4 Benefits of Vitamin K2 for the Body, Can Keep your Heart Healthy!

You may be familiar with vitamin B or C. However, did you know that vitamin K2 is also no less important for the body?

In general, vitamin K is an essential vitamin that supports blood clotting and bone health.

This vitamin is divided into two forms, namely vitamins K1 and K2.

Vitamin K2 is generally contained in animal proteins and fermented foods.

Bacteria in the human intestine also produce a small amount of this vitamin.

What Is Vitamin K2?

Read: Try These Foods with Vitamin K Content for Children

Vitamin K2 is a fat-soluble vitamin that the body needs to produce a protein called prothrombin.

This protein can improve blood clotting and regulate bone metabolism.

Another name for vitamin K2 is menaquinone.

This vitamin has several subtypes, which are called menaquinones (MKs).

Experts classify them into MK-4 to MK-13, based on the length of the side chain.

Since vitamin K is fat-soluble, eating dietary fats, such as butter or vegetable oils, can improve the absorption of vitamin K1 from plants by the body.

Vitamin K1 can be converted into Vitamin K2 with the help of the bacteria in the intestines that synthesize it.

In addition, fermented foods, meat, and dairy products contain moderate amounts of vitamin K2.

Our bodies store vitamins K1 and K2 differently.

If vitamin K1 accumulates in the liver, heart, and pancreas, Vitamin K2 is concentrated high in the brain and kidneys.

Benefits of Vitamin K2 for Health

In addition to its important role in blood clotting and wound healing, vitamin K2 has a number of other health benefits.

Below are the benefits of vitamin K2, including:

1. Good for Heart Health

Vitamin K2 improves overall heart health and lowers the risk of cardiovascular damage.

This was revealed in a 2015 review in Integrative Medicine: A Clinician's Journal.

It is known that this vitamin can activate proteins that prevent the formation of calcium deposits in the walls of blood vessels.

The researchers cited findings suggesting that a diet high in natural vitamin K2 was able to lower the risk of coronary heart disease.

2. Maintain Bone Health

Vitamin K2 can help increase the mineral density of healthy bones.

By way of carboxylation osteocalcin, is a protein that binds calcium to bones.

The intake of this vitamin is also believed to reduce the risk of fractures due to osteoporosis in menopausal women.

3. Lowers the Risk of Anxiety Disorders and Depression

High blood glucose levels can increase a person's risk of developing depression, anxiety disorders, and cognitive impairments.

Vitamin K2 can help normalize blood glucose levels and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.

However, more research on this is still needed.

4. Prevents Cancer

Vitamin K2 has antioxidant properties that can help protect the body from the growth of cancer cells.

A study found that this vitamin can suppress genetic processes that lead to tumor growth.

In addition, a 2019 study in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences also found something similar.

It is known that vitamin K2 could significantly reduce hypoxular-induced 1-alpha factor (HIF-1A) activity in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. HIF-1A is an important target for cancer drug therapy.

Thus the article about benefit of vitamin K2 for your health, hope this useful.