What is Vitamin K2 Used For?

Vitamin K2 is one of the most important supplements for humans.

Though it is expensive, as high as 280~300USD per gram for 98% type pure powder, it is worth every penny for its essential functions in human bodies.

There are many types of VK2 and according to the number of isoprene in its structure, it is named MK2, MK4, MK7, MK8, and MK9.

As our main product is MK7, so we only focus on the benefits of MK7.

MK7 is a natural-existing molecule, it can be extracted or chemically synthesized.

MK7(35) is formed and first found during the fermentation process, and it has many benefits for your daily health.

MK7 has a longer half-life than MK4, which means that you only need to take it once daily.

The research found that MK-7 can help prevent inflammation by inhibiting pro-inflammatory markers that may contribute to autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

While studies have also found that vitamin K1 can modestly reduce the risk of fractures, and MK-7 is more effective at reaching the bones than vitamin K1.

In your bones, vitamin K2 produces osteocalcin, which improves metabolism, hormone health, and athletic performance.

Thus, we have compiled the main benefits of VK2 below:

#1. Cardiovascular protection and cofactor for vitamin D and calcium absorption.

Calcium deposits in the arteries can lead to atherosclerosis, hardening, and narrowing of the arteries, which gradually impede blood flow.

This is a common cause of heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral vascular disease.

Vitamin K2 is essential for activating important proteins, such as matrix GLA protein (MGP), found in your vascular system, and studies have demonstrated that K2 inhibits arterial calcification and improves arterial flexibility, thereby reducing the risk of atherosclerosis.

A recent study suggested that therapeutic supplementation with vitamin K2 may prevent or stop possible vascular calcification, and other studies have demonstrated that people who consume the most vitamin K2 also have the lowest risk of cardiovascular disease.

Vitamin K2 is also an important cofactor for calcium and vitamin D.

While calcium is important for strengthening bones and enhancing overall bone health, it can only work if it is delivered to the right place in your body.

Vitamin K2 prevents calcium from being deposited along the walls of blood vessels and directs it to the bones.

Therefore, it is important to remember that vitamin K2 and vitamin D (along with calcium and magnesium) work synergistically for your bone and heart health.

To get as much benefit as possible from oral vitamin D supplements, it is essential to maintain optimal levels of vitamin K2.

Studies have shown that supplementing with both vitamin D3 and vitamin K2 is more beneficial to cardiovascular health than vitamin alone.

#2. Vitamin K2 helps prevent osteoporosis and protects teeth

As mentioned before, the action and function of vitamin K2 activate osteocalcin, a protein hormone produced by bones, which requires vitamin K2 to be activated by carboxylation.

One of the main roles of osteocalcin is to bind to calcium and transport it to the bone.

Osteocalcin is a tiny non-collagenous protein that can be detected in serum and synovial fluid samples from patients with osteoarthritis, and researchers believe that serum osteocalcin levels may be a practical screening tool for assessing osteoporosis risk.

The role and function of vitamin k2 are also critical to oral health.

It preserves tooth enamel and prevents tooth decay formation.

Tooth enamel consists of hollow tubes that extend into the dentin.

While enamel is composed of inactive cells, dentin contains active cells called “dentinogenic cells”.

These cells use vitamin K2 to release proteins that prevent tooth decay through an immune response.

Studies have shown that osteocalcin may be present in inflamed tissues, and researchers believe that this protein can play a restorative role in the dental pulp.

#3. Vitamin K2 plays a role in reducing inflammation and promoting kidney health

The inflammatory response is a key component of many chronic and age-related diseases. Scientific evidence suggests that both vitamin K1 and vitamin K2 have anti-inflammatory activity, partly due to their ability to inhibit nuclear factor κB.

For example, researchers found that vitamin K protected chronic aging, inflammation, and cardiovascular disease.

Another study confirmed the specific role of the MK-7 form of vitamin K2 in regulating biomarkers of inflammation.

Researchers evaluated the potential of natural vitamin K2 to inhibit gene expression and the production of pro-inflammatory markers in an in vitro assay and found that the MK-7 inhibited gene expression in a dose-related manner.

Another study found a reduction in C-reactive protein, a common biomarker used to measure levels of inflammation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

C-reactive protein is a risk marker for a variety of diseases, from which researchers concluded that a higher intake of vitamin K2 might reduce overall disease risk.

There is growing evidence that the role and function of vitamin k2 may have implications for chronic kidney disease.

A pre-and post-intervention clinical trial recruited participants diagnosed with chronic kidney disease and asked them to take vitamin K2 MK-7 for four consecutive weeks, and found a significant reduction in vascular calcification in these patients.

Patients with chronic kidney disease who have subclinical vitamin K deficiency may also benefit by increasing their intake of MK7.

Don’t forget that vitamin K2 is a fat-soluble vitamin, so it is best to take a small amount of fat along with it to promote absorption.

Eating foods rich in vitamin K2 is your best bet.

MK-4 is found in many animal foods such as eggs (especially egg yolks), dark chicken, and goose liver.

MK-7 is usually found in fermented foods such as natto (a fermented soybean) and cheeses.

Extra Tip: Why Should Vitamin K2 And Vitamin D3 Be Used Together?

From 1st point of the benefits of Vitamin K2 is to protect your heart and promote calcium absorption.

How does it work anyway? Why it is called the cofactor of vitamin D?

This is how!

Once you have taken vitamin d3 to strengthen your bones, it may not work as well as you planned.

Vitamin D3 surely can increase the calcium levels in your blood, the key is calcium absorption.

How can you make sure those increased calciums are absorbed properly by your bones, rather than placed where else?

This is where Vitamin K2 comes in.

As the high levels of blood calcium will deposit in arteries without the help of vitamin k2, it will cause heart diseases gradually.

While Vitamin K2 will promote blood calcium absorption by the bones by activating certain proteins.

Jim Beakey used to describe the relation between Vitamin K2 and D3 like this: 1+1=3.

We quoted his words: Vitamin K2 promotes bone and heart health by activating two proteins that balance calcium in the body.

K2 MK-7, the superior form of K2, activates the osteocalcin proteins that incorporate calcium into bones.

Meanwhile, vitamin D3 aids calcium absorption into the blood and has been linked to a reduced risk of breast cancer.

In case you use MK7 for your production of supplements, welcome to contact us directly or comment below, your inquiry will be taken care of within 1 working day.