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Heart and Bone Health – The “Perfect Pair” Vitamin
By Ng Siew Li
February 21, 2021
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Vitamin K2 + D3
The ‘Perfect Pair’ Vitamin You Need for Heart and Bone Health
Everyone wishes to have good health, including heart and bone health. Worldwide, a large group of people is prescribed or suggested to a supplemental regime of both vitamin D and calcium. Over the last decade, high dose of vitamin D supplementation (up to 4000 IU daily) is even promoted to restore blood vitamin D3 concentrations1 and promote bone health.
Many healthcare professionals and research recommend vitamin D supplementation for the prevention of falls and fractures.
However, evidence suggests calcium precipitation found in the arteries and blood vessels and other potential side effects 2.
Optimizing bone health isn’t as simple as getting enough dietary calcium and vitamin D3. Beyond the obvious importance of this two, other factors such as weight-bearing exercise and intestinal health, also impact bone mineral density, and vitamin K2 should be added to the list.
Vitamins D and K are both fat-soluble vitamins and play a central role in calcium metabolism. Vitamin D regulates calcium metabolism by increasing calcium absorption from our intestines. Whilst vitamin K2 is required to activate osteocalcin, an important protein secreted by osteoblasts, the body’s bone-building cells 3.
When vitamin K2 is activated, osteocalcin can draw calcium into the bones where osteoblasts then incorporate it into the bone matrix. In addition, vitamin K2, when combined with vitamin D3, helps inhibit osteoclasts, the cells responsible for bone resorption.
What are the research findings?
According to a recent study, the incidence of hip fractures in Japanese women seemed to be strongly influenced by their vitamin K2 intake. In Tokyo, the regular consumption of natto, a fermented soy food high in vitamin K2, is associated with a significantly lower risk of hip fractures compared with western Japan where natto isn’t frequently eaten 4.
Studies examining the influence of vitamin D and vitamin K2 intake in institutionalized elderly patients compared with home-dwellers also showed that a higher intake of these nutrients reduced bone fractures.
The same osteocalcin protein that vitamin K2 activates also triggers the activation of another protein called matrix GLA protein (MGP), which is responsible for removing excess calcium that can accumulate in soft tissues such as arteries and veins. This role takes on significant importance as about 20% of atherosclerotic plaques are comprised of calcium, from the early to the more advanced stages of heart disease development.
From here, it is obvious to see that vitamin K2 is considered the strongest factor in preventing, and possibly even reversing, tissue calcification involved in atherosclerosis 5. Furthermore, research also found out that patients with diabetes have been shown to have lower MGP levels in their arteries, possibly contributing, at least partly, to the higher risk of arterial calcification and cardiovascular disease seen in this population.
Insight! Vitamin K2 & D3 may even help in fighting COVID-19!
Although supplementation with vitamins D and K2 cannot be considered preventive or curative against COVID-19, growing scientific evidence shows a correlation between low serum vitamin K2 & D3 levels and more severe outcomes for the disease.
Vitamin D is known for its functions to support immune support and several meta-analyses have already demonstrated vitamin D benefits against respiratory tract infections: low levels of vitamin D were associated with a higher risk for infection and symptoms severity. Similar findings have been published regarding the association between low vitamin D levels and a higher risk of COVID-19 infection 6.
At the same time, recent studies also found out that serum vitamin K2 levels in COVID-19 hospitalised patients with poor outcomes had the lowest levels of vitamin K2. In comparison, people tested negative for COVID-19 infection showed adequate vitamin K2 levels. In COVID-19 infected patients, low vitamin K2 status may impact COVID-19 pathogenesis even further.
Some K2-dependent proteins play a key role in protecting our cardiovascular health. In the absence of sufficient amounts of vitamin K2, matrix Gla protein (MGP) is not able to prevent calcification. That may result in elastic fibre degradation, damage occurring in the lungs and stiffening of the blood vessels. Vascular calcification limits the body’s ability to circulate oxygen-rich blood and is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease 6.
Where do we get sufficient vitamin K2 & D3?
Like all vitamins, vitamin K2 & D3 are essentials nutrients. In fact small amount of vitamin D3 can be produced by our bodies with adequate sun exposure. Whilst vitamin K2 must be obtained from the diet to enable our bodies to function as it should.
For adults, a daily intake of 120mcg vitamin K2 is recommended; meanwhile for vitamin D3, a daily intake of at least 600 to 800 IU is recommended. Unfortunately, our diets today mostly feed us with vitamin K1 but do not provide us with enough vitamin K2.
Struggling on getting sufficient vitamin K2 & D3 from diet alone?
You may always opt for supplementation. Consider Powerlife K2D3! Powerlife K2D3 offers optimum amount of vitamin K2 & D3 that meets our daily requirement, it is suitable for everyone especially for vegans and vegetarians. Powerlife K2D3 is the perfect pair for both bone and heart health.
References: (1)EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, EFSA Journal (2012), 10, 2813. (2) Zittermann, A. et al., European Heart Journal (2017), 38 (29), 2279 – 2286. (3) Plaza, S.M. & Lamson, D.W., Alternative Medicine Review (2005), 10(1),24 – 35. (4) Vermeer, C. et al., European Journal of Nutrition (2004), 43(6), 325 – 335. (5) Rheaume-Bleue K., 1st ed. Ontario, Canada; Wiley: 2011. (6) Nutraceutical Business Review, COVID-19 and cardiovascular health: the role of K2 in high vitamin D supplementation (2020).
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Nutritionist Ng Siew Li
A nutritionist who is passionate about providing healthy weight loss and healthy eating guides. Enjoy sports activities except 'ball kind of games', occasional weight lifter.
"To be a nutritionist with a normal BMI, normal weight is not enough for me." Strive to be a nutritionist with balanced muscle mass and fat!
