Reddit mentions of Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox: How a Little-Known Vitamin Could Save Your Life

FWIW, I definitely don't disagree with you in theory. I am just a random guy. And random guys are not often right!

If you think there is a small chance I am right, then I would check out these cheap Kindle books, which are slightly more credible:

This guy is an actual MD who prescribes D3 in the range that I take:

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Vitamin-Scientific-Practical-Information/dp/1508946310

This dude is what got me initially curious, he is a bit of a lunatic (what an endorsement!), but he cites a LOT of papers. After reading this, I read some more books.

https://www.amazon.com/Miraculous-Results-Extremely-Sunshine-Experiment/dp/1491243821

And then this one on K2:

https://www.amazon.com/Vitamin-K2-Calcium-Paradox-Little-Known/dp/0062320041

Also, I have gotten several friends and family members to run the same test in the last year, and all report positive results with healthy D and calcium levels. Again, I'm just a random dude, so YMMV, but I'm obviously a big believer at this point.

Thanks!

First of all, calcium is pretty hard to be deficient in if you’re really eating a whole food AIP diet. Most people get too much and even doctors (who bother to pay attention to updated evidence-based guidelines) don’t recommend calcium supplements, as they don’t help osteoporosis, unless there is evidence of a legit deficiency. If you’re getting enough vit D you’re absorbing enough calcium.

Vit D lab values should be mid point on a blood test ~50-70, with “normal” levels being between ~30-100, & any Dr that says otherwise is either lazy or ill informed regarding pretty much all research over the last 10 years-always remember “normal” values aren’t even kind of the same as “optimal for best health/healing a broken body” levels. Fun fact: RDA for Vit D was established as amount needed to avoid rickets. Personally, I’d like to set the bar higher than non-rickets, especially considering how absolutely vital it is in terms of immune system function-regardless of calcium. But I digress...

“Vit K” is really two different things-K1 & K2 and they are not metabolically interchangeable. K1 is from mostly leafy greens and, as you alluded to, is the one that is best known for assisting with clotting. K2 is ONLY available after K1 has been converted via specialized bacteria and is used by the body (in simplified terms) to put calcium where it’s supposed to go-ie, bones rather than arteries.

Most humans aren’t able to convert K1 to K2 on their own in their own guts (even “healthy” adult guts, as demonstrated in research) and thus almost all K2 is gained through fermented foods like aged cheeses, sauerkraut, etc. One of the many reasons ALL traditional cultures ate fermented foods in one way or another & had great teeth!

Best food source of K2 anywhere is Natto, which is a fermented soy bean & used as a condiment in Asia. As with many Asian flavors/foods, it has a pungent “acquired” taste to it that even most “I love Asian food!” folks can’t bring themselves to gag down. Not only that, but on an AIP diet you’d have to weigh pros of a small exposure to a traditionally prepared soy product vs. just getting it through other types of fermented foods or even a K2 supplement (many D3 supplements now come as a D3/K2 combo formula).

In any case, though I understand your caution regarding Vit K-as blood clots are frequently deadly-the functional difference between K1 & K2 is the reason that your doctor hasn’t warned you off of pickles & aged cheese, like he has with too much spinach and salads, in fear of too much K2 ingestion.

I’d worry less about calcium than I would magnesium. Post is already long enough so I’ll let you research that on your own. More info about K2 can be found either through PubMed (for the deep dive science nerds of us out there who love the soporific effect of reading lengthy alphabet soup microbiology & statistical analysis scientific research) or the book Vitamin K2 & the Calcium Paradox.

Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox: How a Little-Known Vitamin Could Save Your Life https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062320041/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_PtMiDb6G0XEJD

One thing you can do is to make sure your vitamin D levels are sufficient:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4463890/

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2017/02/study-confirms-vitamin-d-protects-against-cold-and-flu/

I take 2000 IU twice a day now. I like this one by Now Foods:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001UZPY1O/

I was taking 5000 IU a day for a while, but then I got tested and my blood levels were on the high side of normal, so I dialed it down to 2000 IU once a day and they were on the lower side of normal, so now I'm doing 2000 IU twice a day. The key is to get yourself tested to see what your base level is, then get tested again after supplementing for a while at a particular does, and dial it in from there.

Incidentally it also seems to be a good idea to take Vitamin K2 and calcium if you're taking Vitamin D3. Apparently the D3 tells your body to absorb the calcium, and the K2 tells your body where to put the calcium - i.e. in your bones and teeth rather than deposit it in your arteries. I take this one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002N1MW3W/

More info on the K2/D3/calcium link here if you're interested:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062320041/

get this book and then do what it says

http://www.amazon.com/Track-Your-Plaque-prevention-coronary/dp/0595316646/ref=la_B002BLT426_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1452556351&sr=1-7

This Dr. uses advanced imaging technology to track plaque buildup, and has devised a diet and supplement regimen that is scientifically proven to cleanout blood vessels

also get some K2 supplements

http://www.amazon.com/Vitamin-K2-Calcium-Paradox-Little-Known/dp/0062320041/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452556943&sr=8-1&keywords=Kate+Rheaume-bleue