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FTA:

The more vitamin K [structural formula on the right] you consume through your diet, the less likely you are to die from a heart attack or cancer. Spanish epidemiologists made this discovery after following 7216 people over the age of 55 for five years. The researchers believe that raising your vitamin K intake is one of the more sensible things you can do to extend your lifespan.

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    Why not just eat natto daily?

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      @rhonda, how much should I consume of vitamin K2? Could you post the brand that you use?

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        I previously used MK-7 (50 micrograms) by NOW brand but have switched to use Thorne vitamin D and vitamin k2 drops which contains MK-4. One drop contains 100 micrograms. (I also supplement with additional vitamin D capsules from thorne). The reason for the switch has do do with the fact that Thorne is a trusted brand whereas NOW is a soso brand. Both Mk-4 and Mk-7 are good. More studies have used MK-4 but Mk-7 has a longer half-life which is why 100 micrograms of MK-4 is what I take. @Shelbyrlff @Shelbyrlff

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          Hi again @rhonda. I really appreciate to be able to write to you and I’m a huge fan! I read something about synthetic multivitamins vs. natural multivitamins. And that the synthetic ones are not good for you because of “synthetics are made from derivatives of coal tar - a known carcinogen found in cigarette smoke” and many other cases. - https://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/synthetic-vs-natural-vitamins/ - http://www.foodmatters.com/article/how-to-tell-if-a-vitamin-is-natural-or-synthetic

          The only “natural multivitamins” that people suggested were there two: 1. https://www.iherb.com/pr/Natural-Factors-Whole-Earth-Sea-Women-s-50-Multivitamin-Mineral-60-Tablets/66428 and 2. https://www.iherb.com/pr/Garden-of-Life-MyKind-Organics-Women-s-Once-Daily-60-Vegan-Tablets/58122

          Would you ever switch over to these brands? What do you think of this debate of real and fake vitamins?

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        Hi Rhonda, which brands of MK7 do you trust?

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          Does it matter that it’s lower in grass-fed butter and cheeses compared to natto? With a high intake of K2 being in the 50-60 mcg range and benefits seen at just a few micrograms, do we really need high doses unless it’s a therapeutic situation? I’ve tried to find how much K2 is contained in butter, grass-fed meats, eggs, etc but I’m having a hard time finding the numbers.

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            I made a chart some time ago comparing various foods. To give you an idea: chicken breast has ~9micrograms (MK4) per 3.5oz; egg yolk has 31micrograms per 6 eggs; fermented cheeses have 50micrograms (MK9) per 100g; Natto has 1mg (MK7) per 100g. Not sure how much in butter but don’t think it is more than concentration in chicken breast. Gene polymorphisms play a role in how calcium and vitamin D levels and disease state all play a role in how much k2 we need.

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            could K2 be gotten with just grassfed butter and cheese? Or is a MK7 or MK4 supplement most beneficial?

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              There is some K2 in fermented cheeses but the amount is VERY small relative to natto. Supplement is best… MK7 has a longer half-life than MK-4 but many of the clinical trials showing benefits of supplementation have been done using MK4. I supplement with MK-7.

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                And out of curiosity here how does APO E status affect vitamin K metabolism? It seems that Apo E 4 allele has a negative effect on vitamin K status.

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                  I’m actually writing an academic paper that covers this and more (my next paper is on APOE and Alzheimer’s)! Unfortunately, I can’t talk about it yet (until submit) but you are totally on right track.

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                    I look forward to reading it! This paper seems to indicate that APOE4 has a negative effect on on vitamin K metabolism, http://www.lmreview.com/articles/view/Vitamin-K2-Essential-for-Prevention-of-Age-Associated-Chronic-Disease/ My mom has osteoporosis (and her side of the family tends to) and she has 1 APOE4 allele. This is despite drinking a fair amount of milk. The only thing that confused me was this paper saying that “This study demonstrates that a superior vitamin K status is associated with the apoE4 genotype in healthy older individuals from China and the UK.” PMID: 16351773 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]“ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16351773

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                      The the research I have done on this leads me to the conclusion that APOE4 carriers should a take K2 supplement. The China study you linked seems like an outlier as I have seen multiple studies showing the opposite. Thanks for the link.

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                        the key word here seems sto be “healthy”. i.e. the study carlsonbjj linked to mentions that superior vitamin K status is associated with the APOE4 genotype in HEALTHY older individuals.