Vitamin K2 Health 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.
Vitamin K2 is a relatively unknown, but critically important vitamin essential for heart health, osteoporosis, fertility, and more. Similar to Vitamin D3, Vitamin K2 is a fat-soluble vitamin that works wonders in the body when paired with minerals such as calcium and magnesium. I’ve written about the numerous benefits of Vitamin D3 however, Vitamin K2 is equally as important although lesser known and understood.
How does Vitamin K2 work in the body?
You may be wondering why you’ve never heard of Vitamin K2 if it is so important. In 1943, two researchers won the Nobel Prize in Physiology for their Vitamin K2 discovery. Both researchers acknowledged that there were two distinct forms: Vitamin K1 and Vitamin K2. However, they failed to recognize that Vitamin K2 had distinct properties from Vitamin K1, leading Vitamin K2 to get lost in the shuffle.
Almost 100 years later, new research shed light on Vitamin K2’s multifaceted role in the body. Studies suggest that Vitamin K2 is a cofactor or assistant to a specific enzyme in the body called, vitamin K-dependent carboxylase. Without Vitamin K2, this enzyme can not optimize bone health, heart health, blood glucose levels, or many other physiological processes.
How do you know if you are deficient in Vitamin K2? A study found that 97% of participants were deficient. Additionally, if you have one of the following conditions, Vitamin K2 deficiency is even more likely.
Vitamin K2 & Heart Disease
Heart disease is associated with atherosclerosis, the hardening of arteries. Atherosclerosis can be accelerated by excess mineral deposits. This may lead to strokes, heart attacks, and other cardiovascular disease. Vitamin K2 works by activating proteins that remove calcium deposits out of soft tissues such as the arteries and veins where minerals can be potentially harmful. Research shows that Vitamin K2 benefits heart and bone health simultaneously.
Vitamin K2 & Osteoporosis
Similarly, Vitamin K2 activates other proteins to assist calcium and minerals to deposit in your skeleton. This finding is particularly important for postmenopausal women concerned about osteopenia or osteoporosis. Recent studies have shown that supplementation of Vitamin K2 improves bone density and heart health in women. You can learn how to use Vitamin K2 to prevent cardiovascular disease and treat bone loss in our Women’s Heart Health & Osteoporosis article.
Vitamin K2 & Cancer Prevention
In addition to being important for bone metabolism and maintaining the elasticity of the cardiovascular system, Vitamin K2 activates other proteins responsible for inhibiting cancerous growths. Research suggests that increased Vitamin K2 intake is associated with a reduced risk of developing cancer. Current studies show its importance for prostate cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, and leukemia.
Vitamin K2 & Multiple Sclerosis
Vitamin K2 is also found in high concentrations in the brain where it contributes to myelin production. Multiple sclerosis is a condition in which an immune-mediated reaction results in myelin damage. Myelin is the substance that protects and insulates the nerve fibers necessary for communication between our central nervous system and the rest of our body. Additionally, Vitamin K2 is thought to be protective against free radical damage in the brain.
Vitamin K2: Diabetes & Kidney Disease
Research has also established Vitamin K2’s role in insulin sensitivity and blood glucose. As a result, researchers have concluded that Vitamin K2 intake should be considered in a multidisciplinary approach to treating and managing type 2 diabetes. Additionally, Vitamin K2 appears to play a role in preventing kidney disease, a common long-term complication of diabetes. According to research , low levels of Vitamin K2 and Vitamin D3 (another fat-soluble vitamin) are associated with chronic kidney disease.
Vitamin K2: Infertility & PCOS
Vitamin K2 has also been found to play a key role in both male and female fertility. Vitamin K2 regulates insulin sensitivity, a common issue for PCOS patients. Low sperm count also benefits from optimal Vitamin K2 intake. To learn more about the link between infertility and Vitamin K2, read more in the Vitamin K2 & Fertility Benefits article.
Vitamin K2 & Tooth Decay
In the 1930s, 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 in his practice experiencing both chronic illness along with tooth decay and gum disease. He and his wife embarked on a global adventure to discover the root cause of these conditions.
During this time, he noted that many indigenous families lived without such luxuries as medical or dental care. However, they were generally living without the nuisance of chronic illness. He noted that their children often had perfectly straight teeth, excellent jaw formation, and were without tooth decay or gum disease. His determination to solve this paradox led him to compare dietary practices.
Price discovered a fat-soluble vitamin and called it: "activator X". He then demonstrated that the lack of “activator X” resulted in a reproducible pattern of disease including tooth decay, gum disease, and other chronic illnesses. His documentation showed that the diets of healthy, native populations contained at least four times more minerals and water-soluble vitamins. Their diets also had ten times the amount of fat-soluble vitamins in comparison to the the standard American diet. You may have guessed by now that this “activator X” is now known to be Vitamin K2. His book, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, and its findings did not become mainstream nutritional advice.
Increase Your Daily Vitamin K2 and Vitamin D3 Intake
To learn how to increase your Vitamin K2 dietary intake, read: How to Get Vitamin K2 Into Your Diet & When to Supplement article. Depending on your diet, you most likely will need to supplement to increase your daily intake to optimal levels. If you choose to supplement, remember that Vitamin K2 was once highly prevalent in natural food sources. This fat-soluble vitamin should be balanced with other fat-soluble vitamins such as Vitamin D3, Vitamin A, as well as minerals.
After a significant amount of research, I think one of the best Vitamin K2 supplements 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 (you need to test to know your levels), 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, this Vitamin K2-MK 7 supplement can will benefit the long list of preventable health conditions listed in this article.
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 Books
For more information on Vitamin K2, please read Kate Rheaume-Bleue’s, Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox which I now include on my 17 Best Books for Fertility, Pregnancy, & Women’s Health. This book is a wonderful gift to share with any woman in your life that may benefit from Vitamin K2’s many roles in the body.
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*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.