K2 query and what it does ....

Posted , 4 users are following.

i posted some days ago about K2 and indigestion - thanks for your replies and happy to report it must have been a coincidence as I've had no trouble since!

However, I do have another query for anyone out there who's done in depth research .... do K2 supplements replace calcium supplements or enhance its effectiveness when combined with them. Also, I understand K2 is beneficial in preventing calcium build up - in the arteries, heart etc ? Am I right? If so, does it just help prevent build up from the onset of taking it or chip away and dissolve pre-existing calcium build up which has possibly already been created?

10 out 10 for any answers with this one! Thanks !

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Posted

    I suggest you get a copy of the book Vitamin K2 and The Calcium Paradox : by Kate Rheaume-Bleue. This explains the relationship between Calcium, Vit D3 and Vit A. Best option is for you to get in depth information from her book, then discuss specific points on this forum. Essentially Calcium plus a few other minerals build bones, Vit D3 is a carrier for Calcium, Vit K2 ensures it ends up in the bones and not in the arteries or kidneys. So its not a replacement, but is required as part of interaction between Vit A, Ca, Vit D3, plus a few others, and it also means that increasing your intake of one will increase utilisation of others and possibly upset the balance, so its important to look at the big picture. K2 is found in natto, fermented soybeans, in very high quantities and in far lower quantities in other things. Natto is K2 MK4 type, while others are MK7. These are not major details, recommended dosages are poorly defined for K2, better defined for the rest. Be careful of going overboard on K2, suggest you read around, the book is on Amazon and the reviews also give useful perspective. Then work out what your current levels of D3 etc and decide dosages.

    • Posted

      Ah - thanks for that! I remember that book being published a few years ago but couldn't remember the title or author. Just found it on kindle for £1.24 so have bought it. That should shut me up with info. 10/10 for help with this one - thanks!

    • Posted

      Actually the mk-7 supplements derive from natto. Animal sources, like grassfed dairy, provide mk-4. Apparently some mk-7 is converted by our bodies to mk-4 so if you take mk-7 you are fulfilling your needs for the other form as well.

    • Posted

      Oops sorry, my mistake, thankyou for correcting this. MK7 is from natto and why its all I take because hopefully some is converting to MK4.

  • Edited

    The update on K:

    Remember Vit K interest started when it was noted Japanese women in Japan had less osteoporosis and they ate natto, a food with Vit K2. This study was 14 years ago.

    "A review of evidence that appeared in the August 2019 issue of Osteoporosis International cast doubt on the effects of Vitamin K supplements.

    For post-menopausal or osteoporotic patients, there is no evidence that vitamin K affects bone mineral density or vertebral fractures; it may reduce clinical fractures; however, the evidence is insufficient to confirm this. There are too few trials to draw conclusions for other patient groups.

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration so far has not authorized health claims on labels for products containing Vitamin K2. Until there is more evidence to support taking supplements, focus on getting a balanced diet in order to get the Vitamin K1 and K2 that your bones need. "

    • Edited

      Thanks for this, and since I first posted I've read the book on Vit k2. However, my main concerns were not so much that the vitamin supplemented calcium but thwarted calcium's tendency (taken as a supplement) to cause calcification deposits arteries and around the heart. To be honest I'm still not much the wiser! Although I agree with, natural healthy food is always the best way of getting good nutrition.

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.