The health benefits of Vitamin K2
Vitamin K2 is an important nutrient which is also known as ‘menaquinone’. Many people have a deficiency in this which leads to problems with calcium in the body. K2 is found naturally in fermented foods and animal products, but can also be purchased as a supplement.
In this article, we highlight all of the health benefits of Vitamin K2, explain how it works in the body and how you can get more of this into your diet.
1. Strengthen Bones: Vitamin K2 plays a very important role in the metabolism of calcium in the body, the main mineral found in your bones and teeth. K2 transports calcium into the bones and teeth which strengthens them. This can help those with osteoporosis, osteopenia or bone fractures.
2. Heart Health: Getting more K2 into the diet from food or supplements is well known for strengthening the heart and cardiovascular system. It takes unwanted calcium deposits out of the soft tissues and moves it into the bones and teeth where it belongs. This effectively strips away plaque from the arteries and blood vessels, allowing blood to flow freely in a natural way. It is recommended for those who suffer from conditions like coronary heart disease or other cardiovascular problems.
3. Energy Levels: The small energy factories in your cells are called mitochondria. These use calcium and other minerals to generate energy in your body. K2 helps the mitochondria to utilize calcium and increase energy levels. K2 also helps to improve blood flow to and from the heart, making you have a better cardiac output. Simply put this means you will have much higher energy levels and be able to exercise with more stamina and endurance.
4. Joint Health: Those who suffer from arthritis or problems in the joints will also benefit from taking Vitamin K2 as it helps to remove excess calcium deposits which may be causing inflammation in the joints. K2 will remove calcium from outside the joint and place it in the synovial fluid where it belongs to strengthen the joint.
5. Kidney Stones: The most common form of kidney stones are called calcium oxalate stones, which are formed from poor digestion of fat, or foods high in oxalates. Consuming Vitamin K2 helps to prevent the stones from forming in the kidney, and also helps to break down and remove them. Drinking lots of water and taking potassium citrate will also help.
6. Strong Teeth: As with the bones and joints, K2 will transport calcium deposits into the teeth. This will strengthen them and make them less likely to form cavities, making them stronger with age. This is especially helpful for those who have consumed too much sugar. You will also notice that the teeth are cleaner as K2 helps to prevent plaque building up on the teeth.
7. Eye Health: Those who suffer from poor vision, macular degeneration, cataracts or other eye problems usually have oxidative stress in the eyes. Calcium builds up in these small muscles and cornea which can damage the eye even further. Taking Vitamin K2 and healthy foods rich in retinol will help to repair the eye tissues.
8. Medicines: If you have a history of taking lots of antibiotics, heart medications and anti-acids then it is likely that you have a Vitamin K2 deficiency. These drugs cause side effects which prevent you from absorbing fat-soluble vitamins like K1 and K2. You can improve the absorption of K2 by taking purified bile salts or apple cider vinegar capsules.
9. Nanobacteria: There are certain nano-bacteria in which are involved with various health problems in the body. They are linked with forming stones, and conditions like polycystic kidney disease, periodontal disease, rheumatoid arthritis and prostatitis. These tiny bacteria protect their selves with a small shell of calcium. Vitamin K2 can help break down the protective shells so that your immune system can destroy these pathogens and prevent the above health issues.
10. Breathing: Many people suffer from calcification in the soft tissues of the lungs, bronchial tubes and sinus. This is connected to conditions like asthma and may make you have excessive coughing at night time. The excess calcium causes a weakness in the tissues and makes the small tubes behind the nose swollen and inflamed. Vitamin K2 helps to regulate this calcium and reduce inflammation in these areas.
As you can see Vitamin K2 plays an important role when it comes to mobilising calcium and using it properly in the body. Unfortunately, many people are deficient as they do not eat enough K1 from leafy greens or have absorption problems from eating too many junk foods. We recommend taking a supplement of Vitamin K2 daily in the form of MK7. This is a natural variety and will rapidly boost your energy and vitality. You can also get vitamin K2 from foods like goose liver, egg yolks, grass-fed butter and hard cheeses. It is found highly concentrated in a fermented food from Japan called ‘Natto’ but this has a strong taste and is uncommon in the West. As a side note, if you take a Vitamin D supplement it is vital that you also take Vitamin K2. Taking vitamin D alone could raise the calcium levels too high in the body which may form plaque in the soft tissues. K2 works with D3 to mobilise this extra calcium, so always take these together. The best combination would be 10,000iu Vitamin D3 with 100mcg Vitamin K2 (MK7)