milk will decrease after 6 months of birth, not sure if that statement is true.... How much should I give him and how often? Thoughts on cod liver oil to baby since that's natural d and a and in a good ratio. Thanks

Hi JAnna -

I hear you on the darkness. I'm located in Seattle, WA which is not nearly as far north as you and it's still plenty too dark. :)

Yes, you may use Vitamin D3+K2 Drops for baby. Simply provide 1 drop a day for them.

You may also need more D3+K2 for yourself. There is 4,000 IU of D3 in the prenatal but you may need more as you're not getting any D3 unless you're eating it in food.

Fatty fish is great.

Cod Liver Oil to baby: I'm not sure on that as I'm not sure how much A is in there. It may be fine.

In health,
Dr. Lynch

Can my 15 year old son take this? He has gone through a growth spurt and went from a short and chunky boy to tall and thin. He has been moody and depressed the past year of this all happening. I have the vitamin d receptor gene which makes me not absorb a lot of vitamin D and worried he has the same. Felicia

Hi Felicia -

Yes he may. I'd give him 4 drops a day or you can give him 1 capsule of the Vitamin D3+K2 after any meal of the day or night.

I like the capsule better - it's easier, faster, less mess and higher potency which he needs apparently.

Consider checking his vitamin D levels after 1-3 months of using the supplement.

In health,
Dr. Lynch

Which form, D3+K2 drops vs the capsule, is easier to be absorbed by the body?

Hi Sammi -

Both are very highly absorbed by the body.

It's a preference.

Do you prefer the liquid or the capsules?

I personally prefer capsules as it's faster to open and pop in a pill vs being careful opening and dropping in a specific drop or two and then being careful closing it again.

In health,
Dr. Lynch

Hello, I am taking a trip and wanted to know if the drops that you all provide are approved by the TSA? I leave next Sunday if you could possibly let me know. Thank you so much.

Hi Crystal -

I've flown with these many times without issues.

It's under 3 oz so you're good.

What the TSA typically flags bags for is powders.

Seems like when I fly with Optimal Electrolyte or other powders, they pull my bag to the side - not always but that's an often trigger. They let me keep it but they like to test it.

The liquid D3 K2 is just fine.

In health,
Dr. Lynch

I’m looking at Vitamin D and am between the pills and drops. For the drops I would need to take 10 to get 5,000IU/day. With there being 50mcg of K2, I would be getting 500mcg, is that too much? The pills have 5,000IU and only 100mcg of K2.

Hi Lindsay -

I like the capsules when needing higher amounts of D3.

Here's why:

• It's easier to pop a small pill and less messy.
• The drops are awesome for kids and infants or people who cannot swallow pills

It is not too much K2 as it is as MK4 so it has a shorter 1/2 life than MK7 which is found in the capsules.

I would go for the Vitamin D3+K2 capsules and take anytime of day with one of your meals.

In health,
Dr. Lynch

Hi Doc, Now that you've helped educate me about the difference between K1 and K2 and between MK4 and MK7 (thanks for that!) I want to confirm the dosing for the drops. Since MK4 lasts a shorter amount of time in the body, I figured they would need to be taken throughout the day. If I want to take 5,000 IUs a day, how would you recommend splitting up the 10 drops? Thanks in advance! Sue

Hi Sue -

I'd say you're good with taking the 5,000 IU a day all at once vs splitting up the dose.

A good way to tell if this information is right or not is to check your serum calcium levels along with your serum vitamin D3 levels.

If your serum calcium levels are elevated and your D3 levels are rising, then you will indeed need to take the K2 at separate times a day.

I truly believe that taking 10 drops all at once is going to be well accepted by your body and you'll achieve what you're looking for in terms of a healthy vitamin D3 level, healthy bones and healthy calcium levels.*

In health,
Dr. Lynch

Hi Dasha -

You can put on a bite of food as it has hardly any taste.

I don't recommend in a beverage as it can stick to the sides of the glass and you won't get anything from that.

Definitely don't put on hot food or hot coffee as that will ruin the vitamins.

Thanks for asking!

In health,
Dr. Lynch

Hi Angel -

Vitamin D and a slow COMT are fine together.

Good question.

In health,
Dr. Lynch

Hi there -

If there's not an expiration date yet (in testing), then there is a Made On date. I am not in the QC dept so I am not sure where we are on this one.

Typically, supplements are good for 3 years from date of manufacture.

This bottle will last quite a bit of time yes.

Many people use more than 1,000 IU of D3 a day.

The recommended amount of D3 during winter months is about 5,000 IU a day as we are not getting it from the sun in the northern hemisphere.

In health,
Dr. Lynch

Hi Juliet -

This is MK4 so the half life is short.

It is fine at this amount.

If you want to use MK7 with a longer half life and a lower K2 amount, I recommend the Vitamin D3+K2 capsules as this has 5,000 IU and 100 mcg of K2 as MK7.

The half-life of MK4 is roughly 4 hours, while MK7 is 12-14 hours,

In health,
Dr. Lynch

Hi LoriAnn -

That's correct.

10 drops = 5,000 IU

In health,
Dr. Lynch

I’m currently getting my eight-year-old one drop for vitamin D supplementation but his oats test is showing that he’s low in vitamin D so I’d like to try to drops. My only concern is if the vitamin K would be too much then? Or is that okay amount

Hi Allison -

It is ok. I did the calculations of D3 and K2 for this situation and it's ok to increase to 2 drops.

If you like, you can also switch to the Vitamin D3+K2 capsules. The capsules are quite small and easy to swallow. He would swallow 1 capsule a day for 30 days and then retest. Then adjust as needed.

The D3+K2 capsules provides 5,000 IU of D3 and 100 mcg of K2 as MK7

It's important to get D3 levels up quickly now this time of year.

In health,
Dr. Lynch

I am taking your prenatal vitamin and it contains 4,000 IU of vitamin D. Do I need extra vitamin D? I am STILL breastfeeding AND CURIOUS TO KNOW THE ANSWER

Hi Roxanne -

The recommended daily amount for a pregnant and breastfeeding woman according to the latest research is 4,000 IU daily.

This is the maintenance amount.

If you are deficient in vitamin D, then you may consider taking more.

If you are not deficient, then you are good.

In addition to the prenatal and vitamin D, I highly recommend Optimal PC while breastfeeding.

Here's why I recommend Optimal PC:

• supports healthy cognitive development in your little one
• supports healthy brain function for the life of your child
• breast milk is commonly quite low in phosphatidylcholine
• mastitis is associated with low phosphatidylcholine and Optimal PC supports healthy phosphatidylcholine levels.*

Consider taking 1 capsule of Optimal PC after dinner to support healthy phosphatidylcholine levels.*

In health,
Dr. Lynch

Hello I have a question I purchased these and I was wondering how much my 14 Year old should take he has really low vitamin D levels about an 8 they said? Which is extremely low

Hi Gee -

You can give a full dropper before or after any meal of the day.

A full dropper is about 30 drops.

At 500 IU per drop, that's 15,000 IU of vitamin D3.

Do this for one month, then retest his vitamin D and adjust dosage as needed.

In health,
Dr. Lynch

Hi there, Where is the Vitamin D3 in this sourced from please? Thank you.

Hi Dimple -

The vitamin D3 is sourced from lanolin coming from sheep's wool.

In health,
Dr. Lynch

Dr. Lynch, do you think this supplement will be beneficial for someone who is trying to get fibromyalgia under control?

Hi Olia -

If your vitamin D3 levels are low, then supporting healthy D levels is supportive of healthy serotonin levels.*

Healthy serotonin levels are associated with helping those with fibromyalgia.

I'd consider:

• Serotonin Nutrients: 1 capsule possibly three times a day as needed.
• Optimal Electrolyte: 1 to 3 servings a day - sip slowly in your water bottle - do not chug
• Gallbladder Nutrients: 2 capsules before dinner

In health,
Dr. Lynch

Hi Anne -

Both forms of K2 are well absorbed.

The difference is the half life.

MK4 has a shorter half life while MK7 has a longer half life.

So, MK4 lasts a shorter amount of time in the body while MK7 lasts longer.

That's the only difference.

If you are on blood thinning medications, then it's best to be on the long acting form of K2 as MK7 so doctors can better regulate your medications.

Both MK4 and MK7 are great - it's simply a matter of duration.

"Both Vitamin K2 as MK-4 and MK-7 are nearly completely absorbed, with peak serum concentration at 2 hours for MK-4 and 4 hours for MK-7 after intake. However, MK-4 quickly disappears from the circulation, whereas MK-7 is capable of accumulating in the bloodstream (remaining in the body for approximately 72 hours). Therefore, supplementation with MK-7 only needs to be taken once a day and is a more convenient option."
https://menaq7.com/k-vitamins-overview/what-are-k-vitamins/

I switch it up. I sometimes use the drops of the D3+K2 or I use the capsules of the D3+K2.

Your vitamin D3 and K2 levels are supported by both formulations.

If you need higher K2 levels for some reason, then I'd use the Vitamin D3+K2 capsules as they have the longer acting K2 as MK7.

In health,
Dr. Lynch

Hi Kristin -

Need to talk with your doctor.

It is best actually to use our capsules of Vitamin D3+K2 with Lovenox.

The vitamin K2 we use in our capsules, and in our prenatal vitamins, is long-acting vitamin K2. This makes it easier for doctors to know how to dose the Lovenox.

Our prenatal vitamins contain 4,000 IU of D3 and the long-acting form of K2 as MK7.

I found this research to support your decision making:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34115006/

and
https://www.drugs.com/drug-interactions/lovenox-with-vitamin-k-978-533-1868-16217.html

In health,
Dr. Lynch

Hi Sade -

I suggest asking your doctor what dosage is best for you.

For me, when I'm needing to support healthy vitamin D levels, I will take usually 5,000 to 10,000 IU of vitamin D with K2 daily for a month. Then have your doctor retest your vitamin D levels.

You may also use the Vitamin D3+K2 capsules if you like. This is 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 plus sufficient K2 per capsule.

In health,
Dr. Lynch

What would the serving size be for toddlers 2-3 years old?

Hi Ana -

According to the Linus Pauling Institute, the recommended dosages for tolerate upper limits are:

Age Group μg/day IU/day
Infants 0-6 months 25 1,000
Infants 6-12 months 37.5 1,500
Children 1-3 years 62.5 2,500
Children 4-8 years 75 3,000
Children 9-13 years 100 4,000
Adolescents 14-18 years 100 4,000
Adults 19 years and older 100 4,000

At 500 IU per drop, that would mean a toddler age 2-3 would get 5 drops per day.

The RDA (recommended daily allowance) for a 2-3 year old is only 600 IU a day which is 1 drop.

The RDA is quite low and the Upper limit is the maximum recommended per day.

That said, I'd consider 2 drops per day which is 1000 IU per day.

This falls in line with Linus Pauling recommendations:
"The American Academy of Pediatrics currently suggests that all infants, children, and adolescents receive 400 IU of supplemental vitamin D daily (19). Consistent with the recommendations of the Endocrine Society (40), the Linus Pauling Institute recommends daily intakes of 400 to 1,000 IU (10 to 25 μg) of vitamin D in infants and 600 to 1,000 IU (15 to 25 μg) of vitamin D in children and adolescents. Given the average vitamin D content of breast milk, infant formula, and the diets of children and adolescents, supplementation may be necessary to meet these recommendations."

In health,
Dr. Lynch

source: https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-D#LPI-recommendation

Hi Mariah -

Congratulations on your little one!

Yes, you may.

Be mindful that ONE DROP per day is all that your baby needs until age 1.

Talk with your pediatrician about this as well.

Another good way to get vitamin D and K into your baby is via breastfeeding.

If you're breastfeeding, by consuming 6,000 IU of Vitamin D3 a day, baby will get some via the breastmilk.

Consider Optimal Prenatal or even better, Optimal Prenatal with Collagen.

The extra protein is excellent for you, and baby.

In health,
Dr. Lynch

Is there a reason you chose MK-4 (Vitamin K2), instead of MK-7? I ask, because I've been reading that MK-7 is better absorbed. Thank you!

Both forms of vitamin K2 are beneficial to human health, yet have certain differentiating properties.*

MK7 is naturally produced by certain bacteria found in our digestive system, specifically the small and large intestines. By supplementing with beneficial probiotics or beneficial food like natto, you may be able to support healthy levels of MK7. This form can support gene expression surrounding bone formation, bone repair, and collagen.*

The major form of vitamin K in the diet is K1 known as phylloquinone which comes primarily from a plant-based diet. Phylloquinones may be converted into MK4, known as menaquinone, naturally in the body. This is essential for cognitive function. MK4 also supports gene expression surrounding bone formation, bone repair, and collagen.*

*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.