The good condition of bones, blood vessels and heart It depends on many factors, but there is one key nutrient that until now has received very little attention: vitamin K2. In fact, if they say K2 and you think of the mythical mountain of the same name rather than a vitamin.

The main reason for this lack of knowledge is that vitamin K1, the best known form of vitamin K, is transformed into vitamin K2 and K1 deficiency was not a concernbecause it is found abundantly in green leafy vegetables.

Discover the symptoms that indicate a lack of vitamin K in the following video.

Furthermore, vitamin K1 is needed only in small doses, about 90-120 mcg daily, to allow blood clottingits main function.

However, we now know that Only a small part of vitamin K1 is transformed into K2 and that, due to its properties, this vitamin is essential for the health of bones, the circulatory or nervous system. In fact, according to a recent study published in the journal NutrientsDue to its important functions, vitamin K2 meets all the requirements to be considered an essential nutrient and to determine the minimum recommended amount per day for the body.

What is vitamin K2 for?

There are several functions of vitamin K2 in the body, so its consumption is associated with a series of benefits:

1. Protects the heart and bones

Research from Erasmus University Rotterdam suggests that increasing the dose of K2 could reduce the risk of heart attack by half. On the other hand, a study by the University of Athens showed that it produces positive changes in bone density.

And vitamin K2 is essential, among other things, for fix calcium in the bones and not in the arteries. In this way it prevents everything from osteoporosis and osteoarthritis to arteriosclerosis and heart attacks.

Vitamin K2 teams up with vitamin Danother essential vitamin for bones. Vitamin D ensures that blood calcium levels are high.

But vitamin K2 activates osteocalcinthe protein that promotes the accumulation of the mineral in the bone. Therefore, both are essential.

2. Other benefits

Other scientific works relate K2 with dental healththe prevention of some types of cancer – such as prostate cancer – or neurodegenerative diseases.

Among studies suggesting that vitamin K2 may have a protective effect against cancerwe found one from Saga Medical School (Japan) that indicates that it reduces the recurrence of liver cancer. Another, from the Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg (Germany), concludes that high doses reduce the risk of prostate cancer by 63%.

Symptoms of vitamin K deficiency

The vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) It is found in plant foods and is essential in the blood clotting process. AND

The vitamin K2 (menaquinone) It is the result of the transformation of K1 by intestinal bacteroids and bifidobacteria and activates proteins that regulate the fate of calcium, collaborating in its fixation in the bones.

These important functions of both vitamin K1 and vitamin K2 mean that their deficiency is reflected in these symptoms:

• The main symptom of vitamin K1 deficiency is the tendency to suffer hemorrhages and bruisesas well as blood stains under nails.
• The early and deep wrinkles on the face and neck may be a symptom of K2 deficiency and the risk of developing osteoporosis, according to a study published in Endocrine Reviews.

How do I know if I have a deficit?

The amount of vitamin K1 that is transformed into vitamin K2 depends on individual factors. The deficiency can be discovered by measuring the osteocalcin blood levels.

People who do not consume enough vegetables, those who suffer from alterations in the intestinal microbiota or inflammatory bowel disease are those who are at higher risk of suffering from a vitamin K2 deficiency.

Those who take anticoagulant drugs (warfarin, aspirin…), to reduce cholesterol or antibiotics.

Foods rich in vitamin K2

The minimum daily needs The reference level for vitamin K1, according to the Spanish Federation of Nutrition, Food and Dietetic Societies, is 90 micrograms for women and 120 micrograms for men.

At the moment there is no recommended minimum quantity recommendation for K2, as it is expected to be produced by the intestinal flora.

The best strategy to increase vitamin K2 consumption is:

• Eat green vegetables daily and in abundance, because they contain vitamin K1, which digestive bacteria are responsible for transforming into K2. The main sources of the precursor vitamin K1 are green leafy vegetables such as kale (882 micrograms in 100 grams), the cabbage (623 micrograms) and the spinach (494 micrograms).
• Take care of intestinal health for the conversion to be a success.

There are some foods that provide vitamin K2 directly. It is found, for example, in full-fat dairy products and fat from grass-fed animals. But it is also found in fermented vegetables:

• He natto of soy beans contains up to 900 micrograms in 100 grams.
• He sauerkraut It provides about 4-5 micrograms per 100 grams.

The vegan people They do not usually have vitamin K2 deficiency, unless they do not eat enough green leafy vegetables each day or suffer from a disorder that makes it difficult to convert them into K2. Some authors suggest that K2 should be obtained from foods of animal origin or fermented foods, but there is no consensus on this matter.

How to supplement it

The toxic potential of this vitamin is so low that a maximum dose has not been determined. Multivitamins contain 10 to 25 micrograms. Some doctors recommend 50 to 100 micrograms to people with osteoporosis or osteopenia.

Remember that supplements They do not replace a balanced diet.