The Essential Pair: Vitamin D3 and K2 for Better Heart Health, Mood, and More

Shorter daylight hours and colder weather that keeps us indoors longer reduce the amount of sunlight skin exposure, leading to a decline in natural vitamin D3 skin production, important in several vital bodily functions, including better heart health, energy and mood, stronger immunity, improved calcium absorption and reduced bones loss (along with weight-bearing exercises), and stronger tooth enamel, among other health benefits.

Vitamin D3, also known as cholecalciferol, is a fat-soluble vitamin that is useful on its own.

But that is just part of the story. Without enough vitamin K2, another fat-soluble substance, your body cannot use D3 effectively. Vitamin K2 is naturally made by bacteria in the gut, provided that you have the right intestinal conditions (enough healthy flora and a sound digestive system.

Food Sources:

Here is a list of foods high in both nutrients: D3 sources: Fatty fish (salmon and mackerel), cod liver oil, fortified milk, and egg yolks, while K2 sources include natto (fermented soyabeans), hard cheeses (gouda and edam), greens, and chicken.

Roles of Vitamin D3 and Vitamin K2:

Vitamin D3 enhances the absorption of calcium, while vitamin K2 directs it to where it is needed: bones and teeth, rather than the arteries, where arterial calcification may form without it. This can lead to arterial stiffness, causing all sorts of heart disease complications–blood clots and poor circulation, to name a few.

Benefits of D3 and K2:

Therefore, the proper intake of K2 can improve arterial elasticity and lead to better blood flow, possibly reducing hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases.

Additionally, K2 can support healthy blood clotting but check with a medical professional if you are on an anticoagulant–blood thinner.

Also, vitamin D3 has been shown to hold anti-inflammatory properties, which is beneficial in preventing chronic inflammation, a major competent of heart disease.

Plus, vitamin D3 is known to support hormonal balance, while K2 plays an important role in calcium metabolism, which is also vital for hormone equilibrium.

While eating foods rich in vitamin D3 and Vitamin K2 will help, it may not be enough. So, here is the trick: take a combination of both vitamins in a quality supplement form, as both have a synergetic effect when taking in a proper dosage.

Recommend Dosage of Vitamin D3 and Vitamin K2:

The recommendation for vitamin D is up to 5000 IU and is dependent upon your sun exposure and induvial adult needs, while vitamin K is 90-110 mcg for healthy adults.

Note: Please check with medical professionals for ways to improve your intake of both vitamins through food, and for your proper dosage of both important nutrients.

(Bronson Vitamin K2 D3 (MK7) Supplement Non-GMO Formula Vitamin D3 5000 IU (125 mcg) & 90 mcg K2 MK-7, Easy to Swallow D & K Complex, 60 Capsules–only $9.97).

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— Jerry Del Priore