By BenFebruary 02, 20220 comments

Vitamin K2: A Game-Changer for Your Bone and Cardiovascular Health

Vitamin K2—is that even a bona fide vitamin? This is a legit question as K2 has been languishing in the nooks and crannies of scientific discoveries for too long.

It’s not until very recently that this underrated vitamin received deserved public and medical attention.

This little-known vitamin is emerging as a nutrient that promises important health benefits.

Moreover, there are indications that K2 can count big-time for people who seek health improvement. And it targets bone and cardiovascular health—the pillars of what it means to be healthy.

Want to learn about the effects vitamin K2 has on human health? We’ll dig into more detail below.

The Function and History of K2 Vitamin

Vitamin K2 has been known for its function in coagulation and blood clotting. And it’s not until the 21st century that the full scope of its effect on the human body has been understood.

Vitamin K2 has only recently been found to improve blood vessel and bone health. The vitamin plays a role in calcium deposition in blood, preventing aortic calcification. As a result, it can help lower the risk of coronary heart disease.

It’s also linked to improved bone and dental health.

The first scientific record of the vitamin was in 1929 when its role in blood coagulation was first discovered.

Yet, its history dates back to feudal Japan and the quintessential staple of Samurai warriors. Natto—the Japanese fermented soybean food, is one of the richest sources of the vitamin.

K2 is also believed to be the mystery nutrient discovered by Weston Price, which he believed to protect against chronic diseases and tooth decay. [1]

Vitamin K1 vs. Vitamin K2

Vitamins K1 and K2 were thought to be mere structural variations. However, it turned out they have functional differences that are yet to be fully understood.

While both vitamin forms are recognised for their role in blood coagulation and wound healing, vitamin K2 benefits extend beyond this role.

Vitamin K2 can be helpful for people with a higher risk of heart disease, whereas K1 hasn’t proven as successful. Extensive 3-year research explored the effects of vitamin K2 supplements on arterial calcification.

Findings suggest that the subjects with higher K2 intakes had a reduced risk of heart disease. Moreover, the research has recorded a 57% reduction in cardiovascular disease mortality. [2]

The table below outlines more vitamin K1 and K2 differences.

The Main Forms of Vitamin K
	Vitamin K1	Vitamin K2
Alternative name	Phylloquinone	Menaquinone
Role	Coagulation	Proper calcium use
Deficiency	Rare	Prevalent
Dietary Reference Intake	90 to 120 mcg/day	100 mcg/day and up [3]

What Are Vitamin K2 Benefits?

Can Help Prevent Heart Disease

Vitamin K2 is an essential nutrient associated with a lower risk of heart disease. If taking care of your health is your top priority, you can’t ignore the TLC that goes into keeping your hardest-working muscle healthy.

Here’s where vitamin K2 comes in.

It promotes heart health by activating the matrix GLA protein which regulates calcium metabolism. This inhibits tissue calcification and arterial stiffening, lowering the risk of vascular damage. [4]

Fact Box: If you take calcium supplements to improve your bone health, you have an increased risk factor for heart disease.

The elevated consumption of calcium supplements can form extra calcium deposits on the walls of blood vessels. Luckily, an increased intake of vitamin K2 can lower calcium-associated health risks.

Aids Bone Metabolism

One of the major vitamin K2 benefits includes maintaining healthy bones. The vitamin is found to bring significant improvement in terms of quality of life for people suffering from osteoporosis.

But, let's get back to basics. Osteocalcin and matrix GLA protein are major players that make up the internal structure of the bone. The proteins are responsible for taking calcium and delivering it to the bone matrix.

The role K2 plays in our little bone mineralization saga is activating the two proteins’ calcium-binding properties. [5] In other words, there’s not much they can do without it.

(Source: nature.com)

K2 has been found to have a beneficial effect on people with an increased risk of bone and hip fractures. There are long-term clinical trials that support this claim:

A study observing 244 postmenopausal women found that vitamin K supplements can decrease the loss of age-related bone mineral density. [6]

A series of long-term Japanese studies suggests that vitamin K2 can curb osteoporosis symptoms in women. There are some promising results. A 60% reduction of spinal fractures, a 77% reduction of hip fracture risk and an 81% reduction of non-spinal fractures. [7]

Helps Curb Anxiety and Depression

K vitamins can also contribute to a lower incidence of anxiety and depression.

A 2016 study showed promising effects of K2 on depression and anxiety episodes triggered by high blood glucose levels. Supplemental K2 vitamin treatment normalised blood glucose levels and curbed anxiety and depression bouts in rats. [8]

Should You Take Vitamin K Supplements?

You should turn to dietary supplements if you can’t get good quality K2 sources otherwise. The thing is, you might not be able to replenish your K2 needs even if you’re vying to get important nutrients from your diet.

Nutritional sources of vitamin K2 are pretty scarce in all Western diets, not just junk food.

On the flip side, Vitamin K1 is widely present in typical foods we eat. Also, there have been indications that it can be converted in the body to vitamin K2. So, that would be one option when looking to get your K2 dietary intake.

But you shouldn’t bank on this alone. All the more so, as scientists have put a big question mark on the efficiency of the K1-K2 conversion process.

That said, your best bet is to find a good dietary vitamin source of K2 explicitly. Below are food sources rich in K1 and K2 vitamins.

Nutritional Sources of Vitamin K
	K1	K2
Food sources	Plant foods, like leafy green vegetables	Animal and fermented foods, like natto, miso, egg yolks, and high-fat dairy products. [9]

With that in mind, you should take vitamin K2 supplements if:

Vitamin K food sources are inaccessible to you so you can’t incorporate them into your diet

You’re on a low-fat diet. Note that vitamin K falls under a group of fat-soluble vitamins. As a result, your body can’t absorb it if your diet is based on low-fat and lean animal products.

You’re taking antibiotics. Some studies suggest that antibiotic treatments can prevent the body from getting proper amounts of this important nutrient. [10]

Which Form of Vitamin K2 Should You Take?

Vitamin K2 is available in several different forms. If you plan on taking supplements, the best course of action is to look for the purest and most absorbable alternative available.

To take stock of what will work best for you in terms of meeting your vitamin K requirements below is a short review of these forms.

There are several K2 subtypes, the so-called menaquinones (MKs), which have been classified numerically from MK-4 through to MK-14.

The scientific community refers to the MK-7 as one of the most efficient vitamin K2 forms, due to it being one of the most highly absorbable and natural forms.

A 2019 research compared the absorbability of vitamin K in MK-7 and K1 forms. Research results suggest that the former absorbs ten times better than the latter. [11]

MK-7 is also found in a more natural form in supplements, compared to other forms of vitamin K. Unlike MK-4, which you’ll typically find in synthetic forms, MK-7 supplement formulas are obtained from natural sources, such as fermented soybeans.

The K2 supplements we make at LLS contain the purest and most natural form of MK-7.

LLS K2 Vitamin is made with the cleanest ingredients for enhanced biological activity and longer life of your heart and bones. It’s lab-tested and boosted with Medium Chain Triglyceride (MCT) Powder to aid absorption. Get yours now.

FAQs

What Is the Recommended Daily Intake for Vitamin K2?

Recommended daily intake of K2 vitamin is between 100 and 300 micrograms per day.

Is Too Much Vitamin K2 Bad for You?

According to the National Health Service, not enough evidence exists to determine any adverse effects of taking high doses of vitamin K.

It's advisable, however, not to exceed the recommended daily intake levels. Also, consult with your health professional if you're taking any prescription medications. [12]

Does Vitamin K2 Cause Weight Gain?

Vitamin K2 supplementation does not cause weight gain. Conversely, it may help reduce abdominal and visceral fat, as shown in a 2017 intervention study. [13]

The effects of vitamin K2 on body fat distribution, however, have proven successful only in subjects with increased circulating carboxylated OC (cOC). Further trials are needed to establish a causal effect between the two.

Fast-Track Your Health Goals With Vitamin K2

Most people will get their vitamin K2 needs taken care of by following a balanced diet. Yet, vitamin K deficiency raises concerns as it can be common in older adults.

Having this powerful vitamin on your radar can be a game-changer for your bone and heart health as you age.

Vitamin K2 is important for blood clotting. It’s also a strong ally in preventing calcification of blood vessels and cardiovascular disease. But you can also use it to help bootstrap yourself out of age-related bone loss.

Our mission here at LLS is to help you get closer to achieving your health and fitness goals.

Start doing it today by browsing a selection of our clean, GMP certified UK sourced supplements—or eyeballing our LLS blog for more helpful health-related topics.

We’re here for you every step of the way.