If you have never heard of taking a vitamin K supplement or ensuring your diet includes leafy greens and dairy products to help support adequate amounts of K to maintain bone health, then you are not alone.
For women in perimenopause or experiencing menopause, this vitamin should be present in a sufficient amount. Vitamin K helps to prevent artery calcifications and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, which increases in menopausal women.
Dr. S. Michael Kulasingham, M.D., chief radiologist at UH Elyria Medical Center in Ohio and assistant professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, cautions that women with low bone density are at risk for hip fractures and vertebral fractures, a common concern among women as they age.
“Bone health is a dynamic process with constant bone turnover,” he said.
Credit: University Hospitals
Credit: University Hospitals
Vitamin K helps improve bone strength and reduces plaque buildup in the blood system.
“We are learning that the effects of K2 on bone density and arteries are interrelated,” Kulasingham said. “While in medical school, there wasn’t much taught about vitamin K, as it was thought the bone system and cardiovascular health were independent. Now, research shows they are linked.”
Bone mineralization is a process that helps strengthen and build our bones, and vascular calcification, also known as atherosclerosis, is the buildup of plaque in the inner lining of our arteries.
This plaque can harden and get thicker, potentially restricting blood flow, which in turn can increase your chances of heart disease or stroke. Vitamin K regulates the flow of calcium and phosphate, ensuring they are directed toward bones for mineralization rather than calcifying or clogging up your arteries.
Dr. Holly Thacker, a North American Menopause Society-certified menopause specialist, has been suggesting that her patients take vitamin K for years, but now she is recommending a vitamin D3 + K2 supplement.
Vitamin D and calcium receive the most attention when advertisers and social media influencers discuss bone health. However, according to the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements, studies have linked higher vitamin K intake with higher bone mineral density and/or a lower incidence of hip fractures.
Maintaining bone health is essential, as osteoporosis, the weakening of the bones, can lead to disastrous complications. The National Library of Medicine reports that hip fractures are associated with increased mortality rates. Clinical trials have found that vitamin K supplements play a crucial role in activating proteins that help regulate calcium metabolism and inhibit calcification in blood vessels, according to the NIH.
Kulasingham recommends bone mineral density evaluations, also known as DEXA scans, because treatments and lifestyle changes are available to help offset and improve bone health.
Depending on your risk factors, lifestyle and the kind of doctor you have, The Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation suggests women start getting screened at 65, repeated every other year. Others recommend as early as 50, depending on your risks, medical history and medications.
“Maintaining activity is essential in this process as the bone, just like our muscles, need to be routinely stressed to maintain the process of breaking down and producing,” he added. “This is clearly demonstrated in astronauts in prolonged low-gravity environments. Astronauts without exposure to gravity have muscle atrophy and also loss of bone density.”
Supplements are something to consider adding as you navigate this next phase of your life. Consulting with a health care professional before taking any supplements is always recommended. Most will encourage you to get the essential vitamins and minerals from a balanced diet.
The most common sources of vitamin K in the U.S. diet, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, are spinach, broccoli, iceberg lettuce, and fats and oils, particularly soybean and canola oil.
Foods that promote healthy bones and contain vitamin K
● Green leafy vegetables — collard greens, spinach, kale, parsley and Swiss chard
● Vegetables — carrots, asparagus, broccoli and Brussels sprouts
● Fruits — kiwi, blueberries and grapes
● Fermented foods, such as kimchi and sauerkraut, are exceptionally well absorbed because of the bacteria
● It can also be found in some organ meats and some cheeses
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