Vitamin K2

Physiological Functions

• Blood Coagulation Function: Vitamin K2 plays a crucial role in the blood - coagulation process. It is involved in the activation of clotting factors Ⅱ, Ⅶ, Ⅸ, and Ⅹ. When these clotting factors are synthesized in the liver, vitamin K2 is required as a coenzyme to enable their carboxylation and activation, ensuring normal blood clotting and preventing bleeding tendencies.
• Bone Health: Vitamin K2 can activate osteocalcin, a protein that is essential for bone mineralization and maintaining the normal structure of bones. The activated osteocalcin can bind to calcium, promoting the deposition of calcium in bones, increasing bone density, reducing bone loss, and helping to prevent osteoporosis.
• Cardiovascular Protection: Vitamin K2 can inhibit the carboxylation of matrix Gla protein (MGP), keeping it in an inactive state, thereby preventing the occurrence of vascular calcification. Vascular calcification can lead to hardening of the blood vessel walls, reduced elasticity, and an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, vitamin K2 has a certain protective effect on cardiovascular health.

Sources

• Food Sources: Vitamin K2 is mainly present in fermented foods and animal offal. For example, natto is a rich source of vitamin K2. The vitamin K2 content in every 100 grams of natto can be as high as several hundred micrograms. In addition, foods such as cheese, egg yolks, and animal livers also contain a certain amount of vitamin K2.
• Intestinal Synthesis: Some beneficial bacteria in the human intestine, such as Bifidobacterium, can synthesize vitamin K2. However, the amount of vitamin K2 synthesized by the intestine is relatively limited and cannot fully meet the body's needs. It still needs to be supplemented through food and other means.

Deficiency Symptoms and Hazards

• Bleeding Tendencies: A deficiency of vitamin K2 can lead to a disorder in the synthesis of clotting factors, making the body prone to bleeding symptoms such as skin ecchymoses, gum bleeding, and nosebleeds. In severe cases, internal bleeding may occur, endangering life.
• Osteoporosis: Long - term vitamin K2 deficiency can affect the activity of osteocalcin, resulting in reduced calcium deposition in bones, decreased bone density, and an increased risk of osteoporosis and fractures.
• Cardiovascular Problems: A deficiency of vitamin K2 may prevent the effective carboxylation of MGP, promoting the occurrence and development of vascular calcification, and thus increasing the incidence of cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease and arteriosclerosis.

Supplementation and Applications

• Supplements: For people with insufficient dietary intake or special health conditions, vitamin K2 supplements can be taken to meet the body's needs. Vitamin K2 supplements usually come in the form of capsules and tablets, with common dosages ranging from 45 micrograms to 180 micrograms per day. When choosing supplements, it should be based on individual circumstances and the advice of a doctor.
• Medical Field: In the medical field, vitamin K2 has been used to treat vitamin K deficiency, osteoporosis, and other diseases. For example, some anti - osteoporosis drugs may add vitamin K2 to enhance the drug's protective effect on bones. In addition, for patients who may have vitamin K deficiency due to long - term use of antibiotics, doctors may also recommend supplementing vitamin K2.