Vitamin D3
Just to review, vitamin D3 is considered to be more effective than D2. Also known as cholecalciferol, vitamin D3 is fat soluble, and is essential to your body's calcium absorption. It is found in animal products and has these health benefits:
- Supports strong bones
- Promotes a healthy immune system
- Improves cardiovascular health
- Boosts brain health
- Improves mood
- May prevent some types of cancer
- May improve vision and hearing
How much vitamin D3 do you need? The Vitamin D Council recommends 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily, which is about 125 micrograms (mcg). Other sources recommend anywhere from 2,000 to 10,000 IU.
Vitamin K2
We are focusing on vitamin K2, and more specifically, MK-7 (menaquinone-7) but first, here is an overview of vitamin K:
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Vitamin K is fat soluble; i.e. like vitamin D3, it needs to be consumed with fat so that it will be absorbed.
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Vitamin K1 and K2 have different functions and are not interchangeable: vitamin K1 is primarily responsible for blood clotting, whereas vitamin K2 is essential for bone strength, the health of blood vessels, and plays a role in other biological processes as well, including tissue renewal and cell growth.
Vitamin K1 is found in green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, broccoli and cabbage. The K1 in vegetables is poorly absorbed by the body.
Vitamin K2 is found in fermented foods including raw dairy products such as certain cheeses, raw butter and kefir, as well as natto (a fermented soy product) and fermented vegetables like sauerkraut. However, not every strain of bacteria makes K2 so not all fermented foods will contain it. Some cheeses, such as Gouda, Brie and Edam are high in K2, whereas other are not. It depends on the specific type of bacteria present during the fermentation. Only grass-fed animals (not grain-fed) will develop naturally high K2 levels.
Two sub-categories of vitamin K2:
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MK-4 (menaquinone-4) is a short-chain form of vitamin K2 found in butter, egg yolks and animal-based foods. Avoid this in supplemental form because it's only available in synthetic form. MK-4 has a very short biological half life - about one hour - making it a poor candidate as a dietary supplement.
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MK-7 (menaquinone-7) is a longer-chain form found in fermented foods. This is the form you would want to look for in supplements since it is extracted from real foods such as natto. You could get lots of MK-7 from consuming natto itself rather than a supplement. The advantages of MK-7 are that it has a longer half life meaning you can just take it once a day, plus it helps prevent inflammation
Health benefits of vitamin K2:
- Heart health
- Healthy bones and joints
- Strong teeth
- Cognitive function
- Neonatal health
How much vitamin K2 do you need? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends a daily intake of between 75 and 120 mcg for healthy adults. Others recommend up to 320 mcg per day.
How vitamins D3 and K2 work together
Vitamin D cannot work properly without vitamin K2 and vice versa; you really need to consider these two nutrients together. Note that if you get your vitamin D primarily from the sun, this is not an issue since the body is then able to regulate its vitamin D production.
Vitamins D3 and K2 also work synergistically with magnesium and calcium, so ideally they should all be taken in combination.
Healthy calcium metabolism: Vitamins D3 and K2 work together to maintain tight control over calcium levels in the body. Vitamin D3 controls the absorption of calcium into the blood, and vitamin K2 controls where that calcium ends up. Over-supplementation with vitamin D3 without ample K2 leads to problems of excess calcium in the blood. If the calcium does not go to the bone, it will go to other tissues such as your arteries, which contributes to atherosclerosis and stiffness of blood vessels.
Vitamins D3 and K2 work together to increase a protein, called matrix Gla protein (MGP), responsible for protecting your blood vessels from calcification. This reduces risk of heart disease including heart attacks. At the same time, vitamin K2 directs calcium to the bones, resulting in better bone health.
Taking vitamins D3 and K2 together can reduce insulin resistance. Insulin resistance occurs when your body does not respond to insulin telling your body to use sugar as energy. Avoiding this is an important factor in avoiding type 2 diabetes.
Vitamins D3 and K2 also work together to reduce inflammation, which is beneficial to immune function and heart health.
There are so many benefits to making sure you get enough (but not too much) vitamin D3 and K2, both individually and together! If you would like to be sure of how much vitamin D3 and K2 would help improve your health, please make an appointment to see me at 613.829.0427.
