Right now I'm considering taking a low dose Vitamin K2 or taking the Super K from Life Extension periodically say 1-3 times a week to ease into it. Does anyone have any positive experience with supplementing K2 (specifically the M-4 and M-7 types). Also what are your thoughts/opinion on the supplementing with K2 if you don't eat nano/and the other types of foods higher in K2...is it worth it and safe? Did some research and seems like its safe at low or moderate doses and of course no conclusive evidence on its uses and effectiveness. The other supplements i take are listed below. Vitamin D3 (*Liquid for 2,000 IUs) getting tested soon Vitamin C (*intermittently when ill) Magnesium Glycinate 400 mg daily Zinc chelated 10mg daily Turmeric/curcummin (*Life Extension) 500-1000mg daily Fish Oil 1200 EPA/ 800 DHA daily CoQ10 100 mg daily Probiotic 1 Billion organisms (*4 different types/strands) daily Glutamine powder 4,500mg daily (*for GI health and immune system function)
Well, I don't supplement vitamin K nor have I done much research on the supplementation thereof. If you want an opinion: it looks a bit excessive to me; much of what you listed can be obtained in necessary - if not optimal - amounts from a good diet of whole food. But you also didn't list reasons for what you take, so it makes it hard to actually give an opinion.
I understand that you and many people here may not know much about Vitamin K2 and it possible benefits and uses, but i figured some posters would and they'd give some advice/suggestions etc. I also posted what i supplement without the reasons why simply to give some context to what my regiment was like. I feel like there is enough research out there to warrant Vitamin D supplementation for pretty much everyone with the need to test obviously for optimal benefit. Of course most people can't afford to test all biomarkers and levels for everything routinely. Also, Magnesium glycinate is a form that is easier to digest. Plus out soil/food is low in that important mineral and it is involved in the absorption of calcium. I take zinc b/c its good for immune function and again i probably don't get enough from my diet. Again who knows though really 1). what optimal levels are and 2) whether your particular diet warrants supplementation. I take fish oil for the omega 3 that I don't get enough of in my diet and there is plenty of research to support the varied benefits of it and Curcumin for its anti inflammatory properties. I am considering taking Vitamin K2 b/c i don't eat nano or organ meat or raw hard cheese etc. I've read that its been linked to bone and arterial health.
There's no research showing the efficacy of MK-7 compared to MK-4. MK-4 has been shown to improve bone strength and decrease arterial calcification, so I would stick with natural sources of that (supplementing it is so damn expensive).
Would you supplement with K2 if you didn't eat hard cheese/yogurt etc...its my understanding that magnesium and K2 help with calcium absorption and there is really no need to supplement with calcium if you eat plenty of greens which i do. However, im lactose intolerant so dairy of any kind really isn't worth it to me.
The multivitamin I take is Optimen by Optimum Nutrition. I also take fish oil, creatine, beta-alanine, whey protein powder, and a caffeine sup. Could you link me to the probiotic you take? I've been thinking of adding one to my stack. Thanks
I take k2 because its been recommended to take it when taking large doses of vitamin d to prevent any adverse affects.
No, because butter oil (the supplement where you can get MK4 from) is way too expensive. If I was rich, yes I would. If you want to spend the money on butter oil, by all means - it's definitely a good choice if you can afford it. K2 and magnesium don't help with calcium absorption, they help with bone remodeling (K2, D, A, calcium, magnesium are cofactors in the same complex). Magnesium is actually a competitive molecule with calcium in the gut (and iron, zinc, and other metals that escape me); they are absorbed through the same pathway and will reduce each other's absorption. Casein actually promotes increased K2 retention/absorption, which is another reason I'm a fan of getting K2 from the source. Unfortunate that you're lactose intolerant, but we all have things we have to work around.
Most articles I've read say that if you take vitamin d without taking additional k2, you'll basically end up a stiff calcified mess and could suffer heart problems. What do you think? Hogwash?
I thought for sure there was some synergistic things going on with calcium absorption, magnesium, and K2...also i could have swore most Americans were very low in magnesium and K2 besides of course Vitamin D...and then you have the whole debate about how do you really know what the right or optimal dose/level is particularly with Vitamin D...
There is a synergistic relationship between calcium, magneisum and K2 - it just doesn't have anything to do with calcium absorption in the gut. They all interact during bone mass accrual and particularly in bone remodelling (when bone is structurally reconstituted to better handle loading and impact).
So it begs the question if you don't get much if any K2 from what you eat do you need to supplement with it? Also, how many people here have had their Vitamin D levels checked and rechecked to figure out if and how much D3 supplementation they need?
Butter oil is the best supplement for the MK-4 version of K2, but it's expensive. You don't need to supplement with MK-4 and you'll probably live a long and healthy life without it. But it is protective against osteoporosis, arterial calcification, and other bone or artery related problems (and probably other things we don't know about too). Take it when you can get it and otherwise don't worry about it too much, unless you wanna spend the $60/month on butter oil. If you can get grassfed butter, ghee (which doesn't bother lactose intolerant people), milk, or cheese without too much hassle -- go for it.
