Have you ever struggled with bleeding or bruising easily? Hemorrhage or even simply really heavy periods? How about menopause issues? How about Cysts, Ovarian Cysts or Endometriosis?
Some of my very close friends and I have suffered with these issues. It is really important for me to share what I came across. In fact, I don’t understand for the life of me why it is not being shared more publicly!
As uncomfortable as it is for me to talk about, I’ll tell you that I had some major bleeding issues while going through Menopause. I didn’t want to have to talk about it or even deal with it but it was affecting my productivity in a major way in my life. As a mom, as a wife, at my work, at managing my home, it felt like it was all caving in on me.Â
From my medical background, I had heard of Vitamin K but had dismissed the idea of using it because it causes blood clotting so quickly that the conclusion was it was dangerous to take as a supplement. I decided I wanted to try just a little of it to see if it would help me.
Talk about opening a can of worms. I found out there is a huge difference between vitamin K1 & Vitamin K2 – Vitamin K1 is just what I had know about. It helps the blood to clot and has very little other function in the body.
Vitamin K2, on the other hand, has so many benefits that you must hear about! It is good for young women, older women & even men 🙂Â
It supports the heart, the brain, and has a major role in calcium absorption in our body.
Here are the details of my research if you would like to read it:
The little known Vitamin K2
Health benefits and sources of vitamin K. Vitamin K refers to a group of fat-soluble vitamins that play a role in blood clotting, bone metabolism, and regulating blood calcium levels. The body needs vitamin K to produce prothrombin, a protein. Prothrombin is a clotting factor that is important in blood clotting and bone metabolism.
What is the Vitamin k2 good for?
Vitamin K is also given to treat and prevent vitamin K deficiency, a condition in which the body doesn’t have enough vitamin K. It is also used to prevent and treat weak bones (osteoporosis) and relieve itching that often accompanies a liver disease called biliary cirrhosis.
The K Vitamins
Vitamin K activates proteins that play a role in blood clotting, calcium metabolism and heart health. Controlled studies in people also observe that vitamin K2 supplements generally improve bone and heart health, while vitamin K1 has no significant benefits.
Vitamin K1’s primary function
Blood clotting, which prevents excessive bleeding. (K1 is what prevents a paper cut from becoming dangerous.)
VS
Vitamin K2’s primary functions
Helps direct calcium to the right places (into bones and teeth and out of soft tissues like arteries and kidneys)
and…
May help support bone, heart and brain health.
How much K2 should I take daily?
Vitamin K2 dosage for adults: Between 100-300mcg per day is considered a standard dose. Dosages up to 600mcg per day for certain conditions may be necessary.
Vitamin K1 is primarily found in leafy green vegetables, while K2 is most abundant in fermented foods and some animal products. Vitamin K2 may be absorbed better by the body, and some forms may stay in the blood longer than vitamin K1. These two things may cause K1 and K2 to have different effects on your health.
What food has the most vitamin k2?
Foods that are rich in vitamin K2 include:
- Natto, fermented soy.
- Goose liver.
- Cheese.
- Egg yolks.
- Dark chicken meat.
- Butter.
What are the benefits of vitamin K2 that will Improve YOUR Health?
- Vitamin K2 may prevent wrinkles and reverse aging
- Vitamin K2 to prevent varicose veins
- Vitamin K2 for blood sugar regulation and type-II diabetes
- Vitamin K2 to increase exercise performance
- Vitamin K2 and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) – female fertility
- Vitamin K refers to a group of fat-soluble vitamins that play a role in blood clotting, bone metabolism, and regulating blood calcium levels
Side-by-side Comparison of Vitamin K1 & Vitamin K2
Vitamin K1 | Vitamin K2 | |
What does it do? | Blood clotting – prevents excessive bleeding. (K1 is what prevents a paper cut from becoming dangerous.) | Helps direct calcium to the right places (into bones and teeth and out of soft issues like arteries and kidneys)May help support bone, heart and brain health. |
Found In | Green leafy vegetables | Fermented foods (some European hard cheeses and Natto or fermented soybeans)Fatty organ meats like liverChicken dark meatSome pork productsEgg yolks from pastured chickenGrass-fed butter |
Deficiency | Rare | Common |
Daily Value (RDA) | 90 micrograms for women 120 micrograms for men | Not yet established, but experts recommend 100 to 200 micrograms of K2 daily. |
Deficiency Symptoms | BruisesIncreased bleeding timeSmall blood clots under nailsIncreased bleeding in mucous membranes. | Weak bonesIncreased plaque deposits along the gumlineIncrease in cavitiesArterial calcification |
Causes of deficiency | Lack of green leafy vegetables in the dietAnticoagulant medications (Warfarin/Coumadin)AntibioticsFat malabsorption disorders. | Lack of fermented foods and organ meats in the diet. |
Effect on bone & Heart Health | Minimal | Moderate |
Present in the brain | NO | Yes! |
Interferes with function of blood thinning medications | Interferes with function of blood-thinning medications | Yes. Vitamin K2 can also interfere with the blood thinning medications. Talk to your doctor before using Vitamin K2 supplements if you are taking Warfarin or other similar drugs. |
I hope this information has been helpful in your day. If it has please share it forward with a friend or family member.
If this information has caused more questions than answers please reply here and send me a message so we can chat.
If you have had a personal life-changing experience after supplementing with vitamin K2 or after consciously eating foods rich in Vitamin K2 – I can’t wait to hear your story. Please reach out to me.
I hope this has been helpful in your day.
Until next time – Be Well! Mary Howard RN
p.s. Do you want to know what product I use now every day? Here are a couple of my favorites that I use and didn’t want to keep this from in case it is something that might make as big a difference in your life as it has in mine.
These 2 are my favorites:
Vitamins A, D & K – Is my favorite, super easy to take small capsule
Vitamin K2 + Resveratrol – A small capsule that has Vitamin K2 & the added anti-inflammatory benefits of Resveratrol.
Thank you for taking the time to read.
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