Vitamin K2 Benefits, Food Sources, and More!

So, we’ve established there are two main forms of vitamin K: vitamin K1 and vitamin K2. And vitamin K2 is the form you need for strong bones. But to make matters a touch more complex, there are several forms of vitamin K2 too! Don’t worry though; we’ll explain it all for you.

Recent research has focused on two forms of vitamin K2 in particular:

MK-4

You absorb all forms of vitamin K – that’s K1 and all the different forms of K2 – in your small intestine before they’re sent to your liver. But here’s where the script changes depending on the form.

See, MK-4 is structurally similar to vitamin K1 (as you can see in the diagrams above). So your body uses them in a similar way. That means your body will first use MK-4 to activate the blood clotting proteins in your liver (remember, blood clotting is the primary job of vitamin K1).

If there’s any left over, it’s packaged up inside triglycerides (little packages of fat bound to a glycerol sugar molecule) and sent into your bloodstream. This leftover MK-4 will perform the bone-supporting tasks we outlined in the last section, but there’s an important thing to note…

…MK-4 doesn’t stick around for long! In fact, it’s cleared from your bloodstream in 6-8 hours– this is the “half-life” of MK-4.

MK-7

As you can see from the diagrams above, vitamin MK-7 is structurally different from vitamins K1 and MK-4. That means your body uses it differently.

You still absorb Vitamin MK-7 in your small intestine before it’s sent to your liver. But it won’t be used to activate the blood clotting proteins (unless you’re seriously lacking vitamin K1 and MK-4). Instead, MK-7 is packaged up in LDL cholesterol and sent into your bloodstream. Then it activates the proteins that direct calcium to your bones and keep it out of your organs, arteries, and soft tissues.

And get this; LDL cholesterol circulates around your body for several days. MK-7 actually stays in your body for up to 4 days! (Remember, MK-4 only sticks around for 6-8 hours). What’s more, the fact that MK-7 has a longer half-life means you can build up a steady level when you consume it regularly.

It’s like having a special vitamin K2 bank account. You can withdraw from it each day to continuously activate the osteocalcin and matrix Gla proteins to steer the calcium you consume in the right direction… your bones!

MK-7’s much longer availability is the reason a small dose – as little as 90 micrograms per day – may be all you need to optimize your body’s ability to activate osteocalcin and matrix Gla protein.

In contrast, you’d need to take a very large dose of MK-4 several times a day to have any available to activate osteocalcin and matrix Gla protein. Now, research shows MK-4 does benefit people with osteoporosis and osteopenia. But only in doses of 45 milligrams a day (15 milligrams three times a day.)

Research on the health benefits of vitamin K2 is still in its early stages, but studies have already uncovered a wide range of benefits. You can see the top 7 health benefits of vitamin K2 below:

Please note: The benefits below are true of all forms of vitamin K2. But remember, the MK-7 form has a much longer half-life and isn’t used for blood clotting purposes first, so you have a better chance of reaping the benefits with MK-7.

Remember when we said vitamin K2 is known as the “missing nutrient”? Well, here’s the reason… it’s very difficult to get vitamin K2 into your diet. (That is, enough to provide you with the health benefits we’ve mentioned on this page anyway).

Now, your body can actually convert vitamin K1 into vitamin K2. But there’s a catch; the conversion will only happen if there’s enough vitamin K1 left after it’s been used for its blood clotting and other jobs. If you eat a lot of leafy greens like kale and collard greens, you may consume enough vitamin K1 to have some leftover to convert into vitamin K2. But it would have to be a lot of leafy greens. And for most people, it’s an unrealistic amount.

So which foods are the best source of vitamin K2? And which provide the more desirable MK-7 form of vitamin K2?

Our resident Bone Health Expert, Lara Pizzorno, sheds some light on the best food sources of vitamin K2 in the video below:

So, as Lara explained in the video above, there are several sources of the MK-4 form of vitamin K2. But you’d have to eat ridiculous amounts of the food to get enough vitamin K2 to reap the bone and other health benefits.

As for the more desirable MK-7 form of vitamin K2, there’s only one known food source– natto. Natto is a Japanese food made from fermented soybeans. It contains a lot of vitamin K2, but it’s hard to come by in Western supermarkets, and it’s an acquired taste.

The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin K2 hasn’t been established yet. Although research shows 360 micrograms a day of the MK-7 form is certainly effective, and as little as 90 micrograms could be enough to be beneficial for people with osteopenia and osteoporosis.

As for vitamin K1, between 90 -120 micrograms a day is the suggested intake. (You can see the recommended amount for men and women of each age group below).

Getting enough vitamin K2– especially in the MK-7 form which sticks around long enough to benefit your bones and the rest of your body– from your diet alone is a real challenge. Your only option is trying to find somewhere that sells natto, and hoping you can stomach the taste (and smell.)

But there is another way…

AlgaeCal Plus is a calcium supplement that contains 100 micrograms of vitamin K2 a day. And it’s the desirable MK-7 form too! What’s more, AlgaeCal Plus contains 100% natural ingredients.

It’s the most convenient, effective way to get enough vitamin K2 to benefit your bones.

Vitamin K2 on its own is completely safe.

But there are several medications– like blood thinners for example– which can interfere with vitamin K2, and this can be dangerous. If you’re already taking medications, the best course of action is to ask your healthcare provider if taking vitamin K2 along with it is safe.

The IOM recommends a daily intake of 600 IU for adults up to 50 years of age; 600 IU for adults 51 to 70 years of age; and 800 IU for adults 71 years or older.

Vitamin K2 often flies under the radar in the Western world… but that’s a huge oversight. Especially for people concerned with their bone health.

Vitamin K2 activates proteins that keep the calcium you consume out of your organs, arteries, and soft tissue, and direct it to where you need it most– your bones! And remember, the long chain MK-7 form of vitamin K2 is the most desirable because it sticks around in your body long enough to provide you with those bone benefits, as well as a range of incredible benefits for the rest of your body.

But it’s very difficult getting enough vitamin K2 into your diet (especially the MK-7 form). The only real dietary source is the fermented soybean product, natto. And to say natto is an acquired taste is an understatement…

That’s why supplementation is likely your best, most convenient option. Especially if you choose AlgaeCal Plus. A daily serving contains 100 micrograms of vitamin K2 in its MK-7 form– an amount research shows may be of benefit to those with osteopenia and osteoporosis!

What’s more, AlgaeCal Plus contains all 13 essential minerals for supporting healthy bones.