If you’re reading this, you’re among the first to learn about an amazing new study on vitamin K2’s cardiovascular benefits. However, in order to understand the significance of this, let’s start with a review “arterial calcification.” This is the term used when calcium gets deposited into the arteries, and this can happen when the body doesn’t have enough vitamin K. Since vitamin K tells your body where to put that calcium you’ve consumed (we want it in the bones, not the arteries), a deficiency is why you may have heard some studies linking calcium to an increased risk of heart attacks.
In fact, arterial calcification is now considered one of the best predictors of a heart attack or stroke—a better predictor than your age, family history, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, etc. So having as little calcium in the arteries is one of the best things you can do for your cardiovascular health, and that’s the responsibility of vitamin K (in doing so, vitamin K also helps ensure calcium gets deposited in the bones, where it belongs).
Unfortunately, new studies are consistently finding that the vast majority of the population are not getting enough vitamin K to prevent calcium build-up in the arteries.
Recently, in May 2012, at the Vitafoods convention in Geneva, Dr. Cees Vermeer (at Maastricht University) presented preliminary data showing that daily supplementation with MK-7 (a specific form of vitamin K2) significantly improved bone strength and prevented progression of cardiovascular disease.
In this 3-year study, women received 180 µg/day of MK-7 or placebo. While MK-7 supplementation resulted in the expected bone-related benefits, after at least 2 years, it also resulted in an unprecedented improvement of blood vessel elasticity!
From previous studies on vitamin K, we knew that consuming enough could slow the progression of arterial calcification; however, the results of this study now provide us with real-life human data that we can actually REVERSE pre-existing arterial calcifications (which was only previously only seen in an animal study)!
While 180 mcg/day is an odd dose, at just 6 drops of Inno-Vite’s Liquid K2 Extra Strength, it’s the easiest way to get your daily dose. It also happens to be the “cleanest” MK-7 supplement (non-GMO, contains no anti-foaming chemicals, solvent residues, etc.), making it the healthiest choice for you and your family.
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Lee Know, ND, has held positions as a medical advisor, scientific evaluator, and director of R&D for major organizations. Visit and subscribe to www.KnowGuff.com to be entertained with the latest in health and nutrition research.