When talking about strong bones and a healthy heart, the central focus should not just be on calcium. The nutrient that focuses the attention of medicine today is vitamin K2, a specific form of vitamin K which is being linked to both fracture prevention and protection of the cardiovascular system, especially as life expectancy increases.

According to recent studies, maintaining adequate levels of vitamin K2 can make a real difference in the risk of diseases associated with aging. It is not just another supplement, but rather a key regulator that helps calcium go where it should go and not where it can cause harm.

The main role of K2 is to activate proteins that direct calcium to the bones and teeth, preventing it from depositing in the arteries. Dentist Sandip Sachar explains it this way: “The nutrient ensures that calcium strengthens bone and tooth structure instead of accumulating in blood vessels, where it promotes arterial stiffness and other complications. When K2 is lacking, bone and tooth stability deteriorates, healing is delayed and enamel loss is facilitated.”

The cardiovascular evidence is compelling: A long-term study found that a high intake of K2 was associated with a lower risk of peripheral arterial disease, especially in people with hypertension or diabetes.

Another study, which followed more than 4,800 adults for seven years, observed that those who consumed more vitamin K2 had up to 57% less risk of die from cardiac causes. Vitamin K1, on the other hand, did not show the same protection.

In the bone field, a systematic review indicates that vitamin K2 helps reduce vertebral fractures and improve bone mineral density in older women. That is, while calcium is still necessary as a raw material, K2 acts as a “traffic director”: It decides where that calcium is used and helps bones stay stronger and less likely to fracture.

Not all forms of vitamin K are created equal. K1 (phylloquinone) participates mainly in blood coagulation, while K2 (menaquinones) is directly associated with the care of bones and the cardiovascular system. The sources also differ: green leafy vegetables are rich in K1, but provide very little K2.The latter is found mainly in fermented foods (such as kefir), organ meats such as liver, egg yolks, cheeses, butter and chicken.

They recommend reinforcing the presence of these foods. For this reason, dietary experts seek to improve the K2 intake naturally. Regularly incorporating fermented dairy products, certain cheeses, eggs and good quality animal products is emerging as a practical strategy for those who want to take care of their bones and arteries at the same time. without initially resorting to pharmaceutical supplements.

Regarding supplements, dietitian Avery Zenker warns that they should not be taken on their own. People on anticoagulant treatment, in particular, need strict medical supervision, since vitamin K intervenes in coagulation and an excess could cause unwanted effects.

Vitamin K2 works in tandem with vitamin D, which improves calcium absorption. Maintaining good levels of both, within a healthy lifestyle, appears today as one of the most promising combinations to prevent fractures and, at the same time, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Rather than displacing calcium, K2 organizes it and puts it in the right places so that the body ages with stronger bones and a much healthier heart over time.

By Jaider Felipe Vargas Morales