Why is Vitamin K important?

Just about everyone has heard about how most of us are vitamin D deficient, but have you heard of vitamin K? The two vitamins work together in our bodies to regulate calcium metabolism. Read on to learn about vitamin K and why you absolutely need it (especially if you’re taking vitamin D!)

Like vitamin D, vitamin K has mostly gone missing from our modern diets. The most abundant natural source of vitamin K is chlorophyll (the green pigment in plants that is responsible for photosynthesis), which most of us don’t get enough of. We used to get it from milk, but now that most modern ranchers feed their cows corn instead of grass, the cows do not produce milk with vitamin K.

Why you definitely need Vitamin K if you are taking Vitamin D

Vitamin D3, which is the form our bodies naturally produce, will place calcium into soft tissue if there is no vitamin K paired with the D. Pro tip: That’s not good. To keep calcium from building up in arteries, which can cause high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, you need vitamin K2, as well as lots of colorful fruits and veggies. Vitamin K2 not only helps get and keep calcium in your bones, it also prevents calcium from depositing in your arteries.

What type of Vitamin K?

There are two types of vitamin K: K1 and K2. Vitamin K1, phylloquinone, is found in green leafy vegetables, and encourages blood clotting.

Vitamin K2, menaquinone, plays a role in proper calcification and is found in animal fats like egg yolks, some cheeses, and grass-fed butter.

Vitamin K1 deficiency is very rare, but K2 deficiency is common. Vitamin K2 deficiency can manifest as osteoporosis, arterial plaque, and dental cavities.

Dietary sources and proper dosage of Vitamin K2

You can obtain vitamin K2 in your diet by eating grass-fed dairy products or by taking 50-100 mcg of K2 in a supplement. An easy way to ensure that you get the proper levels of D and K is to take a supplement that has both, like Life Extension Vitamins D and K with Sea Iodine, or one of our other options here at Peach Vitamins.