Tag: Matrix gla protein

According to the CDC, nearly half of American adults have hypertension, and a major factor is arterial stiffness. Emerging research suggests a connection between this condition and vitamin K2, prompting the question: does vitamin K2 help lower your blood pressure?

Functional vitamin K insufficiency affects a large portion of the population, leading to the under-activation of key proteins vital for cardiovascular health. This article explores the compelling research showing how K2 MK-7 is good for the heart by actively regulating calcium and preventing the hardening of arteries.

According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin K is an essential cofactor for the post-translational modification of certain proteins required for blood coagulation and for controlling calcium binding in bones and other tissues. This vital nutrient activates specialized proteins, like osteocalcin, enabling them to effectively bind and manage calcium throughout the body.

Vitamin K was discovered in the 1930s due to observations of uncontrolled bleeding in chicks fed a deficient diet, a discovery that highlighted its crucial role in coagulation. While the body does not create vitamin K itself, this fat-soluble nutrient acts as a vital co-factor, enabling the body to produce specific, essential proteins required for blood clotting, bone mineralization, and cardiovascular health.

Over two decades of research have focused on the distinct physiological role of menaquinone-7 (MK-7), a highly bioavailable form of vitamin K2. MK7's primary function is to activate specific vitamin K-dependent proteins, directing calcium to bones and teeth while preventing it from accumulating in arteries and soft tissues.

Recent studies suggest that while Vitamin D is crucial for absorbing dietary calcium, Vitamin K2 plays an equally important, yet distinct, role. Its primary function isn't absorption itself, but rather ensuring calcium is deposited in the bones and teeth, where it belongs, rather than accumulating in soft tissues like arteries. This article explores the symbiotic relationship between these nutrients and answers the crucial question: Is vitamin K2 necessary for calcium absorption?

Research has consistently shown a strong association between vitamin K2 deficiency and the progression of arterial calcification. This powerful nutrient plays a crucial role in directing calcium to the bones where it belongs, and keeping it out of soft tissues like arteries. By understanding what vitamin reduces calcification, you can take steps to improve your cardiovascular health.

The body requires vitamin K to activate several proteins crucial for survival, a process first discovered in the 1930s when a cholesterol-depleted diet caused severe bleeding in chicks. But what is vitamin K required for synthesis of, specifically? The answer extends beyond blood clotting to bone and cardiovascular health.

Over 17 different proteins in the human body are known to be vitamin K-dependent, playing crucial roles that extend far beyond blood clotting, which is its most recognized function. Understanding what are the factors dependent on vitamin K is key to appreciating its broad impact on physiological processes, including bone and cardiovascular health.

A recent study found that vascular calcification impacts a majority of adults over 70, leading some to question, "Does vitamin K cause calcification?" The scientific evidence overwhelmingly shows that adequate vitamin K intake, particularly K2, prevents, rather than promotes, calcification in soft tissues like arteries, while directing calcium to bones.