It has recently been reported that products containing vitamin K are on the rise. Market research company Mintel has revealed that vitamin K2 supplements in particular are enjoying a huge boost in popularity, with new product launches containing the vitamin increasing by 183% around the world between 2008 and 2012.
So what is vitamin K2, and how does it benefit our health?
Difference between vitamin K1 and K2
Vitamin K1 is the most common form of vitamin K, and plays an essential role in wound healing and blood clotting. It is stored in the liver for use when the body needs it. Babies are often born with low levels, and so are injected soon after birth to prevent internal bleeding.
Vitamin K2 on the other hand plays a much more active role in the body, and is thought to hold a wider range of healthful benefits, which are responsible for its surge in popularity…
Health benefits of vitamin K2
The main areas of interest when it comes to vitamin K2 are bone health and cardiovascular health, and these are closely linked.
Vitamin K2 is vital to calcium intake. Once vitamin D has absorbed calcium into the bloodstream from the intestines, vitamin K2 is responsible for guiding calcium into the bones, and stopping it from being deposited in the arteries and organs where it can be harmful.
When vitamin K2 is in low supply, calcium cannot be effectively absorbed into the bones, and instead is circulated around the body in excess. This can cause deposits of calcium to gather around the body, and may lead to the hardening of soft tissues.
Studies have also suggested that supplementing with vitamin K2 may help to strengthen bones and prevent bone loss in women after the menopause.
The western diet has developed in such a way that vitamin K2 is not abundantly present in the foods we consume, and so supplementation may be an option.
Try Simply Supplements new BioGold™ Vitamin K2 to gain all the health benefits of this rising star in the health world.
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