Functions of vitamin K2 and its application to humans. Vitamin K2 as MK7 with Natural Nutrients

Why does the body need vitamin K2? As mentioned above, the main reason why you should not forget about this representative of group K is his ability to influence bone tissue. This is due to the fact that under the influence of vitamin K2 calcium is better absorbed.

Although this substance, like other representatives of the K-group, also affects blood clotting, its main task still concerns the bones.

For example, K2 promotes the synthesis of a number of protein structures, many of which are associated with bone tissue. These include, for example, osteocalcin, a non-collagenous substance that is extremely important for the formation of both bone and joint tissues.

In addition to protein, K2 also affects the production of enzyme structures such as prothrombin and proconvertin. All this makes this element extremely important in osteoporosis and other similar diseases.

Menaquinone is also involved in various other aspects of human health. Among them:

• the condition of the teeth;
• removal of excess deposited calcium;
• normalization of the digestive tract;
• help in the work of the heart and liver.

In addition, the substance is capable of:

• slow down oncological diseases;
• improve skin condition, slow down its aging;

Osteoclasts are large cells capable of destroying bone tissue by dissolving minerals and collagen. In the normal state, they simply clean the body of old, more unnecessary bone tissue, but their excessive presence can harm health. Fortunately, K2 prevents osteoclasts from appearing too much.

Food

Although the substance is produced by bacteria in our intestines, it is important to get vitamin K2 in foods.

It can be found in:

• goose pate,
• cheeses,
• eggs,
• dairy products,
• salami,
• chicken,
• beef,
• sea ​​fish.

Plant sources of vitamin K2 are quite scarce. Vitamin in a minimal amount can be found in almost any vegetables, as well as oils. However, in such products the content of the substance is unlikely to exceed 1 gram, while, for example, 75 grams can be found in cheese.

The daily value of vitamin K2 is rarely considered separately, so it is best to know how much vitamin K is required in general.

The average normal amount of this element for a person is 120 micrograms. For newborns - 2 mcg, for older children - up to 55.

vitamin deficiency

If K2 entered the body not with food, but was produced by intestinal bacteria, then after that, due to bile, it will become a lipoprotein that will spread through the blood.

If a person does not have significant problems with the gastrointestinal tract, then, as a rule, he should not worry about a possible lack of K2.

There are a number of pathologies that can lead to deficiency. Among them:

• liver disease,
• hepatitis,
• pancreatic cancer,
• prolonged use of antibiotics;
• damage to the gastrointestinal tract due to stress, malnutrition and endocrine diseases.

Symptoms of menaquinone deficiency:

• gum disease,
• fatigue,
• menstrual pain,
• problems with the gastrointestinal tract,
• deterioration in the condition of the skin and hair,
• the appearance of bruises even with weak blows,
• nosebleed,
• joint pain,
• inhibited tissue regeneration,
• retinal damage.

With a prolonged deficiency, due to the inability of the described element to perform its functions, cartilage ossification, the appearance of significant salt deposits in the vessels and various pathologies associated with bone tissue are possible.

It is very important to avoid vitamin K2 deficiency during pregnancy, as this can lead to hemorrhagic problems in both the mother and her baby.

oversupply

As is the case with many other vitamins, K2 overdose usually only happens if the person has taken drugs with this substance. Proper nutrition will help you not only avoid a deficiency of menaquinone, but also its excessive amount.

The intake of any drugs should always take place under the supervision of a physician, otherwise an overdose may occur. It can lead, in addition to nausea and dry skin, to a miscarriage. Be careful and buy vitamins in pharmacies only on prescription.

Pharmaceuticals

Preparations with vitamin K2 are prescribed for:

• lack of substance;
• taking steroids based on adrenal hormones;
• pathologies of the mineral component of the bones;
• osteoporosis and other similar diseases;
• spinal injuries;
• arthritis;
• diabetes
• endocrine diseases, diseases of the skin and gastrointestinal tract;
• abdominal operations;
• menopause;
• pathologies of the respiratory system;
• oncological diseases of the genital organs, brain and blood;
• tuberculosis;
• poor functioning of the immune system;
• multiple sclerosis.

Even if there is no problem with vitamin K2 in the body, the bones cannot be healthy without calcium. For this reason, a calcium transactivator with vitamin D3 and K2 was created.

• It helps calcium, obtained from both food and drugs, to be absorbed.
• Promotes bone tissue regeneration.
• Helps metabolism, prevents the formation of calcium plaques.

Due to its composition, the drug:

• reduces the possibility of osteoporosis;
• fights vitamin deficiency of both vitamin K2 and D3;
• ensures the normal functioning of bone tissue, its density and mass.

Instructions for vitamin K2:

The drug is taken in a capsule up to two times a day. The duration of the course should not exceed one month. In just a year, it is worth conducting up to five courses of admission.

Solgar

Solgar Super with Vitamin K2 is a product designed primarily to affect blood clotting. In addition, it contributes to normal bone density and improves the regenerative properties of the skin.

In addition to vitamin K, calcium is present in the composition. Take vitamin K2 tablets called Solgar once a day with meals. Preferably morning or afternoon. The minimum course duration is 1 month.

Dr. Mercola

It is believed that this vitamin K2 is good for the skin - it prevents its aging. In addition, like other products with this substance, Dr. Mercola is taken for bone health, heart health, and memory and immunity. The product also has antioxidant properties.

The drug belongs to the premium class, and, according to the manufacturer, is environmentally friendly both in the production process itself and in the ingredients used. In this regard, the price of such vitamin K2 is approximately 2000 rubles.

Capsules Mercola should be taken one per day, with food.

Swiss drug, produced in packs of 40 capsules. Contains K2, D3, linseed and sunflower oils. It is used to stop the process of calcium leaching from bone tissue, and also prevents its destruction.

Viva-K2 is a remedy for osteoarthritis, osteochondrosis, fracture prevention. In addition to these pathologies, indications for use are:

• tuberculosis,
• problems with the immune system
• diabetes,
• psoriasis,
• oncological diseases of the breast, ovaries, brain and blood,
• pathology of the kidneys and respiratory tract.

The drug should not be used during pregnancy or lactation, as well as if individual intolerance to the ingredients is possible. Take one capsule per day for a month with plenty of water. The price of Vivasan is approximately 70 rubles.

Other medical preparations

• Eurocaps LtD is a complex remedy for osteoporosis and atherosclerosis. It can act both as a medicine and a preventive effect. In addition to menaquinone, the composition contains vitamin D3 and linseed oil.
• Now Foods is a dietary supplement with the most stable vitamin K2 compound. In addition to it, there is alfalfa in the composition. Each capsule is the daily norm of this element. It is used for problems with bones and blood clotting.
• Swanson is made from the natto bean, the most vitamin K2-rich food. Like Now Foods, the K2 in these formulations is presented as MK-7. Swanson is prescribed, in addition to affecting the bones and blood, to normalize the activity of the heart and liver.
• Jarrow Formulas contains only MK-7 Vitamin K2. It is used to increase the elasticity of blood vessels and improve bone density. Fights calcium deposits in capillaries.

Do not forget that it is always worth adjusting your diet and lifestyle first, and only then think about buying synthetic vitamins. Even if you still decide to take medications, first consult with specialists to avoid various possible complications. And now a little video about vitamin K2.

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And its useful properties.

Stay strong!

Artem and Elena Vasyukovich

There are certain substances belonging to the group of fat-soluble vitamins that normalize the production of protein compounds and ensure the normal course of metabolic processes. These include vitamin K2, also called menaquinone. It was first discovered in the last century in a somewhat decomposed product, namely rotting fishmeal. As it turned out in the course of numerous studies, this substance is extremely necessary for the human body, especially aging, suffering from osteoporosis and other diseases.

Properties

If we consider the chemical properties of a substance, it can be noted that it:

• practically insoluble in water;
• has a yellowish tint;
• is in the form of a crystalline powder;
• dissolves with compounds of organic origin;
• belongs to the category of fat-soluble naphthoquinones;
• it is considered unable to survive in external habitat conditions due to melting at a temperature regime equal to 53.5 - 54.5 degrees.

It is known that menaquinone MK-7 is carried through human genetic material for about seventy-two hours. This indicates that it is completely absorbed by the body, accumulates in the hepatic system, and then delivered to all organs, tissues, bones and blood vessels. The formula of the compound is 2-methyl-3-difarnesyl-1,4-naphthoquinone.

Significance for the human body

The benefits of a vitamin substance for the human body are:

• improvement of the process of modification of bone tissues of the protein type, coagulation system;
• stimulation of the biosynthesis of enzymes involved in the creation of thromboplastin, thrombin;
• activation of osteocalcin, necessary for normal bone development;
• improving the condition of dental tissues;
• excretion of crystallized calcium;
• improving the functioning of the digestive tract;
• regulation of redox processes in the body;
• maintaining the normal functioning of the hepatic, cardiovascular systems;
• slowing down the growth of malignant tumors;
• improving the appearance of the skin.

It is known that the maximum benefit from the intake of a vitamin substance in the body is achieved when it interacts with compounds such as calcium, cholecalciferol, vitamin C of natural origin. In addition, you need to adhere to a healthy lifestyle, follow the rules for choosing food. Only in this way will the substance really have a beneficial effect on a person, his condition.

deficit

It is known that normally an adult needs from one hundred to one hundred and twenty micrograms of a compound per day, a child needs from thirty to seventy-five. However, some conditions of the human body can cause a deficiency of a substance in it. These include:

• diseases of the gallstone type;
• cirrhosis of the hepatic system;
• formations of a malignant type that attacked the pancreas;
• taking drugs that worsen the condition of the intestinal microflora;
• violations of the functioning of the digestive system, caused by various reasons.

With a deficiency of a substance, the following symptomatic picture is observed:

• the condition of the gums worsens;
• there is drowsiness, a feeling of constant fatigue;
• menstruation in the fair sex begins to be painful;
• the functioning of the intestine is disturbed;
• skin, hair integuments worsen;
• nosebleeds occur;
• joint pain appears;
• hemorrhages appearing on the retina of the eyes become noticeable.

If you have at least a few symptoms, you should consult a specialist. It is especially important to monitor your condition for pregnant women, since the lack of a substance at the time of childbirth can significantly complicate their course.

Excess

It is known that the specified vitamin group does not belong to the category of poisonous, and therefore hypervitaminosis when using it is extremely rare. And yet, it is worth contacting a specialist if:

• "dries" the skin;
• nausea appears for no apparent reason;
• deterioration of the pregnant woman's condition is accompanied by spontaneous abortion (miscarriage);
• loose, frequent stools develop.

For these reasons, it is important to remember that the substance should be ingested in additional amounts only under the strict supervision of a physician.

Products containing menaquinone

If the lack of menaquinone is insignificant, you should not immediately take medications. It is enough to know where and in what quantity the substance is contained. Foods rich in menaquinone include:

• soy;
• liver goose pate;
• soft, hard cheeses, Gouda cheese;
• the yolk part of the egg;
• dairy - curd mass, butter, whole milk;
• meat - chicken liver, breast, legs, minced meat, veal liver, bacon, sausages;
• vegetable - cabbage that has undergone a fermentation procedure;
• egg white;
• fish.

By building your diet on the specified list, you can make up for the deficiency of menaquinone in the human body every day.

The use of the substance in medicine

It is known that most often the use of a substance is prescribed by specialists in certain situations. Usually it is regarded as a homeopathic remedy, however, there are times when it is used as an additional component of complex therapy. These include:

• the use of drugs belonging to the group of hormonal, corticosteroid drugs;
• violations in the structure, functioning of bone tissues;
• fractures of bones, spine;
• diabetes;
• thyroid diseases;
• the onset of menopause in women;
• development of chronic respiratory diseases;
• the occurrence of complications after anticoagulant therapy;
• decreased immunity;
• pathological condition of the renal system.

Instructions for use of the remedy indicate that it must be taken once a day with or after meals, washed down with one hundred milliliters of water. Like other vitamin substances, vitamin K2 has certain contraindications. These include:

• the risk of thrombosis;
• recovery after a heart attack or stroke;
• insufficiency of the functioning of the cardiovascular system;
• the use of drugs that contribute to the liquefaction of genetic material.

Medicines containing menaquinone

If it is not enough to adjust the diet in order to make up for the missing amount of the compound, resort to K2-vitamin complexes. These are considered:

• "Vitamin K2" (Swanson);
• Vita K2 (Eurocaps Ltd);
• Vitamin K2 (Now Foods);
• Vitamin K2 (Source Naturals);
• "Vitamin K2" (Dr. Mercola);
• "Viva-K2 - Vivasan" (Dr. Duenner);
• "Vitamin K2" (Jarrow Formulas).

These drugs belong to a group of drugs that differ in the activity of the K-vitamin type. However, they should not be used without a doctor's prescription. It is better to get adequate advice than to deal with side effects. In addition, it is not recommended to use products with antibiotics, a large amount of vitamin E, anticoagulants, sulfonamides.

How often does it happen that our well-being is significantly affected by something small and seemingly insignificant, for example, vitamin K2 (menoquinone). When it is enough, we feel healthy, without even thinking about the fact that we owe this vitamin to our good health. But as soon as the content of K2 in the body decreases, unpleasant, alarming symptoms immediately appear. Understanding which foods contain vitamin K2 will help us maintain the norm of this important vitamin.

The main difference between vitamins K1 and K2 is that the former is found in edible plant products and enters the body with food. Menoquinone, in turn, is already synthesized in the intestines from animal products and fermented foods.

Vitamin K2 was discovered relatively recently, in 1939, but has already managed to make a splash with its unusually important properties for human health. Here are just a few of them:

1. K2 is involved in the activation of a special protein called osteocalcin, which increases bone density and resistance to fractures. Menoquinone can reduce the risk of bone fractures by 60-80%.
2. Menoquinone acts on the MGP protein, which prevents calcium crystals from clogging the walls of blood vessels. Together with vitamins A and D, it is responsible for the distribution of calcium in the body.
3. K2 thins the blood, clearing it of plaques, thereby reducing the risk of stroke and other diseases of the cardiovascular system. Also, menoquinone has a hemostatic effect in vascular lesions.
4. K2 helps maintain youthful skin by preventing the appearance of premature wrinkles.

The unfortunate consequences of a shortage

Most often, a lack of vitamin K2 is observed in people with insufficient and poor-quality nutrition, disorders of the intestinal microflora, for example, due to medication; diseases of the liver and stomach. Menoquinone deficiency is expressed in the following symptoms:

• painful and heavy menstruation in women;
• frequent nosebleeds;
• bleeding gums;
• hemorrhages in the whites of the eyes;
• tendency to hematomas at the slightest impact;
• long healing skin lesions;
• general weakness, fatigue;
• malfunctions in the intestines;
• frequent bone fractures, osteoporosis;
• calcifications in vessels, soft tissues, internal organs.

These symptoms can progress and lead to more serious consequences, up to disability.

Filling the gap with food

You can take care of the constant intake of menoquinone in the body by reviewing your diet. It is known that we get most of the vitamins we need from food - it is only important to know from which one. So, where is vitamin K2 found in what foods?

Menoquinone will protect your health if you regularly eat the foods listed in the following table.

This table contains most of the products that are not customary for losing weight. However, in order to avoid the aforementioned consequences of vitamin K2 deficiency, you should not exclude these foods from your diet.

Don't Forget the Norm

Moderation in everything, avoiding extremes is a guarantee that there will be no harm to health, but only benefit. So it is with menoquinone - not “more is better”, but a clear norm. Another plate will help you navigate this issue.

If possible, it is desirable to consume vitamin K2 from food, since chemical substitutes cannot serve as a full-fledged alternative.

Is it possible to overdose on menoquinone?

Vitamin K2 is non-toxic. From the products our body itself takes the necessary amount of menoquinone. However, there is a risk of getting an overabundance of the substance if you are taking medications designed to compensate for a K2 deficiency in the body. When taking doses higher than the daily value of menoquinone, symptoms such as:

• drying of the skin;
• nausea, vomiting;
• diarrhea.

A serious overdose of the vitamin can lead to miscarriage or premature birth in a woman, as well as to the formation of blood clots. Therefore, you can not independently prescribe K2-containing drugs for yourself. It is imperative to consult a doctor.

Features of the use of K2

1. Vitamin K2 should not be supplemented by people who have a history of stroke or heart attack, or those who are taking blood thinners.
2. It is worth considering that cinnamon is an antagonist of menoquinone - it blocks its function, so you should avoid their combined use.
3. Keeping in mind that K2 is a fat-soluble substance, you need to monitor the adequate intake of fat in the body.

Or, we don’t realize that usually this is a whole group of substances that are similar in effect on the body. For example, in the vitamin K group, 7 substances are collected at once - vitamin K1, K2, etc. The most popular of them are the first two. K1 (phyllochenone) is synthesized by plants, we get it from many cereals and green vegetables. And his "brother" vitamin K2(menaquinone) is synthesized in the human intestine. We can also get it from a range of animal products.

Until recently, researchers have focused on vitamin K1, since it was considered more necessary for the body. But now scientists have discovered that vitamin K2 not only is of greater importance in the process of blood coagulation, but also participates in a number of important processes occurring in the body. In addition, vitamin K2 deficiency is more common than vitamin K1 deficiency.

The role of vitamin K2 in the body

Not so long ago, studies were conducted that showed how important vitamin K2 is for the normal structure of bone tissue. With its help, a special protein, the so-called osteocalcin, is activated. It plays a vital role in the process of building bones and joints. By activating this substance, vitamin K2 thereby makes bones denser and reduces the possibility of fractures. At the moment, researchers know very little about exactly how this vitamin works. However, in the future they plan to use it to more effectively treat bone fractures in patients.

Also vitamin K2 is necessary for the cleansing of blood vessels. It acts on the MGP (Matrix Gla Protein) protein, bringing it into an active state. This substance removes calcium crystals from the vessels, which are deposited on their walls.

All these studies were carried out thanks to observations of the life of the Japanese. This nation consumes a large amount of a soy product called natto. During the fermentation process, this seasoning forms a natural vitamin K2. It has been observed that in areas of Japan where it is customary to eat natto, people's bone density is significantly higher and cardiovascular disease is less common.

Recent scientific studies show that vitamin K2 may become the basis for drugs to combat Parkinson's disease. This disease is not fully understood, its causes are not fully understood. However, one of the reasons, according to scientists, may be genetic mutations that lead to a lack of energy in the mitochondria. As a result of this process, it is the part of the brain that is responsible for mobility that dies.

Experiments on flies Drosophila have already shown a positive result when administered vitamin K2. Flies that have similar genetic mutations and have lost the ability to fly, after the introduction of a drug based on menaquinone, fly again. In this way, vitamin K2 at the moment is one of the most unexplored and mysterious vitamins, but at the same time it opens up great opportunities for modern medicine.

Vitamin K2 deficiency

Flaw vitamin K2 may manifest itself in different ways. The work of the intestines is disrupted, wounds heal poorly, bleeding from the nose appears, and increased fatigue. Women with a lack of vitamin K2 may have pain during menstruation. With a long-term deficiency of menaquinone, osteoporosis of the bones develops. This is especially dangerous in old age. After the age of 30, every person gradually loses bone density. By the age of 70, our bones are 40% hollow. That is why a fracture for an old person can become an incurable disease that confines him to bed. But enough consumption vitamin K2 can prevent this danger.

The risk group also includes newborns and pregnant women. Expectant mothers are often prescribed vitamin K to prevent hemorrhagic processes in her during childbirth and in the child in the first months of life. Due to the malnutrition of a woman or an insufficient amount vitamin K2 in breast milk, babies may have bloody vomiting, tarry liquid feces, internal and external bleeding.

As a result of a permanent deficiency of mechaninone, extensive internal bleeding, cartilage ossification, salt deposition on the walls of blood vessels, or deformation of the developing musculoskeletal system may occur.

The reason for the lack of mechaninone in the body is very rarely malnutrition. Most often, deficiency occurs as a result of disruption of the intestines and a number of diseases - cirrhosis of the liver, hepatitis, cholelithiasis, pancreatic tumors, etc. Also, sometimes a decrease in production vitamin K2 caused by the use of certain types of antibiotics and other drugs that thin the blood or inhibit the intestinal microflora.

Too much vitamin K2

Too much vitamin K2 is extremely rare.. Usually, an overdose occurs in people who take medications containing mechaninone. But in this case, the dosage should be determined by the doctor. An excess of vitamin K2 can lead to increased blood clotting, which can result in the formation of blood clots in the vessels and lead to diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Sources of Vitamin K2

The most important source of vitamin K2 is our own body. In the small intestine, this substance is synthesized and then distributed throughout the body, triggering many mechanisms necessary for human life. However, we can also get it from the environment. Previously, it was believed that animal products were the richest in this substance. But not so long ago it turned out that most of it is contained in soybeans, especially a lot - in the Japanese product natto. Vitamin K2 is found in large quantities in pork or goose liver pate, hard cheeses, egg yolk and cottage cheese. It is also found in other products of animal origin - in all types of meat, milk, etc.

It is worth considering that mehaninone dissolves under the influence of fats. Therefore, in order for it to be intensively absorbed in the intestines, it is necessary to eat foods with a normal fat content. As you can see, low-fat diets, which have been so popular in recent years, disrupt the intake of vitamin K2 in the body.

Today, vitamin K2 is perhaps the most obscure vitamin. Moreover, even among doctors. For a long time it was believed that vitamin K2 is synthesized in sufficient quantities by intestinal bacteria, which means that its role in metabolic processes can be ignored. But it is already clear that vitamin K2 is an important nutrient for human health. And most likely, vitamin K2 will go down in history as the most underestimated vitamin in the twentieth century.

"Bloody" history of discovery

In the 1920s, while studying the role of cholesterol and its impact on health, the Danish biochemist and physiologist Henrik Dam observed a startling phenomenon. Chickens that "sat" on a low-fat diet after a while literally bled and died. That is, when food was cleansed of cholesterol, some other important substance that was responsible for the processes of blood clotting disappeared.

In parallel, the American biochemist Edward Doisy managed to isolate and determine the structure of this substance. It was a hitherto unknown molecule called vitamin K. In 1943 Henrik Dam and Edward Doisy were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for the discovery of vitamin K.

Surprisingly, for a very long time, the chicken experiment was the only way to determine the content of vitamin K in certain foods. The chicks were brought to the point of bleeding on a fat-free diet and then fed the study product. And already by the speed of stopping bleeding and the time of recovery, they judged the content of vitamin K in the product.

Later it was found that vitamin K is not one substance, but a whole group of molecules, on the one hand, similar in structure, but on the other hand, with different biological activity of molecules. The most studied representatives of the group to date are vitamin K1 - (phylloquinone) and vitamin K2 (menoquinone).

Vitamin K1 (phyloquinone)	Vitamin K2 (menoquinone)
green vegetables	intestinal bacteria	Fermented foods (cheese, yogurt, natto)

How does vitamin K work?

There are a number of important enzyme proteins in the human body, the activity of which directly depends on vitamin K. These are the so-called Gla proteins. The blood clotting factor is one of these proteins. If vitamin K is not enough, then Gla-radicals are not completely formed, as a result of which Gla-proteins do not fully perform their functions. That is why chickens deprived of vitamin K bled.

However, the blood clotting factor was far from being the only protein dependent on vitamin K. This means that the role of vitamin K should extend far beyond the antihemorrhagic function.

Scientists have found that cartilage ossification, bone deformation and the deposition of salts on the walls of blood vessels - all these processes are also regulated by Gla proteins. Only not all forms of vitamin K are capable of activating them. Thus, numerous studies have shown that the role of vitamin K1 is limited to blood coagulation processes. But on the other hand, a real sensation awaited scientists in relation to vitamin K2. The role of vitamin K2 in the human body turned out to be so phenomenal that today it is proposed to consider K1 and K2 as two completely different vitamins.

Vitamin K2 and its role in the body

Vitamin K2 protects bone tissue from destruction.

Vitamin K2 is an essential vitamin for bone health and strength. If a person is deficient in vitamin K2, levels of the vitamin K-dependent protein, osteocalcin, decrease, which in turn increases bone fragility. The risk of fractures increases, posture is disturbed, bone and joint pains appear.

The cumulative results of numerous studies have shown that vitamin K2 completely eliminates bone loss (and in some cases even increases it in patients with osteoporosis) and reduces the risk of fractures by up to 87%. At the same time, when taking vitamin K2, no side effects were observed for several years.

Regular intake of vitamin K2 is especially relevant during the period of growing up of the body for the formation of a good peak bone mass, for women during menopause and people over 50 years of age to normalize the absorption of calcium.

It is worth noting that vitamin K2 was three times more effective than vitamin K1 in activating proteins responsible for normal skeletal metabolism.

Vitamin K2 prevents vascular calcification.

A huge risk of developing cardiovascular problems is the process of calcium deposition in soft tissues and organs - calcification. The elasticity of tissues is broken, they stop working normally. Stones form in the kidneys, and the cartilaginous matrix becomes covered with limescale. And if calcium accumulates in the wall of a blood vessel or in myocardial tissue, atherosclerosis or cardiosclerosis develops.

There is a so-called "calcium paradox": where it is not needed (vessels) - there is a lot of calcium, and in the bones - where it is needed - it is not enough.

Studies show that vascular calcification can be prevented by regular intake of vitamin K2. Vitamin K2 regulates the activity of matrix Gla-protein (MGP), effectively preventing the formation of calcium crystals inside blood vessels.

A large epidemiological study conducted in the Netherlands between 1990 and 1993 showed that vitamin K2 supplementation reduced the risk of severe arterial calcification by 52%, the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) by 41%, and the risk of cardiovascular mortality by 51%. At the same time, vitamin K1, unlike K2, had no effect on cardiovascular disease outcomes.

Vitamin K2 supports brain activity

Vitamin K2 is a necessary element for the synthesis of a very important family of lipids in the brain and nervous system, the so-called sphingolipids. Sphingolipids are critical in the formation of the myelin sheath of nerve fibers and act as signaling molecules for motor and cognitive behavior. Insufficient intake of vitamin K2 disrupts the regulation of sphingolipids and is a risk factor for the development of age-related cognitive impairment.

Moreover, regular intake of vitamin K2 can support the health of the nervous system as a whole. The fact is that vitamin K-dependent protein (Gas6) protects nerve cells from necrosis, participates in the division, growth and myelination of neurons throughout the central nervous system and maintains the normal function of brain vessels. Therefore, regular intake of vitamin K2 can significantly slow down age-related neurological degeneration.

Vitamin K2 and Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease is based on neuronal death associated with oxidative stress. Although vitamin K2 is not a direct antioxidant and is not on a par with substances such as vitamins A, E, C, selenium, vitamin K2 nevertheless helps to protect nerve cells from the damaging effects of free radicals. Research shows that high levels of vitamin K2 can slow down oxidative damage to neurons. But so far, there are no clear recommendations, and the study of this phenomenon continues.

Vitamin K2 and the liver

The hepatitis C virus often causes liver damage, leading to cirrhosis of the liver, and then to a fatal complication - hepatocarcinoma (liver cancer). In the course of many years of clinical studies conducted in Japan, it was shown that vitamin K2 reduces the risk of developing liver cancer by almost 10 times. Vitamin K2 is currently being tested along with other drugs to reduce the risk of liver cancer. And vitamin K2 is showing promising results.

Vitamin K2 and prostate cancer

A study of more than 11,000 men published by the European Prospective Study on Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) found that increased vitamin K2 intake can reduce the risk of prostate cancer by 35%. The scientists also noted that, unlike vitamin K2, vitamin K1 did not have any effects on prostate cancer.

Vitamin K2 and diabetes in the elderly

Studies show that the overall risk of diabetes in individuals with high levels of vitamin K2 is 51% lower than those with low levels. The researchers concluded that taking vitamin K2 with food reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

How Much Vitamin K Should You Consume?

There are norms for the consumption of vitamin K, adopted by the Ministry of Health. In Russia, they are for an adult: 100 mcg per day.

However, these figures were derived from the study of blood clotting proteins only and do not take into account the needs of other vitamin K-dependent proteins. Today there are serious reasons to revise the norms for the consumption of vitamin K2, since they do not reflect the real need for this unique vitamin.

According to various studies, for the effective functioning of all K-dependent proteins, it is necessary to consume from 200 to 500 micrograms of vitamin K2.

Today, preparations containing vitamin K2 can be purchased at pharmacies. For example, from the Lekolaik company. Taking alone or at the same time as any calcium supplement will improve calcium absorption and ensure proper metabolism. Namely, it will direct calcium to those places where it is really needed - bones and teeth, preventing its deposition in soft tissues, joints and vessel walls.