Vitamin D + K2 Supplements in Thailand?

[Stubby]

 

I notice that vitamin supplements are pretty expensive in Thailand for some reason. I eat a varied diet and take a few vitamins to make sure I'm topped up. One vitamin I take is D3, but ideally, I'd prefer a D3+K2 supplement rather than different pills, which also increases the price. However, I've been to three of the bigger pharmacies but haven't had any luck. I know it's possible to order online, but one never knows whether online supplements are genuine or not.

 

So, if anyone here knows of a pharmacy chain in Thailand that sells them, please let me know.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Stubby

[Jingthing]

Lazada online.

No problem.

If you're taking less than 4000 IU of D you don't need any K

[The Hammer2021]

I don't think vitamin K is available  here.

[Jingthing]

12 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

I don't think vitamin K is available  here.

Sure it is.

I take it daily.

LAZADA.

[kiwikeith]

49 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Lazada online.

No problem.

If you're taking less than 4000 IU of D you don't need any K

According to Dr John Campbell and other Drs, one in Israel who has been treating patients since the Delta outbreak and never had any patients hospitalised, with vitamin K2 and 4000 IU of D3 and zinc, K2 not K is necessary for the correct metabolism of the calcium which D3 causes to be absorbed. You don't want it in your arteries. 

I take 5000 iu of D3 per day and K2 and zinc plus magnesium, K2 has become scarce so I had to source it from the USA, Puritans Pride are reliable, I use them when I am back in Thailand, when I ran out recently I reduced to 2000 iu D3 every day, now the K2 arrived, within 2 weeks I upped it to 5000 iu. But these Dr's who are well known throughout the pandemic do not prescribe they only say what they take and other patients are on, its up to you to, but I would look at sourcing some K2

[Jingthing]

3 minutes ago, kiwikeith said:

According to Dr John Campbell and other Drs, one in Israel who has been treating patients since the Delta outbreak and never had any patients hospitalised, with vitamin K2 and 4000 IU of D3 and zinc, K2 not K is necessary for the correct metabolism of the calcium which D3 causes to be absorbed. You don't want it in your arteries. 

I take 5000 iu of D3 per day and K2 and zinc plus magnesium, K2 has become scarce so I had to source it from the USA, Puritans Pride are reliable, I use them when I am back in Thailand, when I ran out recently I reduced to 2000 iu D3 every day, now the K2 arrived, within 2 weeks I upped it to 5000 iu. But these Dr's who are well known throughout the pandemic do not prescribe they only say what they take and other patients are on, its up to you to, but I would look at sourcing some K2

Yes, I do similar. The K is expensive here though but definitely available. LAZADA.

[Hummin]

7 minutes ago, kiwikeith said:

According to Dr John Campbell and other Drs, one in Israel who has been treating patients since the Delta outbreak and never had any patients hospitalised, with vitamin K2 and 4000 IU of D3 and zinc, K2 not K is necessary for the correct metabolism of the calcium which D3 causes to be absorbed. You don't want it in your arteries. 

I take 5000 iu of D3 per day and K2 and zinc plus magnesium, K2 has become scarce so I had to source it from the USA, Puritans Pride are reliable, I use them when I am back in Thailand, when I ran out recently I reduced to 2000 iu D3 every day, now the K2 arrived, within 2 weeks I upped it to 5000 iu. But these Dr's who are well known throughout the pandemic do not prescribe they only say what they take and other patients are on, its up to you to, but I would look at sourcing some K2

You talking about dosages  you intake, but what is your  dosages  based  on? Recommendation’s or blood level values? 

[Sheryl]

You can easily get D3 + K2 from iherb

 

They are reliable and ship to Thailand

 

https://th.iherb.com/search?sug=vitamin d3 k2&kw=vitamin d3 k2&rank=3

[2ndhomepattaya]

" 5000 iu of D3 per day and K2"

 

D3 @ 5000 iu per day seems very high a dose to take daily. As the body stores vitamin D unlike many other vitamin for a couple of weeks a time what is surplus will be just secreted. More is not essentially better just a waste of money. But one can always take a blood test to get the level of D in your blood. And yes, I take K2 too however, what's more important then the strength is the absorption rate. I alternatively take 100 and 200 a pop.

[retiree]

Always been happy with iBody, which is a Thai company up in Chiang Mai.  Online via Lazada and Shoppee, and they will answer their phone if you can track down the number.   They import from US -- I usually get Solgar multi, and NatureMade D3 (2,000 units -- I take one every other day).   They will do COD, and stuff arrives in Bangkok in a couple of days.

 

--Retiree 

[AddyA]

Hello everyone.

I've read all the replies here. It started off clear, but as more people added their advice and opinions things got a little confusing. I don't get out in the sun every day, and when I do, I tend to cover up simply because I'm a mosquito magnet, for some reason.

I would like to take vitamin D3 2000 IU per day with K2. The trouble is, I can't seem to fathom what the ideal IU is for K2. Every bottle mixes up the amounts, which makes it very difficult to know. 

Any suggestions from the better-imformed greatly appreciated ;).
 

[retiree]

Also curious about this question.  The answer seems to be that nobody knows what the ideal amount of added K2 is, or (as Jingthing notes) if it is even necessary for healthy adults who just don't get enough sunshine, and take "standard" D3 doses (which seem to be < 4,000 IU/day is safe, at least 600 IU/day is recommended, I,000 IU/day is common). 

 

The reality afaik is that most research has been done in the context of other health conditions that might be improved (osteoporosis in older women), or worsened (cardiovascular problems) by an improper balance of D3, K2, and calcium supplementation.  

 

This is a recent survey that gives a sense of how trials (including some broad senior studies) are conducted, and why results are not always easy to generalize from. 

Critical appraisal of large vitamin D randomized controlled trials (2022) 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8778517/

 

A second well-known paper (1,500+ citations) is the cautionary tale.  It is a  large metasurvey of high-quality studies of several anti-oxidants, and concludes that these supplements either had no benefit, or were more likely to be harmful than helpful.

 

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Christian-Gluud/publication/6478122_Mortality_in_Randomized_Trials_of_Antioxidant_Supplements_for_Primary_and_Secondary_Prevention_Systematic_Review_and_Meta-analysis/links/02e7e51c88f67b5cb5000000/Mortality-in-Randomized-Trials-of-Antioxidant-Supplements-for-Primary-and-Secondary-Prevention-Systematic-Review-and-Meta-analysis.pdf

 

Fwiw, I take 1,000 IU of D3 daily 'cause I get nearly zero sun exposure.  I don't worry about K2.   

-- Retiree

[AddyA]

18 hours ago, retiree said:

Fwiw, I take 1,000 IU of D3 daily 'cause I get nearly zero sun exposure.  I don't worry about K2.   

-- Retiree

With next to no sun exposure, Retiree, I've read that of at least 2,000 IU daily is an ideal amount. For some reason, I've not seen 2,000 IU available in the high-street drug stores. One could always take 2 x 1,000 supplements, but that would get expensive. I think that's why a lot of people order online.

[Walker88]

Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok has a retail pharmacy where you can get D3 and K2 in the MK7 version.

 

100mcg of K2 is the recommended daily intake, while recent studies show that even 5000 IU per day of D3 has no negative effects. Because D3 is fat soluable, it was long thought taking supplements could have negative effects, but the dosage turns out to be massive before it could cause harm.

 

The MK7 version of K2 is the most biologically accessible version. It promotes calcium in bones and there is evidence it removes, or at minimum prevents, Ca buildup in arteries.

 

 

Edited August 29, 2022 by Walker88

[AddyA]

21 minutes ago, Walker88 said:

Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok has a retail pharmacy where you can get D3 and K2 in the MK7 version.

 

100mcg of K2 is the recommended daily intake, while recent studies show that even 5000 IU per day of D3 has no negative effects. Because D3 is fat soluable, it was long thought taking supplements could have negative effects, but the dosage turns out to be massive before it could cause harm.

 

The MK7 version of K2 is the most biologically accessible version. It promotes calcium in bones and there is evidence it removes, or at minimum prevents, Ca buildup in arteries.

 

 

Thanks for that, Walker88.

 

Bumrungrad doesn't seem to have an online store, so I can't check out their supplement range.

 

I just searched online generally, and it seems that you can by 360 x vitamin D3 (2,000 IU) softgels for around 300 THB. In the Thai drug stores, it costs around 500+ THB for 60 hard tablets. How is that even possible? Surely the cheap options can't be genuine? Either that, or someone's making an absolute killing selling these on the high street. 

I haven't been able to find any 2,000 D3 and K2 combos online, though.

[AddyA]

I found a couple of options with D3 + K2 at great prices on that site called iHerb that so many recommended.
 

FutureBiotics: Vitamin D3 (5000 IU) + K2 w/ Vitamin K2 (90mcg) as MK-7, 120 Capsules 501 THB

 

NaturesPlus: Vitamins D3 (2500 IU) & K2, 90 Tablets 408 THB.
 

Any advice from those who know about vitamins is greatly appreciated.

[retiree]

On 8/29/2022 at 10:07 AM, AddyA said:

How is that even possible?

More general comment here.  There is a tendency for foreigners to see a single monolithic Thai market that is stacked against them.  I think, rather, one has to see four distinct markets  operating in parallel.  In order of prices they are: 

 

 - the fine print market:  both online and in sidewalk vendor stalls.  Prices are very low, usually because of small quantity, short expiration date, used item, off brand, etc.

 

- the rational market:  mostly online.  Both sellers and buyers have access to "true" best legit prices (e.g. Amazon + VAT + shipping).  At the low end prices are competitive with this, but there are also somewhat higher prices for value-added features, e.g. local seller, local service, easier returns, C.O.D., high number of reported sales, better seller reputation, etc. 

 

- the traditional market:  mostly regular stores or their online presence.  These continue to reflect pre-Amazon/Lazada/Shopee pricing, when brands and/or competition in Thailand were limited and consumers were much less informed.   They persist among less-informed consumers and those who prefer local stores, lack credit cards, make impulse purchases in the store, rely on store-owner's advice, etc. 

 

- the irrational market:   online.  No upper limit on pricing, because as a rule sellers do not maintain any inventory -- they simply resell goods they themselves buy in the rational market.  This is very easy to see on used book sites and Amazon books, where ordinary used books that are available new are listed for hundreds of dollars.   The usual explanation is that these sellers hope for accidental sales and/or very uninformed consumers, and persist because there is essentially no barrier or cost to market entry (or lack of sales). 

 

 

As for the D3 puzzle, Costco's Kirkland brand (a reputable seller) is readily available for $11 - $15 / 2,000 IU / 600 gel caps in the US, so we know for a fact that good D3 can be cheap.   This is the target the better Lazada/Shopee sellers will approach (plus shipping, VAT, and their profit).  In this particular case, expiration dates add downward pressure (I sometimes buy very short-date stuff if I'm confident it's stable and has been safely stored). 

 

Interesting question,

-- Retiree

 

[AddyA]

6 minutes ago, retiree said:

More general comment here.  There is a tendency for foreigners to see a single monolithic Thai market that is stacked against them.  I think, rather, one has to see four distinct markets  operating in parallel.  In order of prices they are: 

 

 - the fine print market:  both online and in sidewalk vendor stalls.  Prices are very low, usually because of small quantity, short expiration date, used item, off brand, etc.

 

- the rational market:  mostly online.  Both sellers and buyers have access to "true" best legit prices (e.g. Amazon + VAT + shipping).  At the low end prices are competitive with this, but there are also somewhat higher prices for value-added features, e.g. local seller, local service, easier returns, C.O.D., high number of reported sales, better seller reputation, etc. 

 

- the traditional market:  mostly regular stores or their online presence.  These continue to reflect pre-Amazon/Lazada/Shopee pricing, when brands and/or competition in Thailand were limited and consumers were much less informed.   They persist among less-informed consumers and those who prefer local stores, lack credit cards, make impulse purchases in the store, rely on store-owner's advice, etc. 

 

- the irrational market:   online.  No upper limit on pricing, because as a rule sellers do not maintain any inventory -- they simply resell goods they themselves buy in the rational market.  This is very easy to see on used book sites and Amazon books, where ordinary used books that are available new are listed for hundreds of dollars.   The usual explanation is that these sellers hope for accidental sales and/or very uninformed consumers, and persist because there is essentially no barrier or cost to market entry (or lack of sales). 

 

 

As for the D3 puzzle, Costco's Kirkland brand (a reputable seller) is readily available for $11 - $15 / 2,000 IU / 600 gel caps in the US, so we know for a fact that good D3 can be cheap.   This is the target the better Lazada/Shopee sellers will approach (plus shipping, VAT, and their profit).  In this particular case, expiration dates add downward pressure (I sometimes buy very short-date stuff if I'm confident it's stable and has been safely stored). 

 

Interesting question,

-- Retiree

 

What an excellent reply; thank you, Retiree.
 

When I was growing up, the advice was simple, i.e., You get what you pay for. Another was, If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. But I guess globalization and intense competition have changed things…. a lot. I'm not a penny pincher, but at the same time, I hate to pay over the top for something. I've done that a few times in the past, mainly through impatience.

 

I've lost count of how many times I've asked about a thing so that I could hopefully make a better-informed decision based on the experience of others. And I've also lost count of how many times someone has turned up after I bought an item only to say how much cheaper I could have got it if only I... Then there's the; You've been ripped off, mate, brigade that likes to join a conversation after it ends.

 

Anyway, I think I will join iHerb and order the FutureBiotics capsules above. I've researched the brand, and they've been around for a good few years.

 

Thanks once again, Retiree. I agree, all is never as it seems ????

 

[AddyA]

Good afternoon, Forum.

Does anyone know how to open iHerb English version? I'm trying to track my order. Clicking on the globe icon does nothing. Even when I clear the cache and use a VPN, the site still reverts back to https://th.iherb.com
 

Any tips, folks?

[Sheryl]

12 hours ago, AddyA said:

Good afternoon, Forum.

Does anyone know how to open iHerb English version? I'm trying to track my order. Clicking on the globe icon does nothing. Even when I clear the cache and use a VPN, the site still reverts back to https://th.iherb.com
 

Any tips, folks?

You can get English language on the Thai iherb site. At the very top right side there is like a picture of a globe and then it  says TH. Click on the TH (not on the globe) and you will get a menu with site preferences, the second line is language and set that to English. On this same menu you can also select the currency you want.

[AddyA]

8 hours ago, Sheryl said:

You can get English language on the Thai iherb site. At the very top right side there is like a picture of a globe and then it  says TH. Click on the TH (not on the globe) and you will get a menu with site preferences, the second line is language and set that to English. On this same menu you can also select the currency you want.

Thank you, Sheryl; that's perfect ????
 

I've attached a simple screen-print should anyone else have the same issue.
 

Enjoy your Sunday.

 

[AddyA]

My NaturesPlus, Vitamins D3 & K2, 90 Tablets have just arrived from iHerb. It's my first order with the company. The delivery due date was early October, so I was surprised to get the product this morning. 

I think this product is a good balance going by the responses from those here who know a thing or two about supplements. It has 2500 IU of D3, and 120mcg (4800 IU). I'm not sure why D3 is mentioned in IU and K2 only in mcg, but I guess there must be a reason.
 

 

Edited September 12, 2022 by AddyA