Clinical Applications
- Helps in the development and maintenance of bones and teeth
- Helps in the absorption and use of calcium and phosphorus
- Helps to maintain immune function
- Helps to prevent vitamin D deficiency
Recommended Dose
Adults: Take one drop of Vitamin D3 with K2 Liquid per day. Can be mixed with beverage of your choice or consult with your health care practitioner.
Overview
While vitamin D has long been known to assist calcium absorption, it is vitamin K, through its carboxylation of osteocalcin, which guides this calcium to bones and prevents their absorption into organs, joint spaces and arteries. Vitamin K occurs in 3 main forms: K1 (phylloquinone), derived from foods such as green leafy vegetables, K2 (menaquinone)
which originates from bacteria6; a third form, K3 (menadione), is a synthetic analogue. Numerous studies have shown that vitamin K2 influences bone building. In addition, though
both reach the liver, most of the K1 is used for purposes of coagulation, with little left over to support the body’s needs elsewhere.8 The profoundly different degrees of bioavailability
between K1 and K2 is due to their differences in structure; only 10-20% of vitamin K1 that is absorbed from food even reaches the circulation, while the long side-chain of vitamin K2
allows it to bind with fat particles in circulation and facilitate its arrival at soft tissue, bones and arteries. There are two forms of vitamin K2 commonly used in supplements: MK-4 and MK-7. The MK-7 form has been shown to have 6 times the activity of MK-4 in the blood. MK-7 has also been found to remain in the blood approximately nine times as long as the MK-4 (8 hours versus 72 hours), making it the optimal form of K2 for health.
Vitamin K Depletion
Although most people consume adequate dietary vitamin K to maintain sufficient blood clotting, most do not consume enough to meet bone health needs. Compromised intestinal absorption can also lead to insufficient K2 levels leaving calcium available to be exported out of bone and into other tissues. Other medications such as antibiotics, cholesterol lowering medications, and laxatives have also been found to contribute to a deficiency of vitamin K.
Bone Health
Building and maintaining healthy bones requires a number of key nutrients including vitamin K, for the proper binding of calcium to the bone matrix.
Immune Modulation
Evidence suggests vitamin K plays a central role in balancing immune health. Recent studies have shown that both vitamins D and K impart immune-modulating effects.
