Get Vitamins From Your Diet
Because vitamins D and K are present in a wide variety of natural foods, its possible to get your Recommended Daily Intake from diet alone. Furthermore, eating a balanced diet means that you dont have to worry about drug interactions and youll get a wide variety of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that you wont find in vitamin supplements, making it healthier overall.
However, because natural sources of vitamin D are often lacking in the Western diet, its worth asking your doctor if supplements are right for you.
Treating Vitamin Deficiency In Newborns
Vitamin K is given as an injection to newborns to prevent vitamin K deficiency bleeding. The blood clotting factors of newborn babies are roughly 30â60% that of adult values this appears to be a consequence of poor transfer of the vitamin across the placenta, and thus low fetal plasma vitamin K. Occurrence of vitamin K deficiency bleeding in the first week of the infant’s life is estimated at 0.25â1.7%, with a prevalence of 2â10 cases per 100,000 births. Human milk contains 0.85â9.2 μg/L of vitamin K1, while infant formula is formulated in range of 24â175 μg/L. Late onset bleeding, with onset 2 to 12 weeks after birth, can be a consequence of exclusive breastfeeding, especially if there was no preventive treatment. Late onset prevalence reported at 35 cases per 100,000 live births in infants who had not received prophylaxis at or shortly after birth. Vitamin K deficiency bleeding occurs more frequently in the Asian population compared to the Caucasian population.
Bleeding in infants due to vitamin K deficiency can be severe, leading to hospitalization, brain damage, and death. Intramuscular injection, typically given shortly after birth, is more effective in preventing vitamin K deficiency bleeding than oral administration, which calls for weekly dosing up to three months of age.
Dietary Intake In Humans
The European Food Safety Authority and the US Institute of Medicine, on reviewing existing evidence, have decided there is insufficient evidence to publish a dietary reference value for vitamin K or for K2. They have, however, published an adequate intake for vitamin K, but no value specifically for K2.
Parts of the scientific literature, dating back to 1998, suggest that the AI values are based only on the hepatic requirements . This hypothesis is supported by the fact that the majority of the Western population exhibits a substantial fraction of undercarboxylated extra-hepatic proteins. Thus, complete activation of coagulation factors is satisfied, but there does not seem to be enough vitamin K2 for the carboxylation of osteocalcin in bone and MGP in the vascular system.
There is no known toxicity associated with high doses of menaquinones . Unlike the other fat-soluble vitamins, vitamin K is not stored in any significant quantity in the liver. All data available as of 2017 demonstrate that vitamin K has no adverse effects in healthy subjects. The recommendations for the daily intake of vitamin K, as issued recently by the US Institute of Medicine, also acknowledge the wide safety margin of vitamin K: “a search of the literature revealed no evidence of toxicity associated with the intake of either K1 or K2”. Animal models involving rats, if generalisable to humans, show that MK-7 is well tolerated.
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The Optimum Dose Of Vitamin K2
As the intestines only produce small quantities of vitamin K, we have to provide a supply from foods or supplements that are rich in vitamin K. There is clear evidence that vitamin K intake is too low in Western civilisation.
People over the age of 50 are particularly vulnerable to cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis, but it is precisely at this age that the diet often contains even less vitamin K and the skin’s exposure to sunlight is also severely limited, thus leading to deficiencies in vitamin K and vitamin D.
Professor Vermeer of the University of Maastricht thus recommends that people aged over 50 take a dosage of 100 to 200mcg vitamin K2 per day. The higher dosage of 200mcg is especially recommended for people who have a history of cardiovascular disease or osteoporosis in their families.
People who have early indications of cardiovascular disease or osteoporosis can also take the higher dose to ensure that all the body’s matrix Gla proteins are activated.
45mcg of vitamin K2 a day is generally enough for healthy people under the age of 50, but this recommendation only applies if there is no additional vitamin D3 intake from dietary supplements.
Anyone who wants to ensure an optimal supply and guarantee that all vitamin K2-dependent proteins are activated in the body should take at least 100mcg.
Note: If you are taking medication to prevent blood clots, please consult your doctor before taking vitamin K2.
Reasons Not To Take Vitamin K With D
If it isnt clear from the title of my blog yet, Ill make it clear. I dont normally recommend combo supplements of vitamin D3 with vitamin K . I get asked all the time why my brand of D3 doesnt have K in it, and it would have been cheap and easy to put it in there but I chose not to, because of SO many reasons which Ill discuss today, but mainly because the combination can increase risk of kidney stones and may contribute to coronary artery calcifications. Its all because the two of those nutrients together add more calcium to your blood, and thats not something you want!
Sky high doses of either D3 or K can also lead to higher risk of fractures.
I know this article is going to frustrate some people, so I want it understood that I am not anti-vitamin K, in fact you can read about the virtues of K, especially for men, by to read my article entitled, Vitamin K2 A Powerful Weapon Against Prostate Cancer.But again, I dont think its necessary to put into vitamin D formulas, and this is a controversial subject.
Both D and K are easy to get without supplementation by the way. For example, vitamin D can be obtained with a walk in some sunshine and fresh air, or just sitting on your rocking chair on your porch. The sunshine provokes vitamin D synthesis in your body. And vitamin K is found in delicious salads, vegetables and fruits.
Since were talking about interactions, you might be interested in my article, Avoid Dangerous Interactions When Taking Supplements.
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Vitamin D And Vitamin K: Here’s How This Combination Works
Pooja says, “The combination of vitamin D3 and K2 has gained scientific attention recently due to their complementary effects. You might say these two vitamins have a ‘Batman and Robin’ effect: they’re good on their own, but even better together when they work together. Both vitamins are fat-soluble and work together to metabolize calcium in your body by activating helpful proteins. While vitamin D3 improves your calcium absorption, vitamin K2 allocates where that calcium can be used.”
In a detailed caption, the nutritionist also states that vitamin D may end up taking calcium from your bones if it did not get enough amount of the same from your diet. So, Pooja says, in order to prevent the bones from weakening, vitamin K2 is needed to promote the calcification of your bones while regulating and reducing the damaging effect of the calcification and hardening of soft tissues .
Pooja also writes, “There is some evidence to suggest that taking the two vitamins together may help reduce the risk of developing conditions such as osteoporosis, or other chronic diseases like kidney or heart disease, though more research is needed in this area.”
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Be Careful Not To Take Too Much
Taking a combination of vitamin K with D3 causes your body to absorb more calcium from external sources and better retain it, potentially raising your blood calcium to unsafe levels. Excessive blood calcium is linked to muscle pain, high blood pressure and kidney stones, so you might be causing more harm than good if you take high-strength vitamin D and K supplements together.
Conversion Of Vitamin K1 To Vitamin K2
In animals, the MK-4 form of vitamin K2 is produced by conversion of vitamin K1 in the testes, pancreas, and arterial walls. While major questions still surround the biochemical pathway for this transformation, the conversion is not dependent on gut bacteria, as it occurs in germ-free rats and in parenterally administered K1 in rats. There is evidence that the conversion proceeds by removal of the phytyl tail of K1 to produce menadione as an intermediate, which is then prenylated to produce MK-4.
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A New World Of Opportunities With The Right K2
What then can nutraceutical manufactures take away from the emerging science surrounding vitamin D3 and K2? In short, this perfect pair present a golden opportunity for brands to appeal to health-conscious consumers who are keen to maximise their overall well-being.
As the body of scientific evidence grows to support the beneficial effects of vitamin K2, so too is awareness about the purity and quality of the different brands of K2 available on the market.
At Kappa Bioscience, we help manufacturers to unlock the benefits of D3/K2 with our pure, 99.7% all-trans vitamin K2 MK-7 supplement, K2VITAL, and K2VITAL DELTA, an innovative double-encapsulated exceptionally stable vitamin K2. These versatile, easy to use solutions are fully bioactive, ensuring that consumers can experience the full benefits for their bones, hearts and bodies.
References
Vitamin D And K Supplementation
Based on the current body of evidence, there is not enough evidence to recommend combined vitamin D and K supplementation for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Most trials studied low-dose vitamin D in isolation , which demonstrated only modest or null effects on BMD and fracture prevention in mostly 65 years postmenopausal women . Large clinical trials of moderatehigh dose vitamin D supplementation are currently in progress.
The most widely used vitamin K form for supplementation is vitamin K2 and more specifically menaquinone-4 and menaquinone-7. Menaquinone-4 is more used in trials with bone outcomes, while menaquinone-7 is more in trials with cardiovascular outcomes with dosages between 90360 g. Menaquinone-7 has a higher bioavailability and may be of particular importance for extrahepatic tissue . No cut-off value for vitamin K status nor vitamin K supplementation is available yet. Future studies are needed to determine whether vitamin D combined with vitamin K rich foods or vitamin K supplementation could improve bone and cardiovascular health.
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Why Should You Take Vitamin D With Vitamin K
Vitamins D and K work as a team. Taking them together is more beneficial than taking either on their own .
These two vitamins work together to support a healthy heart and healthy bones.
This next section explains the connection between vitamins D and K, and suggests why you should take the two together.
What’s The Best Way To Combine Vitamin D3 With Vitamin K2
We recommend taking vitamin K2 consistently throughout the year, daily and at the best dosage for you . Adjust the dosage of vitamin D3 to suit your lifestyle, or – even better – to suit the level of vitamin D3 25D in your blood.
If you sunbathe for a sufficient time more than twice a week in summer, you probably won’t need any extra vitamin D3 at this time of year. For the rest of the year, experts recommend adjusting vitamin D intake to suit your lifestyle and age, so that your 25D level remains in the optimal range of 50 to 80 ng/ml.
Experience has shown that for most people, depending on the time of year, a daily dosage of between 2500 and 5000 IU of vitamin D3 is the best way to maintain a healthy level of 50-60 ng/ml of 25D in the blood.
Vitamin D3 and vitamin K2 work together directly, but the dosages of these two vitamins are independent of each other, which means that no matter how much vitamin D3 you take, the optimal dosage in order to benefit from the full effect of vitamin K2 always remains the same – between 100 and 200 mcg per day .
Note: If you have a regular daily intake of more than 5000 IU, we recommend that you have the level of 25D in your blood tested every 3 months. This test is especially useful when you begin taking vitamin D3, to find out how much vitamin D3 you need to take every day to achieve an optimal level.
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Should Vitamin D3 Be Taken With Vitamin K
Because both vitamins are essential for regulating calcium in your body, many people believe that you should always take vitamin K with D3, but what are the risks of a vitamin imbalance? A high vitamin D intake may lead to blood vessel calcification and heart disease, based on several lines of evidence known to the medical profession:
Vitamin D Toxicity causes Hypercalcemia
Hypercalcemia leads to Blood Vessel Calcification
Blood Vessel Calcification is Associated with Heart Disease
BVC is Linked to Vitamin K Deficiencies
High Vitamin K Doses may Reduce the Risk of Heart Disease
In summary, high levels of vitamin D can increase your risk of blood vessel calcification, while maintaining healthy levels of vitamin K can help prevent this. Fortunately, there isnt enough evidence to suggest that moderate vitamin D levels are harmful without vitamin K, so most people shouldnt have to worry about a serious imbalance of vitamins D and K.
What Is Vitamin D
The main source of Vitamin D is the sun. If the sun is exposed to UVB radiation, the cholesterol in the skin is converted into Vitamin D3. The formation occurs in the skin from cholesterol. The sun’s rays must be strong, and the skin must be directly exposed to our bodies producing enough natural vitamin D3. That is why it is called the sunshine vitamin.
Vitamin D plays an important part in many of the bodys essential functions. Below we have listed the most important:
- Vitamin D contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
- Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal bones and teeth.
- Vitamin D contributes to normal absorption/utilization of calcium and phosphorus.
- Vitamin D contributes to the normal blood calcium levels
- Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal muscle function
- Vitamin D has a role in the process of cell division.
Vitamin D is needed for normal growth and development of bone in children and contributes to the normal function of the immune system. Because of that it is recommended to support your child with extra Vitamin D from 0-4 years old. It is also recommended for pregnant women to take Vitamin D during their pregnancy.
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How To Combine Vitamin K With D3
Vitamins D and K are essential for healthy bones, helping your body absorb and safely distribute calcium, though deficiencies, deficits and imbalances can seriously affect your health. To help you get the most from these vitamins, here are several tips on how best to combine vitamin K with D3 as part of a healthy lifestyle:
Vitamin D: Nutritionist Pooja Makhija Explained The Relationship Between Vitamin D3 And K2 She Also Shared Various Sources Of Vitamin K
Sunlight is one of the best sources of vitamin D
Everyone knows that the body requires some important minerals in the form of vitamins to remain fit and healthy. Vitamin D and vitamin K are two of the most significant nutrients. Vitamin D supports bone health, builds immunity, as well as helps in improving energy and mood. Whereas, vitamin K2 also promotes bone and heart health. However, it’s believed that these two vitamins can be consumed together for a better impact on the body. In one of her Instagram posts, nutritionist Pooja Makhija has also explained how this combination works. In the video, she asks, “Secret ingredient along with sunlight to make vitamin D more potent?” As the answer, she says, “Vitamin K2.”
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Do You Need Vitamin K With D3
Vitamin D and K are essential for your health and support the healthy absorption and regulation of calcium in your body.
The two vitamins complement each other, though some sources claim that taking vitamin D can be harmful if you are low in vitamin K.
So, can an imbalance of vitamins D and K cause you harm, and should you be taking them together, or can you mix and match?
In this article, well be answering these questions and more as we look into the health benefits of both vitamins, as well as the various combinations you can find, such as vitamin K with D3. While it may seem odd to claim that a normally beneficial vitamin can cause you harm if you lack another, typically harmless vitamin, its not unheard of.
For example, vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium properly, so taking one without the other may lead to deficiencies over time. Similarly, some health experts believe that ensuring adequate vitamin D and K levels is the best way to enjoy their health benefits, but is it essential to take them together? To get to the bottom of this question, lets start with the basics
