Posted by Anne Hermann on Mon, Apr 16, 2012 @ 05:28 PM
Anne Hermann, MD
The buzz in the nutrition world is that Vitamin K2 (menaquinone) is more important that we ever realized. Vitamin K2 has always been recognized
for its crucial role in blood clotting. Here are a few new recent findings about Vitamin K2:
Adding K2 to Vitamin D and Calcium reduces risk of fracture by 25%. Vitamin K Supplementation for the primary prevention of osteoporotic fractures: is it
cost-effective and is future research warranted? Gajic-Veljanoski O, Byoumi AM, Tomlinson G, Khan K, Cheung AM. Osteoporosis Int. 2012 Mar 8
Vitamin K reduces heart disease. High dietary menaquinone intake is associated with reduced coronary calcification. Beulens JW. Bots ML, Atsma F, Bartelink ML. Atherosclerosis. 2009 Apr; 203(2):489-93
People with higher dietary Vitamin K2 intake have lower rates of death from cancer. Dietary vitamin K intake in relation to cancer incidence and mortality: results from the Heidelberg cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 May, 91(5):1348-58.
With all these benefits, I recommend that patients take 125 mcg of vitamin K2 per day. For bone health, I recommend a preparation of Vitamin D and Vitamin K2. Sources of vitamin K include kale, and other leafy green vegetables. If you would like to have your vitamin K level checked, we do this through Spectracell Labs.
If you are on a blood thinner, you will need to talk to a physician about the safe amount of K2 for you.
Anne Hermann, MD, is a board certified physician nutrition specialist. To schedule your appointment with Dr. Hermann, call (813) 902-9559.
This post was written by Anne Hermann. Follow Anne Hermann on Google, Facebook, Twitter & Linkedin.
