The Vitamin Balancing Act
There are three fat soluable vitamins that interconnect and this one focuses on Vitamin K2 since it is fairly unknown
Vitamin K2 was mentioned by Ptaah in CR 670 and futher explained by Bernadette Brand in CR 625.
The following play major roles vitamin K2 in the body.
Aeteriosclerosis, osteoporisis are the main pathologies involved from a deficieny of vitamin K2. We decided to focus secondly on Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes.
Looking through these diseases, one can see the importance of vitamin K2 moving calcium around with the help of Osteocalcin and Matrix Gla Protein.
Both Osteocalcin and Matrix Gla Protein are proteins that Vitamin K2 can carboxylate through a process known as gamma-carboxylation where a carbon dioxide group is added to these proteins so that it can grab calcium molecules.
Once Osteocalcin and Matrix Gla Protein are “activated” by K2, and it grabs a calcium molecule, it can then transport it.
What happens when there isn’t enough K2?
Arteriosclerosis, which is the narrowing of the arteries with calcium plaque.
Science has figured out that vitamin D does help with this condition, but in higher doses it can cause Arteriosclerosis.
But why?
Matrix Gla protein, which is activated or carboxylated by K2 is responsible for transporting Calcium out of Areas where it does not belong.
Where does Matrix Gla Protein take this calcium?
It takes it to the Bones!
So a deficiency of vitamin K2 can lead to Osteoporosis.
An explanation needs to given about how bones work.
We have Osteoblasts, which are cells that Build bone.
And we have Osteoclasts, which break bone down.
Osteoblasts build bone with Osteocalcin.
Osteocalcin has calcium handed to it by Matrix Gla Protein, who brought that calcium from the blood supply, or in the case of Arterosclerosis, by the Calcium on the walls of the arteries.
Vitamin D helps with calcium absorption from digestion.
Vitamin A and Vitamin D help to increase production of osteocalcin in Bone.
Its important to note that we do not get enough Vitamin A thru the conversion of Carotenoids, but need vitamin A in the Retinol form from animal products.
So after vitamin A and D increase the production of osteocalcin in the bone, the osteocalcin does not do anything for bone building unless it is carboxylated, which vitamin K2 does.
The Osteoblasts can then use Osteocalcin to start making bone.
Vitamin K2 can also inhibit Osteoclasts from breaking down bone unncessariliy.
In Essence, vitamin K2 helps move calcium out of plaque and into bones helping to reverse both Arterosclerosis and Osteoporosis simultaneously.
But where else might vitamin K2 be removing plaque?
Alzheimer’s disease, which is another area where K2 deficiency contributes.
Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative Brain disease, where memory loss and loss of motor function occur.
Arteriosclerosis and Osteoporosis are closely linked, in that many who have Arteriosclerosis and Osteoporosis go on to develop Alzheimer’s disease later.
Plaques and Tangles called beta amyloid form in the brain in Alzheimer’s disease, which have calcium deposits in them.
Unfortunately K2 does not help to reverse this condition, but it does hinder the development of these plaques.
Vitamin K2 acts as an anxtioxidant in the brain.
Vitamin K2 protects glutathione depletion in brain cells.
Free radical damage and oxidative stress are significant in the development of brain lesions in Alzheimer’s disease.
Another factor in this disease is insulin resistance.
Insulin is not required for brain cells to absort glucose, they do not need insulin to open any receptors to get inside.
Glucose or sugar is so important for brain cells, that the body does not want something potentially blocking energy from getting into the brain cells.
However insulin is required for memory formation.
Alzheimer’s has gotten a new reputation of being called Type 3 diabetes.
How is K2 involved with insulin you may wonder?
Diabetes.
How is K2 deficiency involved with diabetes?
The pancreas is responsible for producing insulin.
Glucose or sugar are binding to the insulin.
Insulin helps shuttle sugar or glucose into cells.
The longer the sugar stays in the blood stream without an insulin grabbing it to shuttle it into a cell, the higher the blood sugar rises, which causes damage.
Vitamin K2 activates or carboxylates osteocalin, which acts as a hormone when it leaves the bone. It then promotes insulin secretion in the pancreas beta cells, which helps reduce blood sugar faster and can help with that memory formation in the brain.
Osteocalcin also triggers adiponectin release in fat cells, which also increases sensitivity to insulin.
Osteocalcin in the brain helps with memory and spatial learning along with insulin.
Vitamin Balance.
From these diseases, the interconnection between these three vitamins becomes clearer and clearer.
Fat soluble vitamins are cofactors of proteins, and water soluble vitamins are helper molecules.
Vitamin A and vitamin D stimulate osteocalcin production and regulate genes.
Vitamin A, vitamin D and vitamin K2 all activate proteins.
Vitamin D is the popular guy
Vitamin A is the obscure one and people are skeptical of him.
Vitamin K2 is on top, totally reliant on vitamin A and vitamin D.
Vitamin A and VItamin D could survive without vitamin K2 but the act just wouldn’t be the same.
Note that vitamin A, vitamin D and vitamin K2 are mainly obtained from animal products.
Vitamin K2 is made in animals as well as in our gut bacteria.
Vitamin K2 is also in fermented foods to a small extent, but it is in much greater quantities in fermented animals products such as cheeses, like gouda cheese, brie, feta, but it is also found in higher amounts in organ meats, especially the liver, where retinol is also higher.
Of course vitamin D can be produced if we get out in the sun.
What causes some of these disease conditions in the 1st place?
pH imbalances, with Protein excess being a frequent cause.
Keep protein intake in check.
Measure it if necessary.
High protein diet causes blood to acidify.
The body keeps the blood pH very stable by constantly adjusting the pH by activating the parathyroid hormone.
Parathyroid secretes interleukin-6 cytokines, which cause inflammation.
Interleukin 6 stimulate Osteoclast formation in bone, so the bone breaksdown and the calcium goes into the blood supply to balance the pH.
You can counteract this acid pH problem by supplementing calcium, but not in the form of dairy products, which worsen the problem because you are adding more protein causing more acidification.
Keep vitamin A and vitamin D and vitamin K2 in balance.
It is interesting to note that during covid, as clotting is a big issue and vitamin K2 deficiency could be contributing to the fast development of clots.