Why you need to think about supplementing vitamin D3 with vitamin K2

In our last article we warned you to not be too careless about taking paracetamol due to the small margin between a meaningful dose and a toxic overdose, especially when used chronically. This was caused by my anger about the fear which is instilled into the public for overdosing on vitamin D.

The expert which was interviewed in the program, mentioned how overdosing on vitamin D would calcify our arteries. He failed to mention there's no danger for calcification when you combine vitamin D with vitamin K.

Which is why I want to focus once again on why you should supplement both vitamins.

But before I do so, I'd like you to tell you how you don't need to be afraid of higher vitamin D3 dosages. Enter, the so-called “stoss therapy,” which refers to the use of a very high singular oral or intramuscular mega-dose of up to 500 000 iu vitamin D3.

This type of supplementation offers not only efficacy and safety but also a sustained effect. Vitamin D mega-dose therapy is effective in normalizing serum vitamin levels, and the toxicity assessed through adverse effects was low, with no expressive clinical significance despite using a singular dosage in a single oral dose. Now we know this, let's go back to the basics!

What is vitamin D3?

Vitamin D is produced when the skin is exposed to sunlight, which explains why it’s commonly referred to as the sunshine vitamin.
Sunlight contains ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation that can penetrate the skin and trigger biochemical reactions that convert previtamin D into active vitamin D3.
How much vitamin D is produced in response to sun exposure depends on many factors.
Older individuals and those with darker skin pigmentation may not generate enough vitamin D even if exposed to adequate sunlight, leaving the elderly and people with darker skin tones at risk of vitamin D deficiency.
Vitamin D3 is a fat-soluble vitamin that's primarily stored in fat cells and the liver. While the body tends to store enough vitamin D to compensate for short periods without UVB radiation, limited sun exposure for prolonged time will lead to vitamin D insufficiency.

Four health benefits of vitamin D3

Vitamin D is vital for health and regulates calcium balance, nerve signal transmission, immune defenses, and neurotransmitter production.
Vitamin D plays such a fundamental role in various physiological functions that many scientists argue it should be classified as a hormone to emphasize its importance and the need to maintain optimal levels.

1. Improves bone health

Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, an essential mineral necessary to develop strong bones and maintain skeletal health.
Without vitamin D, only a small percentage of dietary and supplemental calcium can be absorbed, significantly increasing the risk of calcium deficiency.
Due to its role in maintaining healthy bones, vitamin D3 helps lower the risk of bone fractures and osteoporosis.

2. Supports a strong immune system

Vitamin D3 stimulates the activity of white blood cells, including T-cells, Natural Killer cells (NK), and macrophages, the body's primary defense against microbial infections and diseases.
Vitamin D also balances the ratio of immune cells, which strengthens immunity and lowers the risk of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, and type 1 diabetes.
Research published by Harvard Medical School found that vitamin D appears to lower prostate, colon, and breast cancer risk.
It’s believed that vitamin D’s role in enhancing immune cell function increases the body’s ability to detect and eliminate abnormal and potentially carcinogenic cells.

3. Promotes cardiovascular health

Evidence suggests that individuals with higher vitamin D status have a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
Vitamin D may help improve endothelial function, which is crucial for maintaining healthy blood vessels and lowering the risk of high blood pressure.
Lack of adequate vitamin D is linked to endothelial dysfunction, a condition characterized by vascular damage and a narrowing of vessels—prime risk factors for atherosclerosis and heart disease.

4. Supports mental health

Poor mental health can develop due to a complex interplay of underlying imbalances and nutrient deficiencies, and vitamins aimed at stress and anxiety can alleviate symptoms and enhance overall health.
Vitamin D has been found to influence various areas of the brain and promotes the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates moods.
Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with an increased risk of depression and anxiety, which may explain why mood disorders often develop during winter when adequate sunshine exposure is limited.

How much vitamin D3 do you need?

Vitamin D3 plays an essential role in a wide range of physiological functions, and low vitamin D levels can have serious health consequences.
Muscle weakness, bone pain, frequent infections, depression, acne, hair loss, and sore gums could be a sign of vitamin D deficiency.
It’s well established that vitamin D3 supplements can correct a deficiency and help maintain optimal vitamin D stores.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) suggests a daily vitamin D dose of 600 IU. However, 600 IU of vitamin D isn’t enough to significantly increase blood vitamin D levels.
In fact, research published in StatPearls found that it may require between 5,000 and 10,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily to prevent deficiency in most people.
Your appropriate dose of vitamin D3 depends on your vitamin D levels, age, health status, medication use, and average sunlight exposure.
If you are considering taking vitamin D, it’s recommended to consult a healthcare provider to perform a simple vitamin D test, which helps guide an effective and safe supplement dose.

Sources of vitamin D3

The most natural way to maintain healthy vitamin D3 levels is by exposing your skin to sunlight for 10 to 30 minutes several times a week.
However, geographical locations with latitudes higher than 42° north of the equator lack adequate UVB radiation, especially during the winter months, leaving large proportions of the population at risk of insufficient vitamin D status.
While there are a few dietary sources of vitamin D3, such as oily fish, cod liver oil, organ meats, and egg yolks, these foods typically contain only small amounts, which won’t be enough to promote healthy vitamin D stores.
Vitamin D3 can also be taken in supplemental form, and a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicates that dietary supplements are the most effective and reliable strategy to maintain optimal vitamin D levels.

Vitamin D3 risks

If taken in appropriate doses, vitamin D3 is considered safe and less likely to cause side effects than vitamin D2.
However, it’s important to be aware that vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that can accumulate in the body, and taking too much vitamin D3 may lead to adverse health consequences.

Vitamin D toxicity

Vitamin D toxicity, also known as hypervitaminosis D, is a rare but potentially serious condition characterized by elevated vitamin D levels.
Hypervitaminosis D is typically caused by prolonged intake of high-dose supplementation or linked to certain medical conditions, such as kidney disease, which can impair the urinary excretion of vitamin D.

Now we know more about vitamin D3 , let's focus on vitamin K.

What is vitamin K2?

Vitamin K2 is another fat-soluble vitamin that plays a crucial role in blood clotting, regulating calcium metabolism, and maintaining skeletal health.
Blood contains several vitamin K-dependent proteins, also known as matrix Gla protein (MGP), involved in forming blood clots, an important mechanism that regulates wound healing.
Low vitamin K status can impair the activation of MGPs, which affects normal blood clotting processes and increases the risk of bleeding disorders.
Vitamin K also activates proteins in blood vessels that deposit calcium into bone tissue.
Not only does this help increase bone mineral density, a marker of healthy bones, but it also significantly lowers the risk of arterial calcification, a leading risk factor of cardiovascular disease.

Here are common signs of vitamin K deficiency:

• easy bruising
• excessive bleeding
• bleeding gums
• heavy and painful menstruation

Because of its role in blood clotting and calcium balance, maintaining healthy levels of vitamin K2 while pregnant has been found to promote fetal bone growth and reduce the risk of excessive bleeding during childbirth.

How do vitamin D3 and K2 work together?

Vitamin D3 stimulates the uptake of dietary and supplemental calcium, which raises blood calcium levels.
While calcium is needed for bone growth and skeletal health, elevated calcium levels can lead to calcium deposition in soft tissues such as blood vessels, tendons, and joints.
Soft tissue and vascular calcification is a significant risk factor for coronary heart disease and other chronic diseases, including kidney disease and tendonitis.
Vitamin K2 redirects calcium from soft tissue into the bones, which balances blood calcium levels and helps significantly lower the risk of calcium deposits in arteries and other soft tissues.

Taking vitamin D3 without maintaining an adequate vitamin K2 status can lead to arterial plaque formation and cardiovascular disease, especially in individuals with a high calcium intake.

Three benefits of vitamin D3 and K2

Vitamin D3 and vitamin K2 are two fat-soluble vitamins that work in synergy, and combining these two vitamins can significantly enhance their effectiveness and health benefits.

Here are three benefits of vitamin D3 and K2.

1. Heart health

Combining vitamin D3 and K2 is crucial for heart health and longevity.
A study published in BMJ Open investigated the link between vitamin D3, vitamin K2, and the risk of heart disease and found that “low vitamin K and D status is associated with increased all-cause mortality risk and cardiovascular disease compared with adequate vitamins K and D status.”

2. Bone health

Vitamin D3 and K2 are necessary to ensure adequate calcium deposition into the bone matrix, which enhances the strength and rigidity of the skeletal system.
Taking vitamin D3 and K2 benefits bone mass and skeletal health and lowers the risk of age-related bone issues, including osteoporosis and osteopenia.

3. Skin health

Vitamin D3 and K2 can help improve the skin's health by stimulating collagen production and enhancing skin elasticity.

What’s the best vitamin D3 and K2 dosage?

The best vitamin D3 and K2 dosage depends on several factors, including your health status, age, and your vitamin D and K body stores.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), adults require 600 IU of vitamin D3 daily. However, significantly larger doses of up to 10,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily may be needed to raise insufficient vitamin D levels.
While general vitamin K2 intake recommendations range from 120 microgram daily for men to 90 microgram daily for women, the ideal vitamin K2 dosage depends on how much vitamin D3 you take.

The best ratio of vitamin D3 and K2 is 1000:10, which means you should take 10 microgram of vitamin K2 per 1000 IU of vitamin D3.

Best sources of vitamin K2

Vitamin K naturally occurs in two forms: vitamin K1 and K2.
Vitamin K1 is primarily found in plant-based foods, particularly green leafy vegetables and certain vegetable oils.
Vitamin K2 can be obtained from animal products and fermented foods and can also be produced by certain gut bacteria.
It’s thought that vitamin K2 is more effective than vitamin K1 and has a longer half-life in the body, meaning it remains in the bloodstream for extended periods.

Here are some of the best vitamin K2 sources: natto (fermented soybeans), Sauerkraut , grass-fed beef, pasture-raised eggs , dairy products

Vitamin D3 and K2 supplements

While most vitamin D supplements contain D3, some low-quality dietary supplements are made with D2, a less effective form of vitamin D linked to a higher risk of gastrointestinal side effects.
It’s also important to choose a balanced vitamin D3 and K2 supplement that offers a D3 to K2 ratio of around 1000:10.
Although both vitamin D and K are generally well tolerated, it’s important to note the potential risks of taking excessive doses of D3 and K2.
The National Kidney Foundation warns that too much vitamin K2 may pose risks for individuals with kidney failure.
Vitamin K influences blood clotting and shouldn’t be taken with blood thinning medications such as warfarin or by individuals with bleeding disorders.
In addition, excessive vitamin D intake can lead to vitamin D toxicity, a rare but serious condition that can have serious health consequences, including dangerously elevated calcium levels.
To minimize the risk of side effects and potential drug interactions, it’s crucial to consult a healthcare provider before adding vitamin D3 and K2 supplementation to your routine.

Conclusion

Taking vitamin D3 and K2 benefits bone health, lowers the risk of arterial calcification and heart disease, and may benefit reproductive functions.
To maximize the health benefits of vitamin D and K, it’s best to choose a vitamin D3 supplement that contains vitamin K2 in a ratio of at least 1000:10, meaning it delivers 10 microgram of vitamin K2 for each 1000 IU of vitamin D3.