Health and Well-being

Here’s Why We Need Vitamin K2 for Structural Health.

Vitamin K2 (menaquinones) is valuable for cardiovascular, kidney, osteoporosis, and dental health based on a literature review.

Why We Need Vitamin K2

I have been using vitamin D for a long time. In my younger years, I did not know about K2 (menaquinone) but heard a lot about K1 (phylloquinone).

I thought they had the same functions. Even though Danish biochemist Dr. Henrik Dam discovered vitamin K2 in 1929, it is still not as popular as other essential vitamins.

Vitamin K2 was advised to me by a family physician when my vitamin D levels were below the normal range. She recommended 90 micrograms of Menaquinone 7, available without prescription in my country. As my regular vitamin D3 tablets did not include K2, I purchased them as separate tablets. Nowadays, several over-the-counter D3 supplements include K2.

In later years, vitamin K2 has become an interest to me as more and more medical professionals have started talking about its health benefits. In addition, I came across many scientific studies investigating this important yet less-known vitamin.

During my research, I came across four use cases of vitamin K2 for preventing health conditions such as cardiovascular, kidney, osteoporosis, and dental health. However, a few studies have recently mentioned its use in cancer research.

In this post, I provide a condensed review of the literature from a few scientific papers mentioning the importance of vitamin K2 for various health conditions. I plan to cover vitamin K1 in another article.

This review paper highlighted that “Vitamin K2 activates vitamin K-dependent proteins that support many biological functions, such as bone mineralization, the inhibition of vascular stiffness, the improvement of endothelial function, the maintenance of strong teeth, brain development, joint health, and optimal body weight. Due to the transformation of food habits in developed countries over the last five decades, vitamin K and, specifically, vitamin K2 intakes among parents and their offspring have decreased significantly, resulting in serious health implications.”

This paper points out that “several studies have suggested that menaquinones, also known as vitamin K2, may be more effective in activating extra-hepatic vitamin K-dependent proteins than phylloquinone, also known as vitamin K1. Nevertheless, present dietary reference values for vitamin K are exclusively based on phylloquinone and its function in coagulation.”

One of the key functions of K2 is to prevent calcification. As mentioned in this paper, “the coronary calcium score is a strong predictor of incident coronary heart disease and provides predictive information beyond that provided by standard risk factors in four major racial and ethnic groups in the United States.”

Another paper concluded that “In people with type 2 diabetes, a coronary artery calcium score of ≥ 10 predicts all-cause mortality or cardiovascular events, or both, and cardiovascular events alone, with high sensitivity but low specificity. Clinically, the finding of a coronary artery calcium score of <10 may facilitate risk stratification by enabling the identification of people at low risk within this high-risk population.”

A paper titled “A high menaquinone intake reduces the incidence of coronary heart disease” concludes that “a high intake of menaquinones, especially MK-7, MK-8, and MK-9, could protect against coronary heart disease. However, more research is necessary to define optimal intake levels of vitamin K for the prevention of coronary heart disease.”

In terms of osteoporosis, this systematic review suggests that “supplementation with phytonadione (K1) and menaquinone-4 (K2) reduces bone loss. In the case of the latter, there is a strong effect on incident fractures among Japanese patients.”

The conclusion of this recent paper in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences looks interesting to me. The report points out that “vitamin K2 in the form of MK-7 has been shown to be a bioactive compound in regulating osteoporosis, atherosclerosis, cancer and inflammatory diseases without risk of negative side effects or overdosing.”

For dental health, the critical protein is osteocalcin for bone metabolism. Vitamin K2 activates this protein. The results of this study proved that “vitamin K2 increased Gla-containing osteocalcin, which accumulated osteocalcin in the extracellular matrix, and facilitated mineralization in vitro. Vitamin K2 also enhanced the 1,25(OH)2D3-induced osteocalcin mRNA level, but vitamin K2 alone did not show osteocalcin mRNA expression.”

For kidney disease, this paper concluded that “a 270-day course of vitamin K2 administration in patients with chronic kidney disease stages 3–5 may reduce the progression of atherosclerosis, but does not significantly affect the progression of calcification. Vitamin K2 significantly changes the levels of calcification promoters and inhibitors: dp-ucMGP, OC, and OPG.” I also came across a clinical trial titled Vitamin K2 and Vessel Calcification in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients.

The scientific term hepatocellular carcinoma is liver cancer. Findings of this study on ACS suggest that “menatetrenone (a vitamin K2 analog) may have a suppressive effect on the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma and a beneficial effect on survival, although a larger, placebo-controlled trial will be required to prove these effects.”

Our gut bacteria generate vitamin K2. Like many other vitamins, healthcare professionals recommend getting vitamins from food and supplementing with them if we don’t get enough from our diet with advice from qualified professionals. Significant sources of vitamin K2 are fermented foods like natto and animal products such as eggs, poultry, fatty dairy, and organ meats such as the liver.

While there is little information about the side effects of vitamin K2, in general, Cleveland Clinic informs that “Vitamin K supplements are relatively safe, and many people take them. People taking blood-thinning drugs, such as warfarin (Coumadin®), should not take vitamin K without consulting their doctor because vitamin K can reverse the effects of these drugs.”

I watched several presentations on media by healthcare professionals introducing vitamin K2. I found two videos particularly clear and valuable. The first one is by Margaret Martin, a Physical Therapist, titled Vitamin K2 and Bone Health. The second one is by Dr. Rhonda Patrick, who highlights that “vitamin K2 plays a central role in calcium metabolism. Vitamin K2 activates the calcium-binding actions of two proteins, matrix GLA protein, and osteocalcin, which help to build and maintain bones”.

Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.

If you are a new reader and find this article valuable, you might check my holistic health and well-being stories reflecting on my reviews, observations, and decades of sensible experiments.

Sample Health Improvement Articles for New Readers

I write about various hormones and neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, GABA, acetylcholine, norepinephrine, adrenaline, glutamate, and histamine.

One of my goals as a writer is to raise awareness about the causes and risk factors of prevalent diseases that can lead to suffering and death for a large portion of the population.

To raise awareness about health issues, I have written several articles that present my holistic health findings from research, personal observations, and unique experiences. Below are links to these articles for easy access.

Metabolic Syndrome, Type II Diabetes, Fatty Liver Disease, Heart Disease, Strokes, Obesity, Liver Cancer, Autoimmune Disorders, Homocysteine, Lungs Health, Pancreas Health, Kidneys Health, NCDs, Infectious Diseases, Brain Health, Dementia, Depression, Brain Atrophy, Neonatal Disorders, Skin Health, Dental Health, Bone Health, Leaky Gut, Leaky Brain, Brain Fog, Chronic Inflammation, Insulin Resistance, Elevated Cortisol, Leptin Resistance, Anabolic Resistance, Cholesterol, High Triglycerides, Metabolic Disorders, Gastrointestinal Disorders, Thyroid Disorders, Anemia, cardiac output, and major disorders.

I also wrote about valuable nutrients. Here are the links for easy access:

Lutein/Zeaxanthin, Phosphatidylserine, Boron, Urolithin, taurine, citrulline malate, biotin, lithium orotate, alpha-lipoic acid, n-acetyl-cysteine, acetyl-l-carnitine, CoQ10, PQQ, NADH, TMG, creatine, choline, digestive enzymes, magnesium, zinc, hydrolyzed collagen, nootropics, pure nicotine, activated charcoal, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B1, Vitamin D, Vitamin K2, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine, Cod Liver Oil, and other nutrients to improve metabolism and mental health.

Disclaimer: Please note that my posts do not include professional or health advice. I document my reviews, observations, experience, and perspectives only to provide information and create awareness.

I publish my lifestyle, health, and well-being stories on EUPHORIA. My focus is on metabolic, cellular, mitochondrial, and mental health. Here is my collection of Insightful Life Lessons from Personal Stories.

If you enjoy writing and storytelling, you can join Medium, NewsBreak, and Vocal as a creator to find your voice, reach out to a broad audience, and monetize your content.

You may also check my blog posts about my articles and articles of other writers contributing to my publications on Medium. I share them on my website digitalmehmet.com. Here is my professional bio. You can contact me via weblink.

You might join my six publications on Medium as a writer by sending a request via this link. 24K+ writers contribute to my publications. You might find more information about my professional background.