Individual vitamins affect a wide-range of body organs and functions. Vitamin K2 is one of those vitamins. It's an extremely supportive vitamin as well. Vitamin K2 deficiency plays a role in several chronic diseases: diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease and cardiovascular disease. (1) Has your Richmond doctor checked your Vitamin K levels? Has any supplementation been recommended? Your Richmond chiropractor can help. Johnson Chiropractic  can discuss any risk factors you may have for Vitamin K, see if any tests need to be done, and recommend supplementation if necessary.

So what’s the deal with Vitamin K2? It’s needed to regulate cell growth, for protein function, to maintain normal structure of arterial wall, osteoarticular system and teeth, and guiding the deposit of calcium in the bone. Vitamin K2 deficiency is recently reported as a factor in the development of vascular calcification and osteoporosis. (2) Increased Vitamin K2 improves the size and thickness of bone which improves bone strength and femoral neck width in postmenopausal women. (3) Vitamin K2 is important! Richmond chiropractic patients may want to check out their Vitamin K levels. When it’s low, it’s usually due to a variety of issues like diet or absorption issues or other such issues. (2) Johnson Chiropractic is ready to help explore those nutrition issues with our Richmond clients as part of our chiropractic services.

Now, Vitamin K deficiency – let alone Vitamin K2 deficiency specifically – is not often treated by clinicians even though randomized clinical trials – high level research studies - show that patients with diseases like osteoporosis, cancer and cardiovascular disease can benefit from supplementation. (1,2) One easy and even tasty but research documented supplementation method is a yogurt drink with added menaquinones (Vitamin K2). It also had n-3 PUFA, vitamin D, vitamin C, Ca and Mg to support vascular and/or general health which is beneficial. But the levels of Vitamin K2 in the body increased which was the goal. (4) Johnson Chiropractic can see how Richmond chiropractic patients who need some extra Vitamin K2 could incorporate a yogurt drink! There may also be other suggestions to up your Vitamin K level from green leafy vegetables, meat, and dairy products.

How much Vitamin K is good? Well, one study followed patients for 2 to 4 years. Their daily 5 mg intake of vitamin K1 supplementation didn’t protect against age-related decline in bone mineral density, but the researchers propose that it may protect against fractures and cancers in postmenopausal women with osteopenia. (5) That’s a worthy goal in Johnson Chiropractic’s opinion.

So contact Johnson Chiropractic to discuss how the specific Vitamin K may support your health and benefit positively other conditions you may have like osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. Vitamin K may be just the support the doctor orders for certain Richmond chiropractic patients!