Health benefits of vitamin K2

Dr. Truong Hong Son, Director of the Vietnam Institute of Applied Medicine, said that vitamin K2, scientific name Menaquinones, is a form of vitamin K, existing in many different forms. The two most common forms of vitamin K2 include MK-4 and MK-7 which are the most researched and commonly used.

Vitamin K2 plays an important role in protecting bone health and the cardiovascular system. This micronutrient helps regulate calcium transport in the body, preventing calcium accumulation in the arteries, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. This is especially important for infants and young children, when the skeletal and cardiovascular systems are in the process of strong development.

In the first years of life, children grow very rapidly, requiring a sufficient amount of vitamin K2 to support the development of strong bones. This vitamin helps activate osteocalcin – a protein that binds calcium to bones from an inactive form – into an active osteocalcin form that helps increase bone cell regeneration, increase bone production, make bones strong and develop optimal bones. , especially in the long bones, is the foundation for optimal height development.

“If not providing enough vitamin K2, it can cause unpredictable consequences for children’s current and future health,” Dr. Son said, adding that deficiency during the growth stages of children. This can lead to incomplete bone development in children, increasing the risk of bone fractures, slowing bone growth, and slowing height growth. Furthermore, insufficient vitamin K2 intake can cause calcium imbalance in the body, leading to cardiovascular problems.

At the scientific conference on November 6, Professor Leon Schurgers, Vice Chairman of the Department of Biochemistry at Maastricht University, and Chairman of the scientific steering council on ensuring the quality of global vitamin K discovery, also Recognizing vitamin K2 and vitamin D3 as an indispensable duo along with calcium supplementation. D3 helps increase calcium absorption, while K2 helps attach calcium to bone structure, thereby supporting children’s bone health from an early age.

Supplementing vitamins K2 and D3 for children needs to be done in appropriate doses, depending on the child’s age and health condition. The recommended dosage of vitamin D3 usually ranges from 400 IU to 1000 IU per day, depending on the child’s age and the degree of vitamin D3 deficiency. As for vitamin K2, there is no specific recommended dosage for children, but research suggests that a dose of about 45-90 mcg of vitamin K2 per day may be appropriate for young children, based on bone health indicators. and development.

Doctor. CKII Hoang Quoc Tuong – Lecturer, Department of Pediatrics, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, City. HCM, who is also a doctor at Children’s Hospital 2, said that supplementing vitamin K2 and vitamin D3 together, the effect will be better than supplementing each type separately to bring the best synergistic effect, especially increasing weight. Enhanced benefits for bone health and cardiovascular health. Besides supplementation through oral tablets/solutions, parents can provide additional vitamins K2 and D3 to children through their daily diet.

Vitamin D3 is found in foods such as fatty fish (salmon, mackerel), egg yolks, milk and dairy products. In addition, exposure to sunlight in the morning also helps the body synthesize vitamin D3 naturally. Vitamin K2 is often found in fermented products such as natto (fermented soybeans), hard cheese and egg yolks.