Vitamin K2 is a potent nutrient that has received little mainstream attention in the Western diet. It was discovered in 1929 and is divided into two types: vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) and vitamin K2 (menaquinone). In controlled human studies, researchers discovered that vitamin K2 supplements generally improve bone and heart health, whereas vitamin K1 has no significant benefits. Vitamin K2 inhibits T-cell proliferation and has immunomodulatory properties. In one study, people who consumed the most vitamin K2 were 52% less likely to develop artery calcification and 57% less likely to die from heart disease.
Long-term controlled trials on vitamin K2 and heart disease are needed, but there is a highly plausible biological mechanism for its effectiveness and strong positive correlations with heart health in observational studies. Vitamin K2 is required for the metabolism of calcium, which may have significant benefits for bone health, such as slowing age-related bone mineral density declines and improving dental health. Several clinical studies suggest that vitamin K2 reduces the recurrence of liver cancer and increases survival times. Beyond its role in activating hepatic coagulation factors, vitamin K may have additional health benefits. However, current dietary reference values for vitamin K are solely based on phylloquinone and its role in coagulation.
Menaquinones may be more effective in activating extra-hepatic vitamin K-dependent proteins than phylloquinone. Dietary intake of menaquinones accounts for up to 25% of total vitamin K intake and contributes to the biological functions of vitamin K. However, menaquinones differ from phylloquinones in terms of chemical structure and pharmacokinetics, which affects bioavailability, metabolism, and possibly health outcomes. Further investigations are needed to establish how differences among the vitamin K forms may influence tissue specificities and their role in human health.
The content of this post is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, or as a substitute for the medical advice of your physician.