Vitamin K isn't exactly one of the star vitamins. However, when it comes to a healthy and balanced diet, it's essential. Vitamin K is extremely important for your bones, your well-being, and your mental acuity. In this article, you'll learn everything about vitamin K, its function and effects, including its relationship with vitamin D, and which foods contain particularly high levels of it.
Table of contents
1. Strong bones and a strong brain!
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin whose primary function is to activate various proteins . This means that these proteins, such as bone proteins, remain in an inactive form until vitamin K is added and activated.
There are three types of vitamin K. Perhaps the most important is K2, which is the more active form and possesses most of the strengthening properties described below. It is found primarily in animal liver, fermented foods, and butter.
Vitamin K2 initially enters your liver, but is then quickly transported to different parts of your body to perform various functions. Most studies focus on vitamin K2, which actively supports you and your cells, from bone density to memory .
This was also discovered by a study from the Université de Montréal, which focused primarily on the relationship between the nutrient and the brain.¹ The researchers discovered that vitamin K not only plays an important role in blood clotting , but also in the nervous system and the brain .
There, it is necessary for the synthesis of so-called sphingolipids. These fats are found in high concentrations in the cell membranes of the brain. The latest study from the Université de Montréal also examined the relationship between vitamin K and oxidative stress.² Never heard of these terms before? Then you can read all the important information in this article about oxidative stress .
Take-Home Message #1: Vitamin K supports your cells and is therefore essential for both your nerve cells and your brain. K2 is the most important vitamin in this group.
2. Vitamin K2 and Vitamin D
Vitamin K2 is particularly interesting in combination with another vitamin, namely vitamin D. In combination with the sunshine vitamin, it has the power to optimally integrate calcium into your body , thus supporting bones, teeth, and muscles.
The balance of the two vitamins also ensures that calcium doesn't accumulate in your blood vessels, thus protecting them from calcification . Without vitamin K2, your body can't properly utilize calcium . Therefore, according to recent studies, vitamin K should always be supplemented together with vitamin D3.
Take-Home Message #2: K2 works best in balance with vitamin D and is essential for proper calcium processing.
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3. The 3 most important strengths of vitamin K
1. A strong brain needs many different substances and chemicals to function properly. Vitamin K is definitely an important vitamin, like B12 and B6. These are essential for our cognitive functions and are involved in many processes. So, whether you want to push yourself in eSports or study for an important university exam, you should always make sure you have enough vitamin K.
2. Vitamin K2 promotes strong bones and increased energy . This is especially important for athletes who regularly push themselves to their limits.
3. Optimal calcium utilization is the basis for strong bones and muscles. Vitamin K2, along with vitamin D, is the most important ingredient in this process and activates your body's utilization of calcium. This way, you're doing something good for your blood vessels.
4. Vitamin K2 - It is found in these foods
The problem with vitamin K2 lies in the choice of foods , which has changed significantly over time. Fermented foods , such as sauerkraut and offal, such as liver, in particular, contain these valuable nutrients. But because diets have changed, most people no longer eat them, or eat very little of them.
Above all, they don't do it regularly , and this presents another problem. Vitamin K2 has a relatively short half-life in the body. Even though it's a fat-soluble nutrient that tends to be stored in the body, only small amounts of the nutrients are deposited, and the supply is quickly depleted.
The German Nutrition Society recommends at least 65 µg per day for women and 80 µg for men . Converting this to daily food intake would mean, for example:
- Brussels sprouts 25g
- veal liver 50g
- Eggs 3 pieces
- Quark 220g
- Mushrooms 400g
These are certainly good options, especially considering the numerous benefits of vitamin K2! When consuming these foods, it's important to combine them with high-quality fats and oils . Because vitamin K2 is also a fat-soluble nutrient , its absorption into the body is facilitated by other fats .
Green vegetables such as kale, broccoli, spinach, and parsley are very rich in vitamin K1. However, if you supplement with vitamin D3 , you should opt for a combination product containing the powerful vitamins K2 and D3 . Our VITAMIN D3⁺ OIL optimally combines their strengths and can be absorbed directly by your body.
Take-Home Message #3: K2 is found primarily in fermented foods and green vegetables. However, it's difficult to regularly consume the necessary amount of the vitamin through food. Therefore, supplementing with K2 in combination with vitamin D3 is recommended.
5. Conclusion
The importance of vitamin K, especially vitamin K2, for our bodies is often underestimated. We need it not only to activate proteins, but above all to process calcium. This occurs in the right combination with vitamin D. Therefore, the required amount of vitamin K2 is best absorbed as an oil.
6. Sources
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24108469
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3648721/
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