Supplement Comparison

Vitamin K2 MK-7 vs MK-4: Which Form Should You Take?

For everyday supplementation, MK-7 is the practical choice. Its much longer half-life means a single daily dose keeps blood levels steady, and it's the form in nearly every D3+K2 supplement (100-200mcg). MK-4 clears in hours, so it needs high, multiple daily doses to keep up. Where K2 comes up, it is usually taken in a D3+K2 combo, typically MK-7; some bone-health coverage leaves K2 out entirely.

The verdict on Vitamin K2 overall

Not enough evidence

Vitamin K2 is worth taking.

2 sources: 2 positive

2 sources: 2 positive

Based on what researchers say in publicly available videos, not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any supplement.

What the evidence says about the form

Each claim gets one verdict, worked out from every counted mention. One dot is one source: a researcher or a study. Tap a dot to see its receipt.

positive partly neutral negative Each researcher and each study counts once per claim, however often they come up.

  1. Not enough evidence

    The MK-7 form of vitamin K2 lasts longer in the body than other forms.

    No counted mention yet.

    Researchers say

    No researcher counted yet.

    Studies show

    No study counted yet.

    1 more not counted · see why
    A host's remark inside an interview. 1

Where the sources disagree

Built from every credited researcher and cited study on each claim.

On these claims, no counted source takes a different side yet.

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Key Differences

Half-life

Vitamin K2 (MK-7)

Long — one daily dose keeps blood levels stable

Vitamin K2 (MK-4)

Short (hours) — needs multiple daily doses or very high amounts

Typical Dose

Vitamin K2 (MK-7)

100-200mcg once daily

Vitamin K2 (MK-4)

Often 1,500mcg+, dosed multiple times a day

Source

Vitamin K2 (MK-7)

Natto (fermented soy) — highest K2 food source

Vitamin K2 (MK-4)

Animal-derived or synthetic

Supplement Availability

Vitamin K2 (MK-7)

The default in almost every D3+K2 product

Vitamin K2 (MK-4)

Less common over the counter

Where it comes up

Vitamin K2 (MK-7)

The practical form in D3+K2 combos

Vitamin K2 (MK-4)

Not singled out by any source

Evidence Note

Vitamin K2 (MK-7)

Favoured for practicality + stable levels

Vitamin K2 (MK-4)

Has some Japanese osteoporosis trial data at pharmacologic doses

Bottom Line

Both MK-7 and MK-4 are vitamin K2; the difference is how long they last in the body. MK-7 stays in your blood far longer, so 100-200mcg once a day keeps levels steady, and it's what you'll find in nearly every D3+K2 supplement (it's derived from natto). MK-4 clears within hours, so the trials that used it relied on high doses taken several times a day, which is impractical for everyday use. The real question in the sources isn't MK-4 vs MK-7; it's whether to take K2 at all. Some treat D3+K2 as inseparable or call K2 a 'longevity vitamin', and take a D3+K2 combo, effectively the MK-7 format. Others cover bone health at length and leave K2 off their list of key nutrients. If you do supplement, take MK-7 with your vitamin D3 and a fat-containing meal; if you're on a blood thinner, talk to your doctor first.

Protocol notes — Vitamin K2

Dosage
100-200mcg MK-7 daily is the commonly cited dose. It is taken inside a combined D3/K2 supplement (Mark Hyman; Bryan Johnson).
Form
MK-7 (menaquinone-7) is the most common supplement form because it lasts longer in the body. Combined D3/K2 supplements are the simplest format. Food sources include natto (highest K2), hard cheeses, egg yolks and grass-fed butter.
Timing
Take it with a meal that has fat, as with vitamin D, in the morning or midday, alongside vitamin D3.
Notes
People on warfarin or other blood thinners must ask their doctor before taking any form of vitamin K, because it can interfere with the drug. K2 (MK-7) lasts longer than K1, so steady daily dosing keeps levels more stable. There is no RDA for K2 itself, only for total vitamin K (90-120mcg/day).

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Common Questions

Should you take vitamin D with K2? How much vitamin D should you take per day?

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