VITAMIN K2 BENEFITS SUMMARY
Bone Health
Cardio- vascular Health
Brain and Neurological Health
Vitamin K2 supplementation may help prevent calcium kidney stones by ensuring calcium is deposited in bones rather than soft tissues like the kidneys.
Relief of menopausal symptoms
Hepatoprotection (e.g. liver regeneration)
Potential anti-cancer effects
Mitochondrial energy support
Inflammation reduction
Blood sugar management
Prevention of depression and anxiety
Emerging evidence suggests roles in diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, and even COVID-19 severity mitigation.
Vitamin K2, also known as mena- quinone, is a fat-soluble vitamin that exists in several forms (designated as MK-n, where n indicates the length of the side chain, such as MK-4 or MK-7). Unlike vitamin K1 (phylloquinone), which is primarily found in plant foods and supports blood clotting in the liver, vitamin K2 is produced by bacteria and found in animal and fermented foods. It plays a more significant role in extrahepatic tissues, such as bones and blood vessels, and has higher bioavailability in longer-chain forms like MK-7 compared to MK-4. Vitamin K2 contributes to multiple aspects of health through its role in calcium regulation and protein activation. Key benefits include
Bone Health: It promotes osteogenesis by stimulating osteoblast proliferation and differentiation. This increases bone mineral density (BMD), content (BMC), and strength, reducing fracture risk and osteoporosis, especially in postmenopausal women. Studies link higher intake to lower BMD loss, and meta- analyses show supplementation reduces overall fracture risk.
Cardiovascular Health: It prevents vascular calcification, reduces arterial stiffness, and lowers pulse wave velocity. Observational data show inverse associations with coronary heart disease (CHD) risk and mortality. Supplementation trials indicate slowed progression of aortic and coronary calcification.
Brain and Neurological Health: Potential neuroprotective effects via Gas6 and Protein S modulation, improves neuropathy, and supports vision health.
Relief of menopausal symptoms (e.g. improved BMD)
Hepatoprotection (e.g. liver regeneration, anti-hepatocellular carcinoma via NF-κB suppression)
Potential anti-cancer effects (induces apoptosis in various cell lines).
Mitochondrial energy support
Inflammation reduction
Blood sugar management
Prevention of depression and anxiety
Emerging evidence suggests roles in diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, and even COVID-19 severity mitigation.
Mechanisms of Action
Vitamin K2 functions as an essential cofactor for the enzyme γ-glutamyl carboxylase (GGCX), which catalyzes the post-translational carboxylation of specific glutamic acid (Glu) residues in vitamin K-dependent proteins (VKDPs) to γ-carboxyglutamic acid (Gla) residues. This process enables these proteins to bind calcium ions effectively.
The mechanism involves a redox cycle: vitamin K2 (in its quinone form) is reduced to hydroquinone, which donates electrons for carboxylation, producing a vitamin K epoxide that is then recycled back to the active form by vitamin K epoxide reductase (VKOR). Key VKDPs activated by this process include:
Osteocalcin (OC): Produced by osteoblasts, carboxylated osteocalcin binds calcium to hydroxyapatite in bone matrix, promoting mineralization and inhibiting bone resorption by regulating the balance between bone-building osteoblasts and bone-breaking osteoclasts.
Matrix Gla Protein (MGP): Inhibits ectopic calcification by binding calcium-phosphate crystals in soft tissues like arteries, preventing their deposition and maintaining vascular elasticity.
Growth Arrest-Specific Gene 6 (Gas6): Acts as a ligand for receptors like Axl, promoting cell survival, inhibiting apoptosis in vascular smooth muscle cells, and reducing calcification through pathways like Gas6/Axl/Akt.
Other proteins like Protein S and Gla-rich protein (GRP), which support anticoagulation, neuroprotection, and cartilage health.
These activations help direct calcium to bones and teeth while preventing its accumulation in arteries and soft tissues. In addition, vitamin K2 may modulate mitochondrial function as a potential electron carrier in the respiratory chain, reduce oxidative stress, and influence gene expression related to inflammation and cell differentiation.
Health and Wellness Attributes
Vitamin K2 contributes to multiple aspects of health through its role in calcium regulation and protein activation. Key benefits include:
Bone Health: It promotes osteogenesis by stimulating osteoblast proliferation and differentiation, upregulating genes like CYP3A4 and MSX2, and inhibiting osteoclast activity via downregulation of NF-κB and reduction of bone-resorbing factors (e.g., PGE2, IL-1α, IL-6). This increases bone mineral density (BMD), content (BMC), and strength, reducing fracture risk and osteoporosis, especially in postmenopausal women. Studies link higher intake to lower BMD loss, and meta-analyses show supplementation reduces overall fracture risk.
Cardiovascular Health: By activating MGP and Gas6, it prevents vascular calcification, reduces arterial stiffness, and lowers pulse wave velocity. Observational data show inverse associations with coronary heart disease (CHD) risk and mortality; supplementation trials indicate slowed progression of aortic and coronary calcification.
Brain and Neurological Health: Potential neuroprotective effects via Gas6 and Protein S modulation, inhibiting reactive oxygen species (ROS) and MAPK pathways in models of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. It may also alleviate neuropathy and support vision health.
Relief of menopausal symptoms (e.g., improved BMD)
Hepatoprotection (liver regeneration, anti-hepatocellular carcinoma via NF-κB suppression).
Potential anti-cancer effects (induces apoptosis in various cell lines).
Mitochondrial energy support.
Inflammation reduction.
Blood sugar management.
Prevention of depression and anxiety.
Emerging evidence suggests roles in diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, and even COVID-19 severity mitigation.
Food Sources
Vitamin K2 is primarily obtained from bacterial fermentation and animal products, unlike K1 from plants. Rich sources include:
Fermented Foods like Natto (fermented soybeans, especially high in MK-7 at ~998 μg/100g), sauerkraut, fermented milk drinks, certain cheeses (aged/Mitochondrial energy support
Inflammation reduction
Blood sugar management
Prevention of depression and anxiety like Gouda or Emmental, containing MK-8 and MK-9).
Animal Products like egg yolks (MK-4), high-fat dairy (butter, cheese, yogurt), organ meats (beef liver, goose liver, pork liver), chicken (fillets, meat), fatty fish (salmon), beef, salami, grass fed animal fats, and deeply colored butter from pasture-raised animals are particularly good.
Gut bacteria produce some K2, but absorption is limited. MK-4 can be converted from K1 or longer MKs in tissues, but dietary intake is key for optimal levels.
Optimal Dosing
There is no established Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) specifically for vitamin K2, as official guidelines (e.g., from the National Academy of Medicine) focus on total vitamin K, setting Adequate Intake (AI) at 90 μg/day for adult women and 120 μg/day for men (based on K1 for coagulation). However, for broader health benefits like bone and cardiovascular support, experts suggest higher intakes of K2 forms. For general health: 100-300 μg/day of MK-7 is commonly recommended, often with vitamin D3 for synergy.
For cardiovascular benefits: At least 32 μg/day, with studies using 180 μg/day MK-7 for 3 years showing improvements.
For bone health/osteoporosis: 45-90 mg/day (note: some sources use mg for high therapeutic doses, but mcg is typical for supplements; 45 mg is unusually high and may refer to specific trials), or 100-360 μg/day MK-7.
Safe upper limits: No tolerable upper intake level (UL) exists due to lack of toxicity; doses up to 45 mg/day K2 or 10 mg/day K1 have been used safely for 2 years.
Supplementation is advised if dietary intake is low (e.g., Western diets often lack fermented foods), especially for older adults. Consult a healthcare provider, as high doses may interact with anticoagulants like warfarin.
DISCLAIMERS:
I have two disclaimers to make whenever I post Medical and Health & Wellness advice (actually suggestions). The first is financial: On Saturday, February 7, 2026 I joined Amazon Associates, which means that whenever I include a link to a product that I talk about in that particular post, I receive a small amount of money with every sale. Why not? Please understand that I will not promote ANYTHING that I have not tried myself. It is always supported by unbiased research (either meta-analyses and/or double-blind control studies), and has reasonable anecdotal evidence.
The second is medical: This post’s content, including text, images, links, and other formats, is for informational purposes only. It reflects my personal experiences with medications, behaviors, therapies, diets, and supplements that have worked for me. My research, anecdotal insights, and self-experiments were conducted with my provider’s awareness.
This post is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider regarding any medical concerns. Never ignore or delay professional advice based on its content. The author is not liable for any use or misuse of the information presented.
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