Vitamin K2 & Fertility Benefits
This blog is supported by our readers and contains affiliate links. If you purchase a recommendation using the article links, we may earn compensation. As an acupuncturist and integrative health practitioner, I recommend products to my patients following extensive research and clinical use. I am not compensated for endorsing these products and the opinions written in this article are my own. Additionally, as an Amazon Associate I earn compensation from qualifying book purchases. OMBE Integrative Health Center is an independently owned company located in the South Shore of Massachusetts.
Working Together for Fertility: Vitamin K2 & Vitamin D
Similar to Vitamin D, Vitamin K2 is another fat-soluble vitamin that has several benefits for fertility. It turns out that Vitamin K2 is an essential nutrient for both men and women in their reproductive years. Current research shows that Vitamin K2 benefits PCOS, low sperm count, and prenatal development. Additionally, Vitamin K2 may play an important role in reducing the severity of endometriosis.
While Vitamin K2 is relatively unknown, this vitamin is essential for fertility as well as several women’s health conditions. For example, in postmenopausal women, Vitamin K2 is beneficial for preventing heart disease and osteoporosis. You can read more about the benefits of Vitamin K2 for women in our Women’s Heart Health and Osteoporosis article.
Best Vitamin K2 Supplement for Fertility
In addition to the benefits of Vitamin K2, most of my patients want to understand the best way to supplement with Vitamin K2 while they are trying to conceive. The best Vitamin K2 supplement for fertility is PureHeart K2D by Pure Encapsulations*. When you click on this link, you will receive 10% off all supplement purchases including Vitamin K2. You will also have access to OMBE’s full online apothecary through Wellevate. Once you create an account, you will find the PureHeart K2D by Pure Encapsulations* at the top of the product page as it my favorite recommendation for Vitamin K2.
You will also find my favorite Vitamin D recommendation on this page should you need more than the 1000 IUs already included in the Vitamin K2 recommendation. In the event that you need to add some additional Vitamin D for fertility benefits, I recommend Thorne's Liquid Vitamin D*. Thorne also offers 10-20% off their online supplement dispensary depending on the type of order you place.
The name of this Vitamin K2 supplement suggests that it only benefits the heart. It’s true that Vitamin K2 has a number of heart health benefits at this dosage. However, all Vitamin K2-MK 7 supplements can potentially benefit fertility. This includes PCOS, low sperm count, prenatal health, potentially endometriosis, as well as other women’s health conditions.
This is an optimal dose of Vitamin K2 in a single capsule without any additional ingredients. If you would like to learn more about my supplement research and why I have chosen these two products above many others, visit: The Best Vitamin K2 & Vitamin D Supplements.
Vitamin K2 & PCOS
Prior research established Vitamin K2 as a key component for improving insulin sensitivity in diabetes patients. This led researchers to believe that Vitamin K2 would have similar benefits for PCOS patients. Two different studies went on to examine the role of Vitamin K2 and PCOS and the Beneficial Health Effects of Menaquinone-7 for PCOS . Both studies concluded that Vitamin K2 supplementation improved multiple PCOS biomarkers. These included:
Body composition
Glycemic indices
Lipid profiles
DHEA and free testosterone
Other endocrine markers
Vitamin K2 & Sperm Count
Initial animal studies have also shown that Vitamin K2 improves testosterone production. What does this mean for male fertility? Research suggests that Vitamin K2 supplementation may lead to improved sperm counts and other functional measurements of sperm. As male sperm count has been dropping precipitously since the the beginning of the previous century, this may be an important vitamin to consider for male partners. You can read the full abstract here: Vitamin K2 and Sperm Maturation.
Vitamin K2 & Prenatal Benefits
Additionally, Vitamin K2 is extremely important for prenatal development as it has been linked to teeth formation and central nervous development. During the inception of Vitamin K2’s discovery, a dentist by the name of Weston Price started to research the connection between nutrition and chronic illness. Dr. Price was concerned by the number of patients experiencing both chronic illness along with tooth decay and gum disease.
During his studies in the 1930s, he and his wife embarked on a global adventure to discover the root cause of these conditions. They noted that many indigenous families had significantly lower rates of chronic health conditions including tooth decay. Additionally, the majority of these families lived without medical or dental care.
Dr. Price also noted that second and third-born children often had a higher degree of tooth crowding and jaw malformation. This led him and future researchers to believe that subsequent pregnancies and breast feeding depleted the musculoskeletal system of key nutrients and minerals.
What does this mean? If you are planning to conceive or currently pregnant, ensure that you are getting enough Vitamin K2. Vitamin K2 intake is especially important if this is your second, third, or fourth etc…pregnancy. You may even avoid future trips to the dentist for multiple cavities and braces.
Vitamin K2 & Endometriosis
Research has established the link between Vitamin K2 and many fertility-related conditions. Studies have also shown Vitamin K1 deficiency to occur in higher rates in endometriosis patients with severe bleeding. To be clear, Vitamin K1 is a highly recycled vitamin in the body and deficiencies are not common. Additionally, Vitamin K1 and Vitamin K2 have different properties, and should not be confused as equivalents.
To date, no studies have been conducted on Vitamin K2 and endometriosis. However, another study linked Vitamin D to the severity and onset of endometriosis. Given that Vitamin D and Vitamin K2 go hand in hand for so many other women’s health conditions, I wonder whether a link between Vitamin K2 and endometriosis will be established in the near future.
In summary, if you are trying to conceive, consider adding Vitamin K2 to your diet or supplement regimen. If you are wondering whether you need to supplement, you can read my recommendations in the How to Get Vitamin K2 into Your Diet article. You can learn more about the discovery of Vitamin K2, how Vitamin K2 works in the body, and a full list of conditions associated with Vitamin K2 deficiency in the The Benefits of Vitamin K2 post.
Vitamin K2 and Vitamin D are so important, it is worth discussing the topic with a trusted healthcare provider that can customize the dosage of Vitamin K2, Vitamin D, and minerals (such as calcium and magnesium) according to your health history. New clients can schedule an initial telehealth consultation to review their fertility history along with a complete supplement review.
More About OMBE
OMBE is celebrating 15 years of service in Massachusetts! Additionally, we are now scheduling in-person acupuncture sessions for our South Shore and Cape Cod clients. Telehealth consultations are available for all of our Massachusetts clients living in the Boston area, North Shore, and Western Massachusetts.
Learn more about us, read our organic health philosophy, or schedule an appointment. Contact us for any questions about appointment scheduling, acupuncture services, or integrative medicine. We look forward to hearing from you!
*This blog is supported by our readers and contains affiliate links. If you purchase a recommendation using the article links, we may earn compensation. As an acupuncturist and integrative health practitioner, I recommend products to my patients following extensive research and clinical use. I am not compensated for endorsing these products and the opinions written in this article are my own. Additionally, as an Amazon Associate I earn compensation from qualifying book purchases. OMBE Integrative Health Center is an independently owned company located in the South Shore of Massachusetts.