Vitamin K2

Also known as:

MK-4
MK-7
Menaquinone-4
Menaquinone-7

Vitamin K2 Description:

Vitamin K2 is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays a critical role in blood clotting, bone health, and heart health. It is one of the two main forms of vitamin K, the other being vitamin K1. Vitamin K2 is primarily found in animal-based foods and fermented foods. There are several subtypes of vitamin K2, with the most common being menaquinone-4 (MK-4) and menaquinone-7 (MK-7). Vitamin K2 works synergistically with other nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, to maintain bone strength and prevent the buildup of calcium in arteries, thus promoting cardiovascular health.

Most Notable Benefits:

Supports bone health: Vitamin K2 plays an essential role in maintaining bone strength by helping to regulate calcium metabolism and promoting the formation of osteocalcin, a protein involved in bone mineralization.
Promotes cardiovascular health: Vitamin K2 can help prevent calcium deposits in arteries, reducing the risk of arterial calcification and promoting overall heart health.
May improve athletic performance: Vitamin K2 has been suggested to enhance exercise performance by improving mitochondrial function, which is responsible for energy production in cells.

Known Conflicts or Potential Isssues:

Individuals taking anticoagulant medications, such as warfarin, should consult a healthcare professional before using vitamin K2, as it may interfere with the effectiveness of these medications.
Vitamin K2 is fat-soluble, and its absorption may be affected by fat malabsorption issues or conditions like Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, or cystic fibrosis.

Why Dr. Sinclair takes Berberine in his daily regimen:

Dr. David Sinclair mentions vitamin K2 in his book “Lifespan: Why We Age and Why We Don’t Have To.” and how it benefits in supporting bone health, promoting cardiovascular health, and improving athletic performance as reasons you might want to include it in their daily regimen to promote overall health and support healthy aging.

REPUTABLE SOURCES:

Beulens, J. W., Booth, S. L., van den Heuvel, E. G., Stoecklin, E., Baka, A., & Vermeer, C. (2013). The role of menaquinones (vitamin K₂) in human health. British Journal of Nutrition, 110(8), 1357-1368. Link
Knapen, M. H., Braam, L. A., Drummen, N. E., Bekers, O., Hoeks, A. P., & Vermeer, C. (2015). Menaquinone-7 supplementation improves arterial stiffness in healthy postmenopausal women. Thrombosis and haemostasis, 113(05), 1135-1144. Link