Vitamin D3 + K2 in MCT Oil - 20ml

Most Vitamin D supplements are incomplete.

Vitamin D3 drives calcium absorption from your gut into your bloodstream. But once calcium is in circulation, it needs direction. Without Vitamin K2, absorbed calcium has no clear destination. It can accumulate in arteries and soft tissues rather than going to bones. K2 activates two proteins namely osteocalcin and MGP (Matrix Gla Protein) that direct calcium into bone matrix and away from arterial walls. D3 without K2 is a half-solution.

iThrive Vitamin D3 + K2 in MCT Oil delivers both in a single liquid drop. In a fat-soluble MCT oil base because D3 and K2 are fat-soluble vitamins that require fat for absorption. Stabilised with natural Vitamin E to protect potency during storage. No synthetic emulsifiers. No unnecessary additives.

What’s New in This Formulation and Why

This is a fully reformulated product. All four ingredients are now sourced directly from their original manufacturers. Here’s what changed and why:

The Pharmaquinone® Difference and Why MK-7 Purity Matters

The cis isomer problem and why most buyers don’t know about it:

Vitamin K2 as MK-7 exists in two structural forms: all-trans MK-7 (the biologically active form found naturally in natto) and cis isomers (forms with altered spatial geometry that have significantly reduced biological activity compared to the trans form).

The all-trans form is linear in structure and its extended isoprenoid side chain allows it to associate with the subcellular enzymes that activate osteocalcin and MGP. The cis isomers are non-linear. Their bent molecular shape compromises their ability to activate these proteins, resulting in negligible carboxylative capacity compared to all-trans MK-7.

What independent academic analysis found in the supplement market:

Peer-reviewed research (Szterk et al., ScienceDirect, 2017/2018) analysed MK-7 supplements and found that in the majority of products tested, the actual all-trans MK-7 content was lower than what the label declared. In some products, cis isomer content exceeded all-trans MK-7 by up to 3.7 times. In one product, no all-trans MK-7 was found at all despite the label claim. These are commercially available supplements, tested independently.

This happens because the US Pharmacopeia standard for MK-7 ingredients requires only 96% all-trans MK-7, allowing up to 4% cis isomer content in an ingredient before it fails quality standards. And finished supplement products are not required to test cis vs trans content at all, meaning low-quality MK-7 can enter products without disclosure.

Pharmaquinone®: why we chose it:

Pharmaquinone®, produced by Vitasynth (Poland), is validated as containing no cis isomer according to Vitasynth’s own testing per the US Pharmacopeia method, the recognised international standard for MK-7 ingredient purity. Supply availability and sourcing consistency at the volumes we require were also factors in selecting Pharmaquinone® as our K2 source. Both criteria  purity profile and reliable direct supply were met. Pharmaquinone® is sourced directly from the original manufacturer.

What Each Ingredient Does

Four ingredients. Each one deliberate:

• Vitashine® Vitamin D3: 600 IU per drop (100% RDA) , vegan D3 from lichen, manufactured in the UK, certified by the Vegan Society. Identical to the D3 your skin produces from sunlight. Not fish-derived, not wool-derived. Drives calcium absorption from the gut, supports immune cell production, mood, hormonal balance, and hundreds of downstream gene expression processes.

• Pharmaquinone® Vitamin K2-MK7: 20 mcg per drop, validated 100% all-trans MK-7 per US Pharmacopeia testing (Vitasynth, Poland). Activates osteocalcin to direct calcium into bone matrix, and MGP, a protein involved in directing calcium to bone rather than soft tissue. Natural fermentation-derived MK-7 with a 72-hour half-life, supporting consistent tissue-level K2 activity.

• MCT Oil: coconut-derived, medium-chain triglycerides provide the fat D3 and K2 require for absorption, without needing a full meal. No synthetic emulsifiers, stabilisers, or carriers.

• Mixed Tocopherols (Natural Vitamin E): natural antioxidant stabiliser added in the reformulation. Protects D3 and K2 from oxidative degradation during storage and shelf life.

What It May Support

What iThrive Vitamin D3 + K2 may support:

• Bone mineral density: D3 drives calcium absorption; Pharmaquinone® K2 (100% all-trans MK-7) activates osteocalcin to direct calcium into bone matrix

• Cardiovascular health: K2 activates MGP protein that inhibits arterial calcification, addressing the arterial calcium risk that D3 alone can create without K2

• Immune function: Vitamin D3 is required for the production and activation of immune cells.

• Mood and energy: Vitamin D3 receptors are present throughout the brain and nervous system; deficiency is consistently associated with low mood, fatigue, and cognitive fog

• Hormonal balance: Vitamin D functions as a prohormone and is involved in normal endocrine signaling; adequate D3 levels support testosterone, oestrogen, and thyroid hormone regulation

How to Use

Practitioner’s Note

“The crux of this reformulation are the choice of K2 and the move to direct sourcing from original manufacturers. On K2, we chose Pharmaquinone® for two reasons. First, its validated purity profile: 100% all-trans MK-7 per US Pharmacopeia testing, with no cis isomer. The cis isomers of MK-7 have significantly reduced ability to activate the gamma-glutamylcarboxylase enzyme that carboxylates osteocalcin and MGP, the two K2-dependent proteins responsible for bone mineralisation and arterial calcium regulation. A supplement declaring 20 mcg of MK-7 on the label may contain a meaningful proportion of cis isomers that contribute to that number without contributing to the function. With Pharmaquinone®, the 20 mcg declared is 20 mcg of validated all-trans MK-7. Second, supply availability and sourcing consistency at the volumes we require, both criteria were met. On Vitamin E, the mixed tocopherols are a functional addition, not a filler. The smaller 20ml fill volume presents a higher surface-to-volume ratio, which increases relative oxidative exposure. The tocopherols protect the integrity of both D3 and K2 during shelf life. And on direct sourcing every ingredient in this bottle is now verified at origin. That is how it should always have been.”  Suyash Bhandari In-House Scientist & Head of Formulations, iThrive Essentials