Good News for Old Bones!

Got tired, old bones? You need vitamin K! A new research study has concluded that vitamin K2 in supplemental form (menaquinone) "significantly decreased the age-related decline in bone mineral density and bone strength" and said that "low-dose MK-7 supplements may therefore help postmenopausal women prevent bone loss." Specifically, the study noted that K2 "significantly improved" bone mineral density and bone strength in the lumbar spine and femoral neck bones. Vitamin K is best known for helping blood to clot normally. Incidentally, this is where the “K” comes from; the German medical journal that first published the findings of the vitamin in 1935 referred to it as Koagulationsvitamin. It is also known to help protect nerve cells from oxidative damage. In fact, vitamin K helps a variety of health conditions:

• anticoagulant therapy
• bone fracture
• chronic liver disease
• cystic fibrosis
• hardening of the arteries
• inflammatory bowel disease
• liver cancer
• pancreatic cancer
• kidney stones
• nausea and vomiting during pregnancy
• osteopenia (bone loss)
• osteoporosis (decreased bone mineral density)
• thrombosis

Interestingly, the type of K2 (menaquinone) used in the study is the same type included in Hallelujah Acres' B-Flax-D supplement, which also includes vitamin D3, another important factor in bone health. The amount of K2 in B-Flax-D is much less (10 mcg) than the study participants were taking (180 mcg). However, this can be a good thing. Too much vitamin K can interfere with blood thinning medications, but the amount in B-Flax-D has been clinically shown not to interfere with this kind of medication. Now, if you are one of those who are on an anti-coagulant medication (like Coumadin, for example), there is some technology you can take advantage of; there’s an iPhone app you can buy to track your intake of vitamin K to help you keep levels under control. Got a tip for strong bones? Scroll below the related stories to comment!