Odontoblasts Depend On Fat
Your tooths immune system is part of the osteoimmunity system. Defects in bone marrow dentin formation have been shown to correlate to defects in bone mineralization.
Like bone and other immune cells, odontoblasts require the fat soluble Vitamins A and D in order to release osteocalcin and MGP-protein.
Osteocalcin and matrix-GLA protein depend on Vitamin K2 to both prevent and heal tooth decay naturally.
Without Vitamin K2 teeth may not place minerals properly. The Vitamin K2 proteins cannot manage the tooth mineralization process. Theyre asleep at the wheel. Vitamin K deficiency or a Vitamin K resistance, could be result in altered dentin mineralization.
Drinking Coffee And Teas
Some teas contain herbs which should be avoided before surgery because they may lower blood pressure, such as hibiscus, or lower blood sugar, like mulberry leaf. Normally these would be considered benefits, though while under anesthesia, they could add complexity to controlling your baseline metabolic parameters. Due to bleeding concerns, no green tea before surgery is sometimes advised.
As with other herbs, there isnt much of a consensus as to which teas are bad and good. For example, there is lack of evidence to prove green teas blood thinning characteristic, at least with the normal dosages one would drink. In fact, numerous pieces of research even suggest it may offer a benefit for the healing of surgical wounds.
To be safe, tell your doctor about any teas and herbal beverages you drink and if they advise to do so, discontinue their use. Stopping 10-14 days prior is typically whats advised.
Even if they permit the drinking of it, you definitely dont want to drink green or black tea during the 24 hours prior, due to its caffeine content.
Thats even more important for coffee, which has much higher caffeine content.
Vitamin K2 And Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Female Fertility
Polycystic ovary syndrome is characterized by an overproduction of certain steroids such as testosterone and DHEA sulfate .
One randomized control trial showed that Vitamin D-K-calcium co-supplementation for 8 weeks among Vitamin D-deficient women with PCOS decreased DHEAS levels and testosterone levels.
Vitamin K2 and its role in hormone production could both prevent and help treat polycystic ovary syndrome.
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Side Effects And Potential Risks Of Vitamin K2
Vitamin K can interact with some medications, including the anticoagulant warfarin . Warfarin works by inhibiting an enzyme that activates vitamin K, which reduces the ability of the liver to make clotting factors. Taking increased doses of vitamin K can decrease the effectiveness of warfarin and make your blood more likely to clot, which can increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and pulmonary embolism. Certain medications can also reduce vitamin K absorption in the body, including antibiotics and the weight-loss drug Orlistat. Talk with your healthcare provider about all medications and dietary supplements youre taking before you start vitamin K2 supplementation.
Is Eliquis Or Warfarin More Effective
Many doctors are more commonly prescribing factor Xainhibitors such as Eliquis. Because there is no INR monitoring, the dosage generally does not require adjustments. Also, there are fewer drug interactions, no dietary restrictions, and a lower risk of bleeding with Eliquis compared to warfarin.
A clinical trial called ARISTOTLE looked at the safety and efficacy of Eliquis compared to warfarin. Eliquis was found to be more effective than warfarin in lowering the risk of stroke and systemic embolism. People who took Eliquis also had significantly fewer bleeding episodes than those who took warfarin. However, although this study showed Eliquis to be more effective and cause fewer side effects, many people do very well on warfarin.
The best drug for you can only be determined by your healthcare provider, who can take into account the full picture of your medical condition, medical history, and other medications you take that could interact with Eliquis or warfarin.
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Differences Between Vitamins K1 And K2
A large epidemiological study from the Netherlands illustrates this point well. Researchers collected data on the vitamin K intakes of the subjects between 1990 and 1993. They measured the extent of heart disease in each subject, who had died from it, and how this related to K2 intake and arterial calcification. They found that calcification of the arteries was the best predictor of heart disease. Those in the highest third of K2 intakes were:
- 52 percent less likely to develop severe calcification of the arteries
- 41 percent less likely to develop heart disease
- 57 percent less likely to die from it
However, intake of vitamin K1 had no effect on participants heart health.
While K1 is preferentially used by the liver to activate blood clotting proteins, K2 is preferentially used by other tissues to deposit calcium in appropriate locations, such as in the bones and teeth, and prevent it from depositing in locations where it does not belong, like the soft tissues. In an acknowledgment of the different roles played by vitamins K1 and K2, the United States Department of Agriculture determined the vitamin K2 contents of foods in the U.S. diet for the first time in 2006.
Vitamin K In Osteoporosis
Vitamin K plays an important role in bone health as it is responsible for converting the bone protein osteocalcin from its inactive form to its active form. Osteocalcin is the major non-collagen protein found in our bones that anchors calcium into place within the bone. Low intake of vitamin K1 is linked to osteoporosis and hip fractures. Since vitamin K1 is found in green leafy vegetables, it may be one of the protective factors of a vegetarian diet against osteoporosis.
Various forms of vitamin K supplements have been used in human trials examining its effects on bone health: vitamin K1 , menaquinone-4 and menaquinone-7 . The results with these first two vitamin K supplements are much different than those achieved with MK-7. Most of the double-blind studies with vitamin K1 have shown only modest or mainly no effect on bone density and while studies with MK4 have shown positive results in reducing bone loss and fracture rates, the dosage used was well beyond a nutritional effect and more likely the positive results are due to a drug-like effect at such high dosages.
MK-7 has been found to be more potent and more bioavailable as well as to have a longer half-life than MK-4. MK-7 is also more effective than K1 in activating osteocalcin and stays in the blood circulation much longer.
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Thinking Of Supplementing With Vitamin D Think Vitamin K2 Too
Rachel Bartholomew BA , Dip ION, mBANT, CNHC, GHWon 21st April 2021
Much has been written about vitamin D in recent years. As reported cases of vitamin D deficiency have been increasing in incidence, public awareness on just how crucial vitamin D is for overall health has been growing too.
Vitamin D is best known for its essential role in supporting healthy bones, and we now know that it’s involved in many other aspects of your health too. Identification of the vitamin D receptor in nearly all tissue types throughout the body tells us that vitamin D has diverse and widespread effects on most aspects of health. Vitamin D is believed to play a crucial role in disease prevention and the maintenance of optimal health. Vitamin D is vital for immune health too. Several large-scale meta-analyses have now demonstrated an association between low vitamin D levels and increased mortality rates. In simple terms, this means that optimal vitamin D levels have been found to be associated with a longer lifespan.1-8
Vitamin D – The ‘sunshine’ vitamin!
Unlike other essential nutrients, our primary source of vitamin D isnt food, its sunshine! Our skin is able to make vitamin D when it comes into contact with the suns rays. With a distinct lack of sunshine however, especially in the colder months, supplementation is generally accepted to be the most effective way to increase levels of vitamin D in the UK.
Here’s 3 good reasons why:
2. Vitamin D3 & K2 may slow arterial calcification
What Is Vitamin K
Vitamin K was discovered in 1929 as an essential nutrient for blood coagulation, which is the scientific term for blood clotting.
The initial discovery was reported in a German scientific journal, where it was called Koagulationsvitamin. Thats where the K in vitamin K comes from .
It was also discovered by the dentist Weston Price, who traveled the world in the early 20th century, studying the relationship between diet and disease in different populations.
He found that the nonindustrial diets were high in an unidentified nutrient, which seemed to provide protection against tooth decay and chronic disease.
He referred to this mystery nutrient as activator X. Its now believed to have been vitamin K2 .
There are two main forms of vitamin K:
- Vitamin K1 : found in plant foods like leafy greens
- Vitamin K2 : found in animal foods and fermented foods
Vitamin K2 can be further divided into several different subtypes. The most important ones are MK-4 and MK-7.
Summary
Vitamin K was initially discovered as a nutrient involved in blood clotting. There are two forms: K1 and K2 .
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Is Vitamin K2 The Next D3
Just as there has been an explosion of positive science on the importance of vitamin D3, another nutrient, vitamin K, is showing tremendous promise in the treatment of a wide range of health conditions. In fact, since most people are not getting anywhere near the level of vitamin K in their diet, it is one nutrient that you simply need to learn more about.
How Does Vitamin K2 Work
Vitamin K2 has been the subject of many scientific studies for several decades, but it was only the impressive studies of vitamin K2 conducted at the University of Maastricht that drew such attention to its enormous importance to our health.
Vitamin K2 controls the way that the mineral calcium is stored and used in the body. This is performed by the utilisation of vitamin K2-dependent Gla proteins, which can only be activated by vitamin K2.
Although vitamin D3 causes the formation of osteocalcin, only vitamin K2 can activate osteocalcin, the protein that stores calcium in the bones.
Vitamin K2 also activates matrix Gla protein , which is responsible for the regulation of calcium in the arterial walls. MGP is the most effective inhibitor of arterosclerosis and can only be activated by vitamin K2. A lack of vitamin K2 therefore leads inevitably to hardening of the arteries.
Without activated Gla proteins, calcium migrates uncontrollably from the bones into the arteries, where it promotes arterosclerosis. In the absence of vitamin K2, calcium circulating in the body that has been absorbed from food by vitamin D is also deposited in the soft tissues of the body and in the arteries, leading to arterosclerosis.
Vitamin D3 should therefore always be taken in combination with vitamin K2. These two vitamins work together synergistically and ensure that calcium obtained from food is deposited in the bones and not in the arteries.
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Benefits Of Fish Oils
Omega-3 fatty acids strengthen the hearts electrical system, preventing heart rhythm abnormalities. Within the artery walls, omega-3 fatty acids inhibit inflammation, which is a factor in plaque build-up. Therapeutic doses of fish oils are therefore used to prevent the re-blockage of arteries that commonly occurs after angioplasty, a procedure in which a small balloon is used to open blocked blood vessels.
Omega-3 fatty acids are also effective general anti-inflammatories. Other preliminary evidence suggests that fish oils have many additional benefits, including prevention of graft failure after heart bypass surgery.
The Benefits Of Ample Vitamin K2
In this series, were going to explore the role of Vitamin K2 in your teeth, jaw and whole-body health. Its the inspiration I drew on for writing The Dental Diet.
Vitamin K2 provides one of the best examples of the mouth-body connection and well start by looking at its role in your teeth, tooth enamel, gums and saliva before moving on to its role in every organ throughout your body.
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What Most People Get Wrong About Oral And Dental Health
For years, the focus of oral health has centered around calcium and vitamin D3. Both of these nutrients are importantcalcium is the basic building block for our teeth and necessary for reversing cavities naturally. Vitamin D3, meanwhile, is a fat-soluble vitamin that functions somewhat like a hormone. And your body needs D3 in order to balance minerals and absorb the calcium you consume.
Up to 90 percent of the population is deficient in vitamin D, which leads many people to assume that the best way to protect bones and teeth is to increase intake of these nutrients. For example, calcium supplementation has long been a go-to remedy for preventing osteoporosis, which is classically associated with calcium deficiency.
But weve learned that supplementing with calcium on its own tends to cause an increase in heart-disease causing plaque. So whats the problem here? And why is the remedy for one problem causing another, potentially more dangerous one?
The issue is that focusing on calcium by itself cant achieve desired results, like stronger bones and healthy teeth. Yes, you need vitamin D3 for balance and absorption, but even those two nutrients together dont provide a complete solution.
Without vitamin K2, the bodys calcium may not end up in bones and teeth where its actually needed. Instead, it may travel to arteries where it calcifies and leads to heart disease.
Vitamin K2 For Osteoporosis Treatment
Menaquinone or Vitamin K2 is critical for osteoporosis treatment and prevention . It helps strengthen bone in two ways:
- Activates the osteocalcin so that it can help calcium bind to your bones.
- Keeps the calcium out of our blood vessels and targets it at our skeleton.
A paper by Myneni and Mezey in Oral Diseases identifies several additional benefits of Vitamin K2 when it comes to bone health:
- Promotes bone marrow stem cell proliferation.
- Stimulates osteoblast differentiation.
- Inhibits osteoclast formation by inhibiting expression of RANKL, and promotes osteoclast apoptosis.
Myneni and Mezey conclude that overall, has an anabolic effect on bone.
The Vitamin K2 initiative by the International Science and Health Foundation provides the following explanation:
Osteoblasts produce a Vitamin K2-dependent protein called osteocalcin, which helps bind calcium in the bone matrix, leading to increased bone mineral content. Consequently, the skeleton becomes more resistant and less susceptible to fracture. But osteocalcin needs Vitamin K2 to function optimally.
Several studies challenge the claim that Vitamin K2 enhances bone health. I discuss these later in this article.
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Do We Need K2 In Our Diet
A common misconception is that human beings do not need K2 in their diet, since they have the capacity to convert vitamin K1 to K2. The amount of K1 in typical diets is generally greater than that of K2, and researchers and physicians have largely dismissed the contribution of K2 to nutritional status as insignificant.
However, although animals can convert vitamin K1 to K2, a significant amount of evidence suggests that humans require preformed K2 in the diet to obtain and maintain optimal health.
The strongest indication that humans require preformed K2 in the diet is that both epidemiological and intervention studies show its superiority over K1. According to the epidemiological study from the Netherlands referenced above, intake of K2 is inversely associated with heart disease in humans, while intake of K1 is not. A 2007 study showed that K2 is at least three times more effective than vitamin K1 at activating proteins related to skeletal metabolism. And remember that in the study on the K2 vitamins role in treating prostate cancer, which I mentioned at the beginning of this article, vitamin K1 had no effect.
How Vitamin K2 Works
Vitamin K2 makes calcium work through its ability to activate specific K-dependent proteins already present in the body:
- Osteocalcin is the protein responsible for binding calcium ions to the bone mineral matrix, making bones stronger.
- Matrix Gla Protein is the most potent modulator of arterial calcification known today. The amount of arterial calcification is an indicator of ones cardiovascular health.
When the body has sufficient vitamin K2, calcium is directed to where it is needed and kept away from where it is not. However, inadequate vitamin K2 may result in what is known as the Calcium Paradox. This is where the bones receive too little calcium while excess calcium deposits in the arteries and blood vessels .
Vitamin K2 deficiency results in impaired bone strength and mineral density. And calcification increases vessels stiffness and fragility, impeding healthy blood flow to and from the heart.
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Avoid Dangerous Interactions When Taking Supplements
Whats On This Page?
We are better off getting our nutrients from healthy foods and beverages, but dietary supplements can fill a nutritional gap. Its confusing to know when you should take certain nutrients, especially the minerals which can bind or chelate with a lot of different medications. Its also difficult to time your supplements around meals and medications. Over the years, Ive used my own vitamin list to help me remember when and how to take supplements.
I think it could help you, especially if you have to take a lot of different things. You can download my form for free at my website and fill in the blanks with your own supplements. This cheat sheet will help you stay on track. As a pharmacist, its kind of in my blood to approach with caution and I dont necessarily mean pharmaceuticals. Supplements will act in your body exactly like a drug and the timing impacts efficacy. Before you embark on any supplement regimen, I suggest you ask a holistic-minded practitioner what is right for you with consideration to your allergies, your liver, kidney function and even genetic mutations.
Medicines and supplements that are best taken at NIGHT:DiphenhydramineAshwagandha Goto kola SkullcapStatin cholesterol reducers ACE inhibitors ARB class of blood pressure pills
All the best,Michael
