Why You Should Be Taking Vitamin K2

Topic: A comprehensive look at vitamin K2’s discovery, mechanisms, clinical evidence, and why it’s essential for calcium homeostasis, bone strength, and vascular health.

📖 Episode Overview
Historical journey from Weston A. Price’s “Activator X” to the Nobel‐winning discovery of vitamin K
Biochemical roles of K1 vs. K2: activating clotting factors vs. directing calcium into bones and out of arteries
Ancestral dietary patterns that once guaranteed year-round vitamin K2 intake
Key clinical findings on bone mineral density, fracture risk, arterial calcification, and beyond
Drug interactions: how warfarin and statins inadvertently disrupt K2 pathways
Supplementation strategy: MK-7 vs. MK-4, practical dosing, and Dr. Kumar’s personal protocol


✨ Key Takeaways
Vitamin K2 (menaquinones) is indispensable for proper calcium placement—bones vs. arteries.
Traditional diets provided K2 via seasonal greens and fermented foods; modern diets are often deficient.
Meta-analyses and RCTs demonstrate up to 57% fewer fractures and slower arterial calcification with K2.
MK-7 (180–375 µg/day) offers superior bioavailability and tissue delivery compared to MK-4.
Pair K2 with vitamin D and dietary fat for optimal absorption.
📚 References & Study Summaries
1. Prospective cohort: CHD risk & K₂ intake
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science...
2. MK-7 & osteoarthritis (ferroptosis suppression)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science...
3. Conversion of dietary K forms to tissue MK-4 in mice
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science...
4. Role of MK-7 in bone health (comprehensive review)
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/...
5. Meta-analysis: K₂ on BMD & fracture risk in postmenopausal women
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19179...
6. Vitamin K status in CKD and hemodialysis patients
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles...
7. Dietary K intake & bone health in public-health populations
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/...
8. RCT: High-dose MK-7 and dp-ucMGP (vascular calcification marker)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33030...
9. Long-term MK-4 therapy preventing vertebral fractures
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23525...
10. Pharmacokinetics: MK-7 vs. MK-4 in humans
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11180...
11. Low-dose MK-7 on osteocalcin carboxylation
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10750...
12. Regional differences in K₂ biomarkers & bone density (Japan)
https://link.springer.com/article/10....
13. Traditional Japanese dietary sources of K₂ (natto, cheeses)
https://www.med.kindai.ac.jp/life/fil...
14. RCT: K₂+D₃ on coronary & aortic calcification
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science...
15. MK-7 supplementation in hemodialysis patients
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles...
16. MK-7 effects on glycemic control & CRP in T2DM
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles...
17. MK-4 activation of PXR & detoxification enzymes
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles...
18. Neuroprotective roles of vitamin K₂ in neurodegeneration
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37051...
19. Safety/tolerability of high-dose MK-4 in healthy adults
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/a...
20. Habitual K₂ intake & arterial stiffness in hypertension
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38890...
21. Long-term warfarin therapy & osteoporotic fracture risk
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama...
22. Vitamin K status & peripheral arterial disease severity
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science...
23. MK-7 supplementation & endothelial function (FMD)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22520...
24. Vitamin K–dependent proteins (MGP & Gas6) in calcification
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science...