Do you know about vitamin K2? This little-known vitamin is essential for keeping your body healthy and functioning properly. Vitamin K2 is a fat-soluble vitamin that is mainly found in animal products but can also be found in certain vegetables. It plays a vital role in keeping your bones and teeth healthy and helps protect your heart and brain from disease. In this article, we will take a closer look at the fascinating world of vitamin K2!
Vitamin K2 is great for you
What Is The Difference Between Vitamin k1 and Vitamin k2?
There appears to be some confusion about the many forms of vitamin K. When numerous websites discuss the benefits of vitamin K, they are usually referring to vitamin K1 and K2. The primary distinction between vitamin K1 and vitamin K2 is that vitamin K1 is derived from plants, whereas vitamin K2 is obtained from animals. Vitamin K1 has a significantly lower absorption rate than vitamin K2, with one research finding that only 10% of it is absorbed. Simply put, vitamin K2 ensures that calcium is present in our bones and teeth rather than our arteries.
Fascinating Facts About Vitamin K2
The history of vitamin k discovery is a fascinating one. Vitamin K was first discovered in 1929 by Danish scientist Henrik Dam. At the time, Dam was researching the role of cholesterol in blood clotting. He noticed that when he removed the cholesterol from blood samples, they did not clot properly. This led him to isolate a new compound that he named vitamin K (the “K” stands for “koagulation”, which is the process of blood clotting).
It’s only available in animal foods because the intestinal flora from the animals produces it.
Vitamin K helps keep your bones healthy. It activates osteocalcin, a protein that helps bind calcium to your bones. This helps keep your bones strong and healthy.
Vitamin K also helps protect your teeth from decay. It does this by activating matrix GLA protein (MGP), which helps keep calcium from building up in your teeth and causing tooth decay.
Vitamin K may help protect against heart disease. Some studies suggest that vitamin K can help reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by inhibiting the formation of plaque in the arteries.
Vitamin K may also help protect against Alzheimer’s disease. Studies have shown that people with Alzheimer’s tend to have lower levels of vitamin K in their brains and that supplementing with vitamin K can improve cognitive function in those with Alzheimer’s.
Vitamin K can help with improved sleep. with the help of vitamin D, naturally occurring in many foods that have vitamin K, Vitamin K helps regulate calcium absorption which is known to increase REM. Todays’ fast-paced lifestyle may make obtaining enough sleep difficult, therefore any method to enhance sleeping is beneficial.
Vitamin K2 can increase your energy: your mitochondria (the powerhouse of the cell) uses the electron transport chain to increase ATP – Well K2 has been shown to be able to carry electrons. Thus increasing your energy for everyday needs like working out, taking care of the kids, or cleaning the house.
Weston A. Price, a dentist, and nutritionist was one of the first people to realize the importance of vitamin K for keeping bones healthy. He studied the diets of traditional cultures around the world and found that those who ate diets high in animal products had much better bone health than those who ate plant-based diets. This led him to conclude that animal products must contain some unknown nutrient that was essential for keeping bones healthy. Years later, this “unknown nutrient” that he called “activator X” was identified as vitamin K.
It is a fat-soluble molecule and lives in balance with other fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and E.
So, now that you know all about vitamin K and its amazing health benefits, how do we get some in our diet?
Foods high in Vitamin K2
eggs are loaded with K2
Natto: a Japanese dish made from fermented soybeans.
Fermented vegetables like sauerkraut and kimchi
Hard cheeses like Gouda, Brie, and cheddar
Chicken liver
Egg yolks
Foods high in vitamin K1
Brussels sprouts
Broccoli
Kale
Spinach
Swiss chard
Green beans
Lentils
Navy beans
FAQ’s
Can I take a Vitamin K supplement?
Synthetic supplements have been shown to be much less effective than natural sources and maybe even toxic. Dr. Royal Lee explains the problem with supplements in his work The Facts Are Published—Why Not Be Honest About It? The best way to get vitamin K is through food.
How can Vitamin K deficiency be prevented?
Avoid Vitamin K deficiency by eating plenty of foods high in vitamin K throughout the week
Can a high intake of Vitamin K lead to toxicity?
There have been no reports of a lethal dosage of Vitamin K, supplements have been taken to target Vitamin K function specifically.
Bottom Line
Vitamin K is a little-known but essential vitamin that plays a vital role in keeping your body healthy. Vitamin K deficiency is surprisingly common, but can easily be reversed by incorporating foods high in vitamin K into your diet. So, next time you’re at the grocery store, make sure to stock up on some of the foods listed above.
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