Vitamin K2

 is a relatively recently discovered nutrient that plays many important roles in the body. 

Its primary function is to regulate calcium metabolism—it ensures that calcium is deposited into the hard tissues, like bone and cartilage, where it belongs, and stays out of the soft tissues, like blood vessels and the kidneys, where it doesn’t belong. 

Unfortunately, many people don’t get enough vitamin K2 in their diet.

While some vitamin K1 (found mostly in green plants) can be converted into K2 in the body, that conversion is limited and depends on nutrients that many people are deficient in. 

We’ve known for some time that dairy products like cheese are a good source of vitamin K2. However, we lacked good data on exactly how much K2 is present in dairy.

Thankfully, a study out of Tufts University has changed that.

They measured the amount of K2 in 150 dairy products, including milk, cheese, and yogurt. And they found that the amount of K2 in certain foods, like soft cheeses, is 10 times higher than previously believed!

In fact, on average, soft cheeses contain 500 mcg of K2 per 100 grams. 

The adequate intake for vitamin K2 is 90 mcg/d for women and 120 mcg/d for men. A one-ounce serving of soft cheese (28 g) provides about 140 mcg of K2—more than the adequate intake for both men and women. 

It’s important to note that the K2 is mostly present in dairy fat. This explains why the researchers found that low-fat and non-fat dairy products contain only 5 to 22 percent of the K2 that full-fat dairy products contain. 

(This is only one of many reasons why full-fat dairy is better for you than low-fat or non-fat dairy. For more on this, see my article “Still Think Low-Fat Dairy Is the “Healthy Choice”? Think Again!”).

Not everyone can tolerate dairy. But if you can, full-fat, pasture-raised dairy turns out to be an excellent source of vitamin K2 (in addition to bioavailable calcium, conjugated linolenic acid, and vitamin E). 

In health,
Chris Kresser

Nutritional and Chiropractic care offered in Los Alamitos by Dr. Wasserman, a local Chiropractor can provide a consultation to identify the source or cause of your problem and a treatment plan to relieve it.  Call us at 562-430-4949 for an appointment.