Vitamin K2: The Key to Women's Heart Health & Osteoporosis
This blog is supported by our readers and contains affiliate links. If you purchase a recommendation using the article links, we may earn compensation. As an acupuncturist and integrative health practitioner, I recommend products to my patients following extensive research and clinical use. I am not compensated for endorsing these products and the opinions written in this article are my own. Additionally, as an Amazon Associate I earn compensation from qualifying book purchases. OMBE Integrative Health Center is an independently owned company located in the South Shore of Massachusetts.
Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
Once upon a time, calcium supplementation was widely recommended for postmenopausal women to prevent and treat osteoporosis. Osteoporosis, otherwise known as bone loss, is a concern for women outside of bone-building years. Silent bone loss can lead to fractures in the hip, wrist, and spine after a fall or injury. To make matters a little more complicated, bone-building years end in your early 20s.
Most likely, by the time you read this article, you have already missed the opportunity to maximize your bone matrix. Don’t worry-there is still hope in the name of Vitamin K2! Additionally, if you are in your early 20’s, then keep reading to learn how to maximize these years.
Calcium Supplementation & Heart Health
Studies on calcium eventually began to accumulate, showing that supplementation increased the risk of heart attack in postmenopausal women. Additionally, more concerns were raised about calcium supplementation as research began to show that this practice caused accelerated vascular calcification in the kidneys resulting in renal impairment. The same study went on to conclude that in both dialysis and pre-dialysis populations, calcium supplements were highly problematic.
The research to date is clear: calcium supplementation alone is not the answer to improving bone health or preventing osteoporosis. Potentially, calcium supplementation could do more harm than good.
Vitamin K2 & Bone Health
Here is where the very critical, but mostly forgotten Vitamin K2 enters the picture. Recent studies have shown that supplementation of Vitamin K2 can help improve bone density as well as improve heart health in women. To understand how Vitamin K2 prevents both heart disease and osteoporosis, we need to understand how Vitamin K2 works.
Vitamin K2 works by activating proteins to assist calcium deposit in your skeleton. Vitamin K2 also activates another protein called matrix Gla-protein (MGP) which removes calcium out of soft tissues such as the arteries and veins where mineral build up can be potentially harmful. These mechanisms prevent cardiovascular disease as well as osteoporosis and tooth decay. Essentially, Vitamin K2 is important for both bone metabolism and maintaining the elasticity of the cardiovascular system.
So what does this all mean? Vitamin K2 acts like an assistant for calcium and other minerals, making sure that they are deposited where they belong (in our bones) and removed from where they don’t (in our soft tissues and organs). This is why Vitamin K2 is critical for bone health and preventing heart and kidney disease.
Vitamin K2 Deficiency
You can learn more about how Vitamin K2 works in the body and the important role it plays in combination with fat-soluble Vitamins such as Vitamin D, in the Vitamin K2 Health Benefits article. Vitamin K2 deficiency is also associated with a long list of other health conditions including:
Crohn’s Disease
Dental cavities & narrowing of the dental arch in children and adults
Diabetes
Increased risk of cancer including breast, prostate, and liver
Infertility & PCOS: You can learn more about this issue in the Vitamin K2 and Fertility Benefits post.
Kidney Disease
How much Vitamin K2 do I need to improve bone density?
In the study linking Vitamin K2 to improved bone and heart health, participants consumed 180 mcg of Vitamin K2. Bone density improved over a period of two years suggesting that at least 180 mcg of Vitamin K2 would be beneficial if you have osteopenia or osteoporosis. You can include foods high in Vitamin K2 and supplement with Vitamin K2 to reach this goal.
To find a list of foods high in Vitamin K2 and learn which supplement to choose, visit the How to Get Vitamin K2 Into Your Diet and When to Supplement post. If you choose to supplement, be sure to balance Vitamin K2 with Vitamin D3, and key minerals such as calcium and magnesium.
Best Vitamin K2 Supplement for Heart Health & Osteoporosis
In addition to the benefits of Vitamin K2 for bone and heart health, most of my patients want to understand the best way to supplement with Vitamin K2. The answer is PureHeart K2D by Pure Encapsulations*. When you click on this link, you will receive 10% off all supplement purchases including Vitamin K2. You will also have access to OMBE’s full online apothecary through Wellevate. Once you create an account, you will find the PureHeart K2D by Pure Encapsulations* at the top of the product page as it my favorite recommendation for Vitamin K2.
You will also find my favorite Vitamin D recommendation on this page should you need more than the 1000 IUs already included in the Vitamin K2 recommendation. In the event that you need to add some additional Vitamin D (you need to test to know your levels), I recommend Thorne's Liquid Vitamin D*. Thorne also offers 10-20% off their online supplement dispensary depending on the type of order you place.
The name of this Vitamin K2 supplement suggests that it only benefits the heart. It’s true that Vitamin K2 has a number of heart health benefits at this dosage. However, all Vitamin K2-MK 7 supplements can potentially benefit osteoporosis as well as many other women’s health conditions.
This is an optimal dose of Vitamin K2 in a single capsule without any additional ingredients. If you would like to learn more about my supplement research and why I have chosen these two products above many others, visit: The Best Vitamin K2 & Vitamin D Supplements.
Don’t forget to pass this article on to the next generation of women! Your daughters and granddaughters will thank you.
More About OMBE
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Learn more about us, read our organic health philosophy, or schedule an appointment. Contact us for any questions about appointment scheduling, acupuncture services, or integrative medicine. We look forward to hearing from you!
*This blog is supported by our readers and contains affiliate links. If you purchase a recommendation using the article links, we may earn compensation. As an acupuncturist and integrative health practitioner, I recommend products to my patients following extensive research and clinical use. I am not compensated for endorsing these products and the opinions written in this article are my own. Additionally, as an Amazon Associate I earn compensation from qualifying book purchases. OMBE Integrative Health Center is an independently owned company located in the South Shore of Massachusetts.