Vitamin K

Have been taking Vitamin K2 MK-7 form, varying from 90 to 270mcg per day, for 3 months.

I'm not sure I tolerate MK-7. Some anecdotal reports are it may give palpitations or arrhythmia. With me, it was a strange kind of Afib (if actually the cause of the Afib.).

Phill - Is the MK7 the only supplement you take?

If you take a significant amount of Vitamin D, then the MK7 dosing should be at the higher level.
Dosing recommendations vary according to the source. The optimal dose is 200 mcg..and often, it's recommended to take 90 or less.

The famous Rotterdam study that put the spotlight on MK7 was done with 45 mcg.

Consider stopping or cutting back to 45 mcg.

Jacie

Hi Jackie!

I take a number of supplements, but not Vitamin D as I've just had 6 months of sunny summer weather.

I've read online a few non-Afibbers mention that the MK-7 form of K2 can give them heart palpitations, but not MK-4. Perhaps as you suggest, I might simply be dosing sensitive (as I am to pharmaceuticals).

Phill... then why not just stop the MK7 and see if you eliminate that activity; the MK4 has a much shorter half-life in the body so that's probably why the reports indicate what they do. The MK7 becomes very important when taking vitamin D supplements to help avoid arterial and soft tissue calcifications from extra circulating calcium.... thus the preventive in the MK7.

Many people have sensitivities to various drugs and with natural supplements, sometimes there are ingredients and impurities, fillers, etc. that cause problems in those hyper-sensitive as well.

Just stop and then see what happens...and let us know.

Be well,
Jackie

Hi Jackie,

Could you clarify the Vitamin K2 variants?

Is "Life Extension Super K with Advanced K2 complex" something entirely different to what you're discussing? The dosing seems quite different.

I'm taking it and it says:
Vitamin K activity 2700 mcg (from K1, K2, K3). (Serving size 1 softgel. Take one daily.)

I'm taking it together with Vitamin D, Healthy Origins 5,000 IU, one a day.

My MD suggests I cut back on K2 (but she never mentioned these differences) because of blood thickness issues (not clarified yet, waiting for results on tests).
Any ideas on the relation of Vitamin K2 to blood thickness issues?

Many thanks as always, very much appreciate any help,
ginny



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/17/2017 05:20PM by Ginny51.

Hi Ginny -

The 2700 number you mention is the total in micrograms (mcg) that is contained in each capsule of that product.

The vitamin K1 form is the one that interferes with warfarin and is found in leafy greens that patients need to avoid when using warfarin so it can function consistently.

If you are taking warfarin, then that is probably why the doctor said to cut back on the Vitamin K... but actually, small doses can be very useful because those on warfarin tend to have much more incidence of arterial and other tissue calcifications and as a solution, some doctors recommend using the MK7 to avoid the calcification complications.


This is an explanation of the forms of Vitamin K....

Vitamin K is a group name for a family of related compounds, generally subdivided into phylloquinone (K1) and the
menaquinones (K2). Menaquinones can be further subdivided into short chain menaquinones (example: MK-4 as the most important member) and the long chain menaquinones, of which MK-7, MK-8 and MK-9.

That Life Extension product is a good combo product in that they provide all three forms which is useful if you are not using a blood thinner which is a vitamin K antagonist such as warfarin. The MK4 has a shorter half life in the body and to back that up, the MK7 lasts longer and is shown in studies to help prevent calcium depositing in soft tissues such as arteries, organs and on bones as bone spurs. When you take vitamin D, it's important to add the Vitamin K just as you are doing to avoid that issue.

What was the reason your doctor gave for wanting you to cut back?

I'm dashing out the door now so I'll watch tomorrow for your response.

Jackie

Hi Jackie,

As always, really appreciate your precision and care in answering.
I'm not taking warfarin.
As to why my doctor wants me to cut back on K2, I don't know.
She took a blood test in her office (and kept the results, unfortunately) related to blood thickness, considered the results worrying, but I didn't catch the name or the results as at that appointment I was swamped by results from a echocardiogram and mitral valve insufficiency that came up.
She is an orthomolecular endocrinologist and the only doc I could find who is relatively familiar with the supplements we discuss here.
She wanted to have K2 tested but it's not available here (in Argentina) and if I'm not mistaken, neither is it in the US yet.
I really couldn't follow her logic to the K2 question as mitral valve insufficiency is new to me and adds to my chronic afib and is more worrying in fact.

As always, many thanks.
ginny