What are the Health Benefits of Vitamin K2?

What is Vitamin K2?

Vitamin K2 is an essential vitamin that plays an important role in normal blood clotting and bone health. Researchers are also studying its possible role in cardiovascular health, although there is not currently enough evidence to say that vitamin K2 supplements prevent heart disease.

Vitamin K2 is also called menaquinone, and it is the most recently discovered of all the vitamins. The discovery of this vitamin was a result of research into why some people were not able to form blood clots properly.

Are you Getting Enough Vitamin K2?

Vitamin K2 is synthesised by bacteria in the gut and can be found in foods such as cheese, eggs, meat, and fish. Vitamin K deficiency is uncommon in healthy adults. If you take warfarin, do not take vitamin K supplements without medical advice because vitamin K can affect how warfarin works.

How to Get Enough Vitamin K2

Vitamin K comes from a range of foods. Vitamin K1 is found mainly in green leafy vegetables and vegetable oils, while forms of Vitamin K2 are found in foods including cheese, eggs, meat and fermented foods such as natto.

Vitamin K comes mainly from the diet, although bacteria in the gut also produce some forms of Vitamin K2. But how much should you consume? The NHS advises that adults need approximately 1 microgram of vitamin K per kilogram of body weight each day, and most people should be able to obtain enough from a varied and balanced diet. Vitamin K2 is also available in supplements such as Lindens Vitamin K2 tablets. Each pack contains 120 tablets.

The Health Benefits of Eating Enough Vitamin K2

Vitamin K comes in two different types: Vitamin K1 and Vitamin K2.

• Vitamin K1 is found in leafy green vegetables, such as kale, broccoli, spinach and lettuce.
• Vitamin K2 is found in foods including eggs, cheese and other animal products, as well as some fermented foods.

Vitamin K2 is involved in activating proteins that play a role in bone health and the way calcium is used in the body. Researchers are also studying whether Vitamin K2 has a role in cardiovascular health, but there is not enough evidence to say that it prevents heart disease. A healthy balanced diet can help you get enough vitamin K, and Vitamin K2 tablets are also available if a supplement is appropriate for you.

The Health Benefits of Taking Enough Vitamin K2

The best way to get the right amount of Vitamin K is through a healthy, balanced diet. Supplements are also available for people who choose or have been advised to take them.

Getting enough vitamin K is important for normal blood clotting and the maintenance of healthy bones. Research into whether Vitamin K2 supplementation provides additional benefits for bone or cardiovascular health is continuing, and supplements should not be considered a treatment for osteoporosis or heart disease.

If you take warfarin, speak to your doctor, anticoagulant clinic or pharmacist before taking a vitamin K supplement.

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