Five chances for vitamin K2

70% of the population – that’s how many people experts estimate are deficient in vitamin K2. The consequences are, for example, a higher incidence of osteoporosis, impaired tooth growth in children, rising incidence of tooth decay, but also a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. And at which times of life do we need it most?

Vitamin K2 is one of the little-known vitamins. Many of you may have heard that vitamin K has something to do with blood clotting. However, we are talking about vitamin K1, which is indispensable for the body precisely because of its participation in the blood clotting process, but on the other hand, you can hardly find a person who suffers from its deficiency. It is found in a wide range of foods of plant origin, and the body also builds up a rich supply of it in fat tissue. So why are we deficient in its little brother, K2?

And in which situations do we appreciate vitamin K2 the most?

In childhood

Vitamin K2 is essential for children, especially for the proper development of their bones and teeth. Without it, bone formation does not occur properly and low levels of vitamin K2 have also been linked to tooth decay in childhood.

During this period, the intake of ká deuce through supplements is not very suitable, so it is necessary to ensure its sufficient supply in the regular diet. High-quality butter and other dairy products, as well as eggs from free-range hens, should definitely not be missing from the diet. Ensuring sufficient vitamin K2 through a plant-based diet is a challenge for children. Fermented soya products such as natto contain phytoestrogens and their high consumption is not suitable for children.

When we want a baby

Pregnancy problems plague many couples, and one of the causes is delaying pregnancy until an older age. Vitamin K2 is one of the substances that can help here very effectively. It is particularly good for male fertility, where it improves sperm production and quality, but it is also beneficial for women.

Here, in addition to dietary supplementation, it is also possible to take ká dvojka in the form of dietary supplements. In addition, it can be well combined with epigenetic substances – for men, the combination with pomegranate extract is particularly suitable, for women with resveratrol.

In menopause

During menopause, there is a sharp decline in estrogen production, resulting in an increased risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.

Osteoporosis is caused by a lack of calcium in the bones. Doctors therefore advise at-risk women to supplement calcium along with vitamin D3 for better absorption. But osteoporosis does not necessarily mean that there is a calcium deficiency in the body. On the contrary, there may be plenty of it, but in places where we don’t want it.

One such place is the blood vessels. According to research, the presence of calcium deposits in the arteries is a greater risk than high cholesterol levels for myocardial infarction and stroke. They make blood vessels fragile, so they burst more easily, and they are not very flexible, which leads to a rise in blood pressure.

Vitamin K2 will promote the deposition of calcium in the bones while removing it from places where it is unwanted. This includes not only the blood vessels, but also the elastic fibers in our skin, which helps to reduce sagging skin and wrinkles.

The combination of vitamin K2 with resveratrol is also very useful during the menopause, as it supports the protection of the heart and blood vessels and also improves the condition of the skin.

In protecting the heart

The protective effect against the formation of calcium plaques in blood vessels works not only in menopausal women, but also in men. A sufficient intake of vitamin K2 is therefore essential for men as well.

In the senior age

Another serious disease in which vitamin K2 deficiency may play an important role is Alzheimer’s disease, which mainly affects people over 60 years of age. K2 prevents the accumulation of free radicals in brain tissue, where they could cause DNA damage to brain cells. According to some theories, it may even influence the activity of certain genes involved in the development of Alzheimer’s disease (we are talking about so-called epigenetic action, where genes are “switched off” or “switched on” through chemical reactions).

In the prevention of cancer and diabetes

Research from 2010 showed that people with adequate vitamin K2 intake have a 30% lower risk of getting cancer and a similar percentage lower chance of dying from cancer.

In addition, osteocalcin, a protein activated by vitamin K2, can increase insulin production and tissue sensitivity to the hormone. Improvements in insulin production occurred in the subjects studied just one week after starting to take the vitamin!