Are you ready for a simple oral health ‘hack’ that can really speed up your ability to stop tooth decay and reverse any existing cavities?
Sometimes the path to optimal oral health has some tough lessons. (Ok, honestly, cutting out sugar is rough.) However, thankfully, we do find easy-to-incorporate gems to share with you, too!
We recently published an expert interview on the importance of vitamin K2 titled, “Is this the missing nutrient keeping you from living a cavity free life?”.
Now that we have published this interview, we’re excited to share with you what we consider to be one of the easiest ‘quick fixes’ to help you stop tooth decay in your home.
Setting the historical baseline
Dr. Weston Price found from his studies of indigenous peoples in the 1930s that on average, they ate 4 times the minerals and 10 times the fat-soluble vitamins as Americans in the 1930s.
We have focused on the importance of minerals in past articles like, ‘Why teeth decay (and how to stop it)’ and ‘What TO eat to support greater oral health’ and more recently with ‘How to reverse tooth decay with diet‘.
However, today we want to focus on the fat-soluble mineral factor, and in particular, why we consider vitamin K2 to be a super simple piece to the puzzle of how to stop (and even reverse) tooth decay.
In his research, Dr. Price identified a certain vitamin that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. He knew that peoples who had sufficient amounts of this vitamin in their diets had amazing dental health and that this vitamin interacted with known vitamins A and D to create even greater oral health (and whole being wellness).
Finally, letting go of trying to find out which vitamin it was, Dr. Price resigned to calling this mystery cure ‘Activator X’.
We now know from the work of many researchers that ‘Activator X’ is vitamin K2.
In the spirit of brevity, we’re going to bypass a deep dive on the historical details of this fascinating subject. Let’s jump right in to how vitamin K2 helps.
How common is K2 deficiency?
It depends on who you ask. Many prestigious organizations claim that vitamin K deficiency is fairly uncommon. Other experts who have studied vitamin K2 specifically say that K2 deficiency is very common. Given that tooth decay is rampant worldwide, we find it safe to assume that most of us severely lack this essential nutrient.
Here are a couple questions to help you determine where you are with vitamin K2 levels.
Do you get cavities? Are you consuming WAY more fat-soluble vitamins than everyone around you? (Remember Weston Price found indigenous peoples ate 10x the fats than Americans!)
K2 gives calcium the ‘intelligence’ to go where it’s needed
Research is still being done to get a better grasp of the many functions vitamin K2 plays in our bodies. However, two main functions have been clearly identified.
Sufficient K2 helps calcium support bone tissue that needs repair.
This is how we’ve come to understand how K2 helps us stop and even reverse tooth decay.
Calcium is absorbed from the food we eat. Once in the body, it doesn’t naturally know where to go to help. However, vitamin K2 ‘activates’ a protein called osteocalcin, which is responsible for repairing bone tissue (that’s teeth, too) with calcium in the system.
Yep, it’s true that vitamin K2 helps even better when it’s in combination with vitamin D3. After all, one of the many functions D3 offers us is to increase calcium absorption from our gut.
But the super-cool fact to us is vitamin K2 not only helps put calcium where it’s needed, it helps remove calcium from where it causes damage.
Sufficient K2 removes calcium from soft tissues.
Like we said, once calcium is in the body, it doesn’t magically go to where it’s needed (unless you have enough K2 in your diet). In fact, calcium deposits in soft tissues is a major factor in heart disease, osteoarthritis, and kidney issues.
You see, vitamin K2 ‘activates’ a protein called Matrix GLA protein, which goes through the body and picks up calcium from soft tissues where it doesn’t belong, like in our arteries (which is a major factor in heart attacks).
Where do we find K2 in foods?
In order to dive into what foods are rich in K2, we need to unpack vitamin K2 a little more.
There are several different types of vitamin K2. More accurately, there are several different ‘lengths’ of the compound. Each type of K2 is designated with its length in the name. The two most well-studied types/lengths are MK-4 and MK-7.
(For those of you who really want to know, the M in MK stands for menaquinone which is the ‘official’ name for K2. The M differentiates these compounds from a sister compound, vitamin K1, which is phylloquinone. The number after MK shows the different ‘lengths’ of the slightly varying compounds.)
Both MK-4 and MK-7 forms of K2 give calcium the intelligence of where to go in our bodies.
Main food sources of MK-4
The only known food sources of MK-4 vitamin K2 are from animal products. As it’s a fat-soluble vitamin, it’s found in the fats from quality animal products. But quality plays a big role. For example, an egg yolk from a healthy chicken with access to plenty of green grass yields 4-5x the amount of vitamin K2 compared to a factory-farmed chicken egg.
An excellent source of MK-4 vitamin K2 is goose liver. Hmm, not so sure about goose liver? Read on.
Good sources of MK-4 are pastured egg yolks, butter/ghee from cows on pasture, fish eggs, even organ meats from grazing animals. (Incidentally, indigenous peoples praised the termite for quality nutrition. Not surprising, termites are very high in K2!)
Main food sources of MK-7
So, MK-4 vitamin K2 comes from animal products. However, MK-7 vitamin K2 is produced by certain bacterial strains. This is very good news for those of you who choose to not consume animal products, as you can still get plenty of vitamin K2 in your diet!
The best source of MK-7 vitamin K2 is a Japanese fermented soy product called natto. Other more common foods higher in MK-7 are aged cheeses (particularly gouda, brie, and even some quality cheddar cheese).
If you eat cheese, why not find a quality cheese made from milk from cows who graze green pastures regularly? This way, you can get both MK-4 and MK-7 in one meal!
So, how much K2 do we need?
The truth is, we really don’t know. There is no ‘right amount’ of K2 for everyone.
We consider trying to find the ‘right amount for everyone’ to be really going down the wrong path. Our bodies are changing all the time, so we have to be adaptive to the demands of the changing times.
For example, Dr. Linus Pauling, the person credited with the discovery of vitamin C, took around 12 grams (12000 mg) of the vitamin daily. His peers all laughed at Dr. Pauling because science had already established a lower recommended daily allowance for vitamin C. Dr. Pauling lived decades longer and in better health than his nay-sayer peers.
Just like our needs for vitamin C change based on many factors, our needs for K2 can also vary.
Here’s a very ‘nonscientific’ way to help determine your own needs for K2.
Dr. Weston Price identified that when a person had a sufficient amount of ‘Activator X’ (vitamin K2), the amount of dental plaque he found in their mouth reduced dramatically.
Interestingly, one of the areas of highest concentrations of vitamin K2 is in saliva. This makes complete sense if we consider the tooth decay remineralization ability K2 offers.
So, here’s how we navigate this.
Feel around your teeth. Notice certain places where plaque accumulates. Just notice the quantity for a few days before you start increasing your K2. Make a quick note on a calendar when you start increasing your K2 intake. (Our OraWellness Mouth Map is a great place to take down these notes!!)
Start with a moderate amount of K2 increase and check your plaque status in 2-3 weeks, at which time you could adjust the amount up or down depending on what you find. (We’ve also noticed an increased feeling of softness in our joints when K2 levels are higher. This makes sense given that K2 is helping draw calcium out of where it’s not supposed to be.)
Supplementing vitamin K2
In this day and age, we’ve found it pretty hard to get sufficient amounts of K2 from diet alone. (Keep in mind, we have chickens and cows that are on green grass all year long.)
There are a couple of factors that will vary depending on which type of K2 you choose.
First, how long does the K2 last in the body…
The half-life of vitamin K2 varies depending on whether you choose the MK-4 or MK-7 type.
MK-4 (derived from animal products, like egg yolks, fish eggs, etc.) needs to be consumed (or supplemented) 2-3 times each day. Its half-life is much shorter, so it needs to be taken more frequently.
MK-7 (derived from bacterial fermentation and present in natto and some cheeses) can be supplemented once daily, as its half-life is longer.
The second difference is the quantity necessary to make positive change.
With MK-4, most studies reference 45mg, 2-3 times daily.
However, with MK-7, the reference range is 100-360mcg (micrograms), once daily.
Warning about supplementing vitamin D without K2
According to Dr. Kate Rheaume-Bleue, the expert we recently interviewed and author of the excellent book, Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox, we must be really careful supplementing vitamin D without K2. Doing so can actually cause an even greater functional deficiency of vitamin K2, as the vitamin D uses whatever K2 is in the body.
The problem with most commercial D3/K2 supplements is there is no ‘universal right amount’ of vitamin D for everyone. So, commercial supplement producers are taking their best guess at a good amount of K2 to have with vitamin D.
The D3/K2 combinations we’ve researched don’t have enough K2 in them (for our preference).
If you’d like an awesome resource to help you navigate to a cavity-free life, be sure to download our FREE eBook, How to Stop Tooth Decay and Remineralize Your Teeth.
How our family ‘does’ vitamin K2
First off, we eat a lot of quality dietary fats in the form of butter from pastured cattle, eggs from pastured chickens, among other sources.
That said, we still like to supplement K2 just to make sure we are getting enough on a daily basis.
Because of the difference in the amount needed to take to reach health-giving amounts, we prefer the Mk7 form of vitamin K2. And, ideally, we supplement twice daily with a meal (K2 is a fat-soluble vitamin so is better absorbed when taken with some fats).
The amount we take varies with how we are feeling. But ideally, we look to achieve around 300 micrograms daily. Research suggests that the health benefits of K2 supplementation increase with an increase in quantity, then plateau around 320 mcg daily.
(PS, If you’d like to hear our thoughts on which K2 supplements we prefer and why, here’s a review of a number of popular K2 supplements on the market and our thoughts which ones are better than others.)
For even more information on K2 supplements, feel free to check out Sarah Pope’s excellent article, “Which Vitamin K2 Supplement is Best: MK-4 or MK-7?“.
Wrapping up…
In closing, we have found great benefit to our oral health (and whole-body wellness) from increasing our awareness of and consumption of vitamin K2. We hope this helps your family along your path to living a cavity-free life.
If you want even more information on the benefits of vitamin K2, feel free to check out our expert interview with Kiran Krishan, How to reverse cavities and restore brain and heart health with vitamin K2.
Also, if you know someone who has children at home that are dealing with lots of decay, please help us reach them by sharing this article.
Thank you for helping us help others!!
Helpful, Related Resources:
How to Stop Tooth Decay and Remineralize Your Teeth [FREE eBook]
Is this the missing nutrient keeping you from living a cavity free life? [[expert interview video]]
What’s the best vitamin K2 supplement on the market and why [market analysis]
How to reverse tooth decay with diet [article]
Why teeth decay (and how to stop it) [article]
Is the key to greater oral health already in your mouth? [article]
What TO eat to support optimal oral health [article]
OraWellness Mouth Map [free download resource]
How to reverse cavities and restore brain and heart health with vitamin K2 [[expert interview video]]
Other Resources:
Which Vitamin K2 Supplement is Best: MK-4 or MK-7? by Sarah Pope [article]
Wait what, plaque can disappear by taking more vitamin K2? I just used a plaque indicator and am considering a pofessional dental cleaning. What’s your opinion on those? Are there other ways to decrease existing plaque by yourself?
Aloha Kelly,
Great questions!
We here at OraWellness aren’t medical or dental professionals, so we can’t treat, diagnose, advise, etc. Instead, what we can do is share information with you to help you become self-empowered on your journey. 🙂
Whether or not you decide to have a professional dental cleaning is really up to you. Here at OraWellness, we have team members who do have regular dental hygiene visits, and we have team members who don’t. Our mission at OraWellness is to empower you with the knowledge, understanding, and tools that we believe will help you navigate towards greater oral health; if that includes seeing a qualified, helpful dentist/dental hygienist because that feels right to you, then go with your gut.
In case you do decide to see a dentist, maybe this resource can help:
Helpful resources to find a qualified dentist to assist you
Since you mentioned K2, you might find this expert interview with Kiran Krishnan interesting:
How to reverse cavities and restore brain and heart health with vitamin K2
Please feel free to check out these articles to address your questions about plaque:
Can some plaques actually help our teeth stay healthy?
How do I remove plaque from lower front teeth?
Also, you might find it helpful to know that our HealThy Mouth Blend helps with “adhesion inhibition”—this means that the Blend makes it more difficult for thug bugs to undermine our oral health. You can read more about our HealThy Mouth Blend here:
What’s in the HealThy Mouth Blend? (And why is it so effective?)
Finally, something as simple as mindfully (consciously) brushing our teeth and flossing can significantly help to balance our oral flora. You might find some helpful insight about brushing and flossing in the following articles and videos:
4 reasons why brushing is so important
How to brush your teeth to reduce gum disease (Bass brushing 2.0)
WHY is flossing such a critically important oral hygiene habit?
How to avoid the 4 most common flossing mistakes
I hope that helps! Aloha 🙂
M4 45mg , 3 times a day is a standard osteoporosis treatment by the established medical profession in Japan.
I have been taking this for the past 10 years. Also I use 100 mg a day of MK7. Yet I noticed no change in plaque. The real help with plaque was brushing with HealThyMouth. Perhaps I should take 200 mg a day of MK7.
In Canada it is not legal to buy more than 120 mg of K2 in supplementation. Thanks to the US market, I can get the MK4 to treat my osteoporosis.
Oddly enough, although my bones are week, my teeth are doing rather well. At 67 I have all my teeth albeit with repairs, but no root canal.
Linus Pauling did not discover vitamin C.
Albert Szent-Györgyi was the person who discovered vitamin C.
https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/szentgyorgyi.html
Thank you so much for this information. I went out and bought D3 and K2 as a combined supplement. I didn’t realize how important they elements where to our bodies especially bones and teeth. Looking forward to the results.
Yes, please let me know your best sources of the k2 supplement, and D3, if possible, And thank you for the very valuable products and information you provide. 🙂
Gail
Aloha,
I would be very interested in knowing what k2 supplement you use? I’ve been researching trying to find a product for so long that I thought I might try dr mercola product that has the natto culture done with chick peas instead of soy beans. However I’d really love to hear what you take.
Thank you so much for everything that you do.
Sharon
Hi:) I found you from a Wellness Mama podcast. I have been very interested in Dr Price’s work for two years now. I have four children, pregnant with my fifth, I also have thyroid cancer and terrible tooth decay. I was diagnosed two years ago and began to see major decay in my mouth around that time too. Interesting huh?;) This diagnosis launched me into researching how to heal the body over all. I am feeling stronger now at 31 than I did at 21! However, while some of my teeth seem to be stronger and whiter since adopting healthy fats, lots of veggies, good meats and stocks, eggs and ghee, I do not have access to raw milk or butter. Although my husband and I are on a journey to set our acreage up for a milk cow and chickens. My teeth are still sensitive at times and I do have some deep areas of decay. After listening to your interview on Wellness Mama, I set some time aside today to read your blog and download your ebook on tooth decay. I am also planning to order your tooth blends you mentioned on WM. I understood the importance of K2 years ago, but it sort of got brushed under the rug over the years until I met a health crisis. I am very interested to hear about what supplements you think are best. With such a large family I am very careful about what supplements we buy, I do buy the fermented cod liver/butter oil blend but I would like to add a K2 supplement. Have you written an article on which supplements you think are best? I don’t just want to go out and start buying something. I also make fermented foods and purchase grassfed ghee, our Costco has also recently started carrying Kerrygold grassfed cheese. We live in Northern Alberta and Canada has some strict rules about things like raw milk and such, so i find it difficult to find the foods we need here. Which is why we are setting up our acreage to produce our own. Anyway. thats a lot, sorry;) Any info on K2 supplements would be greatly appreciated:) Thank you so much for your work. I have so enjoyed reading your blog today and I have A LOT more reading to do on here. Love it:)
Aloha Ashley!
Welcome! We love our Wellness Mama community as you all tend to be so well educated on so much!
Thank you for sharing your story with us.
I think you are right that K2 is so easily swept under the carpet to other ‘more important’ vitamins. So you know, K2 is still viable in commercial butter. What you want to look for is organic butter with the deepest yellow color you can find. The color shows the K2 in it (provided it’s not artificially colored of course). I suggest using the KerryGold as they tend to be well respected.
We are still working on our article reviewing various K2 supplements on the market.
Thanks for your kind words of support. Please know that we are here to help you along your journey in anyway we can. Feel free to reach out to us anytime. 🙂
Aloha!
Fascinating article!
Have shared with several friends and colleagues already.
Would it be possible to share the reference list used to write the article?
I am so grateful for your site and would like to hear your review of K2 products as well as information about D3/K2 supplementation.
Thank you for all you do, helping so many.
Lori
I am definitely interested in learning more about Vitamin K2 supplements, especially the MK-7 type. I would greatly appreciate it if you did another article comparing the different types available for different age groups.
I second what Jamey writes and all the others who request an additional article about K2 sources. Thank you!!
I would love to know what k2 your family is getting and the aproximate dosage. Thank you for all your research! We love using your blend:)
I would like to know what k2 supplements you recommend. Is there anything you would recommend for getting yourteeth whiter?
Yes please write that article about different K2 supplements! It would be extremely useful!
Thank you for this enlightening information! I need to have my 6-year-old daughter supplement with K2 to improve her dental health, which is a mess. I’d love to hear your thoughts on brands, specifically in liquid or chewable form that kids can take. Anxiously awaiting! 🙂
We take the Thorne D3/K2 liquid supplement. I’m curious if that one is good quality. Off the top of my head, I do not recall how much K2 is in it, but I think I checked and it does have a significant amount. Although I think it is MK4, so I probably need to be giving it to our family three times a day instead of once, or maybe I should continue with the Thorne product once a day and add additional K2 two times a day.
The Thorne D3/K2 has only 100mcg of K2 MK4 per drop… so definitely not enough if we need 45 mg per day! Just need to find a liquid or chewable form my kids can take.
Aloha Cindy,
Thank you so much for stopping by to add to the community research sharing here! Excellent ‘sleuthing’!
That’s what we call it around here at OraWellness for good researching! 🙂
We agree and definitely plan to include this Thorne product in our market research!
Holler with any other well-thought-out research or questions that arise from it. Together we can all achieve so much more than by ourselves.
Thank you and Aloha!
Hello,
I am interested in your input on vitamin k supplements
I will be in Maui in April, can’t wait!
Best to you,
Patty
I would like to know if more than 1 SuperK from life extension is needed per day and if a better product is avilable. Thank you, from mary ann
I would be interested in the K2 supplements you reviewed. Thank you.
Great article!
I have a question — how many micrograms are included in one healthy egg yolk? And how much in grass fed butter and other food sources? As Japanese we in my family eat natto every day; I’d like to know how much K2 we are taking.
I’d also like to know which K2 supplement you recommend.
Thank you!
I personally was taking a not so quality multivitamin (thought it was good) plus extra vit D3, went to the dentist 1-12-2016 had a huge cavity on #6 but it had not gone through the dentin all the way so I refused work on that tooth. Done research (took a few months for satisfaction reasons), changed my brand of multivitamin and started MK-7 at 50 mg per day and stopped the extra D3. Slowly increased MK-7 after 6 weeks. Now taking 100-200 mg MK-7 per day (I just listen to my body and mouth and adjust daily). 2-3-2017 dental check up, cleaning, and x-rays, cavity completely gone! I eat mostly whole foods with the occasional processed, I am not perfect nor claim to be. Thank you Will and Susan for your outstanding research and products!!!!!! We are grateful!
Hi, which K2 supplement did you take during the year when the cavity disappeared? Thanks
Can you tell me where I might be able to find natto? I would love to add this to our family diet, I have 3 kiddos and a husband and I am always looking for simple ways to keep our mouths cavity free!
Thank you!
Hi, I would also be interested in hearing which K2 supplements you like the best! I have recently embarked on the journey to better oral (and overall) health with my family. Your emails and blog posts are very helpful and encouraging. I would be especially interested in hearing about a K2 supplement for small children who can’t swallow a pill. Thanks!
I am very interested like many other people, in getting your info about the best K2 D3 supplements available on the market
I would love to know what K2 you recommend and dosage! Thanks 🙂
I would love to see a review about the supplements to take to get more K2. Thank you!
Hi there, I can’t find where you recommend what K2 vitamins to take? I have been plagued with cavities and I would love some help with a supplement.
Thank you for this article, it was informative. I would like to learn which K2 supplements your family takes, and why. And an article comparing various K2 supplements will be very useful.
Thank you!
I would like to see an article about k2 products you use. Thanks.
Please share your research on K2 supplements!
Would love to hear k2 supplement recommendations. Thanks
I too would love to hear your thoughts on which K2 supplements you use or which supplements of K2 and D3 work best together. Thanks for all the research you do. I find it very informative and helpful.
Thanks much! Carolyn
I would like to hear your thoughts on which K2 supplements you prefer and why. Finding the right supplements can be so confusing and a lot of hard work. If you have already done the research and are willing to share your thoughts that would be great. Thank you.
Aloha! Thank you again for your diligent research! I would also love your educated recommendations on which D3 and K2 supplements are good quality and in the proper proportions. I am planning on purchasing separate or a combination D3/K2 supplement. I “hope” this is a hint of your new product!
Add me to the list of people who would really appreciate an evaluation of K2 supplements! I take cod liver oil and high vitamin butter oil each day, but don’t know the correct amounts to take for my body, plus which vit D and K2 supplements and amounts.
Thank you!
Dear Will and Susan,
Another great article! Thank you for shining a light on the importance of K2 (and D3). I read Dr. o Dr. Rheaume-Bleue’s book ”Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox” last year and I made my parents read the book, too. My father is an orthopedic surgeon in private practice and he was so impressed with Dr. Kate Rheaume-Bleue’s research, he now advises all of his patients to supplement K2 and D3 daily. With that being said, I would love to know which supplements you think are best. I am partial to Thorne Research’s K2/D3 drops which come in a 1 oz. dark-ambre bottle.
We can’t wait hear which supplements top your list!
Keep up the very good work!!!
Best regards,
Laura
I would greatly appreciate the information that you have on vitamin K sources/supplements. Thank you!
I would like to hear K2 supplement recommends. Thanks for all the great info you share!
Theresa
Thanks for your desire to help others, and for sharing your research. I would be interested in which K2 and D supplements you use and why.
Thanks again
Please share your thoughts about good Vit. K supplements!!
Great article! I would love to hear your recommendations on K2. I’m a big fan of your Healthy Mouth Blend!! Thank you!
Would love to learn more about which K2 supplements you might recommend. Excellent article regarding K2 supplementation!
Would love to see your review of commercially available vitamin K2 supplements
Yes, I would be interested in what brands you are using. Please share:)
Yes, I would love to hear your supplement recommendations! I eat eggs and those cheese and grass fed butter… but 2-3 times a day may not be quite as possible as popping a supplement! 😀 Sort of related – do you think this would help in a tooth that has a reactive nerve? I had a cavity a few years ago, and at the time didn’t know I could heal it 🙁 The dentist cleaned it out, and a good chunk of my tooth along with it. I have an inlay now, but the space between the remaining real part of my tooth and the nerve is very thin, so the poor tooth is pretty reactive. It’s been ok overall, but has been acting up lately. I’m not sure why, and it’s not quite the same as a cavity… but if it hurts because there is any inflammation in the nerve, I worry a bit about infecting my ear/brain/jaw, etc. Trouble is, I can’t tell really what’s going on! If it’s infected, or just the nature of the pressure of the nerve in a small space. Would K2 or any anti-cavity protocol be helpful with this sort of issue do you think? If I didn’t have the inlay (bit of fake tooth) is there a way I could strengthen some of the enamel and the tooth? I hope so much to keep the tooth and AVOID a root canal, as I fear most dentists might recommend if I went in explaining the pain. My new dentist has been a help, but even he, I think, only has so many options. Hope you can help! Thank you for all you do!
First, thank you for providing info and help for oral health.
Second, I would like to know your recommendation for good sources of K2 and Vit D3.
Thanks.
Yes, please write an article about quality K2 supplements and where to find them. Thanks for all of your hard work and diligence!
I would like to hear about good sources of supplements for K.
Yes, please do the vitamin comparison. I feel like I am lost when it comes to knowing how to best supplement my kids’ diets (two have just been diagnosed with a cavity each) and appreciate whatever info I can get. Thanks!
I love all of your articles. I take lift extension super k with advanced k2 complex. It seems to be working ok. But I would like to know if you think another one is better. Plus I would like a good one for my grandkids. Thank you, Diane
Thanks as always for your informative article, this time on Vitamin K2. What is a good ratio for K2 to Vitamin D3? Do we need to take both MK-4 AND MK-7, and if so how many times a day for both of them. I got a little confused about it being 2-3 times a day for MK-4 and once for MK-7. Also, I’d like to know if you should take the K2 and D3 WITH your calcium supplement? Is it okay to take oil soluble vitamins with calcium? Thanks in advance for your answers. All the best.
I’d love to hear your K2 recommendations.
I would like to hear your thoughts on which K2 supplements you prefer and why, And is what you recommend. Thank you.
Hi Will and Susan
Very exciting article, and the first time I heard about the vit K connection with calcium use. Do you think this has anything to do with the connection between gum disease and heart disease?
I would love to know about your preferred choices of vit k supplements.
I would be very interested in hearing your thoughts on vitamin K2 supplements. Thank you
I would love a K-2 supplementation recommendation. Not sure about quality here…and my doctor has me currently on a high dose of D3. Want to make sure I don’t give myself cavities!
Thanks for such an informative article – would like to hear your take on the best K2 supplements. I’m currently using Life Extension Super K. How does it stack up against what’s available?
Thank you,
Patricia Mathias
We would also like to have more information on supplements for Vitamin K2 use please!
Please do make up a review of the different supplements on the market!! That would be wonderfully helpful!! I love your information!
I would really would like to hear about what you have learned about different supplements and which you think are best. Thank you for this article! It was very informative!
Hi. I would like to hear which supplement form of vit.k2 you suggest.
Thanks!
I would love some recommendations on what D3 and K2 supplements are good quality. I had been planning to buy a combination D3/K2 supplement until I read in your article that they often don’t contain enough K2, so I’m looking to purchase separately.
interested in learning more about vitamin k2. Also curious how to get k2 if you are a vegetarian. thanks mark
I am very interested in your VIt K2 review as well. I am currently taking 360 mcg if Nature’s Plus Vit K2 from whole food sources. I haven’t noticed anything yet, and have been taking it for 3-4 months. I started taking it when i realized that the Vit d3 needed to have K2 with it.
Waiting to hear your thoughts.
This is a very helpful article in teaching scientific information with laymen’s terms! It’s so frustrating how hard it is to nourish our families! We have been eating nothing but high quality from the local farmer food for 7+ years now and still our 10 year old wears glasses for narrowed eye sockets and has crooked teeth with occasional cavities. She is a picky eater preferring breads (I make fresh from wild starter with einkorn flour) but drinks raw milk and takes cod liver oil. At this point I just want some “magic” drops!! She takes a kid’s chewable D every other day and has ghee or pasture butter daily as well. Any other advice please? She will oil pull occasionally but it takes effort to get her to do it! We use most of your products and your oil drops but it’s not easy to make her! I have recently found a fluoride and glycerin free toothpaste. I wish you would sell a toothpaste please!! She won’t use a tooth powder so this Coral Brite for kids will have to do unless you have something better to offer. Thank you for helping so many!!! I do pray you feel rewarded in your work and will keep endeavoring to teach and provide for us!
I would so appreciate an article on your findings of which K2 supplements are best. I have enjoyed all your research efforts.
I would like to hear your thoughts on which K2 supplement seems to be the best. I am now taking Dr. Mercola’s MK 7.
What are your sources of Vitamin K2, how do you take it, how much, and why?
Thank you your wonderful and thorough research. I would be interested in your recommendations on which Vitamin K is best. Thank you
I would be very interested in your k2 supplement review. Especially considering quality, expense, ease of children’s dosages, and availability- for instance it’s super easy for me to order on amazon and will often choose to purchase from there over paying shipping from somewhere else. Also, I’m often concerned about synthetic vitamins supplements and try to avoid them.
I would really like more information about K2 please.
Please give us k2 supplement options!!!
I would like to see which K2 supplements are best!
“PS, If you’d like to hear our thoughts on which K2 supplements we prefer and why, please leave a comment below saying so and we will write a review of various K2 supplements on the market”
Yes, please share which K2 supplements you prefer and please give your readers a review of the various K2 supplements on the market.
Thanks!
Jacqueline
I am also interested to know which brands you recommend for Vitamins D3 and K2. I was taking D3 for quite some time and have only recently started adding K2 to my regimen as well. Thanks!!
I would LOVE to hear about K2 supplements!! Please please do a post!
I am interested to know that different kinds of Vitamin D and K2. I have tried one brand and feel as though it may be working, but am interested in knowing more.
Thank you so much for once again writing such an informative article. Your tooth oil alone has drastically improved my husband’s receeding gums. I would be so appreciative to read your review of various K2 supplements on the market.
Would love to look through the reviews!
This was a great article. My dentist told me at my last visit that I have beautiful and healthy teeth. Since using your product, my gums are healthy, but my bone loss issue will cause me to lose my teeth. Please give me more info on K2 supplements and where to find them and the best brands.
Thank you.
I would like to hear which K2 supplements you prefer. ☺ Also, thanks so much for all the research you do, and for sharing it with the world.
I’d be very interested to know which K2 supplements you recommend. I’ve been taking Natures Plus, Source of Life organic K2. Thank you.
Please, I would so deeply appreciate knowing your research on K-2 Supplements…………..the who, what, why & where?
Please tell us what supplements you like of k2
Hello,
I’m interested in knowing which brands of K2 you recommend. I’m taking Natures Plus Source of Life Garden K2 which is 120 mcg of menaquinone-7. It’s non GMO and made with organic standards. However, it does list carrageenan as an ingredient. Looking forward to hearing your opinions.
Marla
Aloha!!!!!
Thanks for all the time and energy you and your family put into helping us have the best oral health and overall wellbeing possible.
This article was just another GREAT example!!!!
I learned A LOT and will be implementing your suggestions.
I would definitely appreciate hearing your thoughts about quality
K2 supplements.
Mahalo Nui . . . Irene
Interested in article analysis of K2 products.
I would be interested in a look at the Vit. K different sources. I use mercola.com Vit.D/Vit.K. it is 5,000iu D and 180mcg K (MK7). One can also purchase just the K (180mcg.). Mercola is obsessive with researching and keeping up with the latest info so I trust his products completely. Not to say there aren’t others with the same quality.
Hi there!
What a great article! My mother was just diagnosed with osteoporosis and I think that K-2 might be the missing component to her diet and mine. Can you recommend a good brand to purchase (I am allergic to dairy)?
Thank you!
Yes, I would like to know which supplement your family prefers and why. I am taking ProNordic K2. Two soft gels = 200 mcg per day.
Thank you for your work.
Hi Diane, Where do you buy the Pronordic in Canada?
Please write an article about your recommended K2 supplements. Also, how can a child who is allergic to dairy, eggs, and nuts get sufficient K2. She is not allergic to soy so maybe the natto supplement would be best? Thanks!
Thanks for all the info! Just wish I’d learned all this sooner than my mid 60’s, but better late than never! I’d be glad to see your reviews of K2 supplements
Hi there. First let me say thank you for all that you do. We have your Bass brushes, HealThyMouth… big difference already. The information you share is priceless.
I have question regarding K-2. My teeth have be degnerating… and I realize that I’ve been supplementing with D3 and getting no K. I just reintroduced animal products and lots of good healthy fats… Following GAPS diet mostly.. eliminated grains etc. I can understand how I’ve created a major deficit and contributed to the problem with an inbalance/ratio of proper nutrients. So my question is, what products do you suggest for D3 and K2.. in order to get proper balance.. or close to. I know that requirements are different for each individual. I can muscle test for that, but I’d like to find a reputable source, so that I’m not throwing away my money. I just order some Sonnes Cod Liver Oil-not fermented, as I was taking Blue Ice, but read some very disturbing information about the integrity of that particular product-rancidity etc. And it’s very pricey, so I’m not chancing it anymore.
Thank you for any info you may be able to provide me with. It can be very daunting and overwhelming trying to navigate through all of this stuff and find the right path… People like you help to make it much easier.
In sincere appreciation,
Lisa
Lisa, Thanks for the heads up on Blue Ice.
Very interesting! What brand do you recommend?
I am looking for advice on K2 supplements. Have you reviewed products?
Thank you for the informative article. I would e interested in a review of K2 supplements.
Does supplementing the enzyme Nattokinase provide vitamin k?
I was wondering that too. But I have heard that nattokinase will reduce plaque on teeth:
https://jonbarron.org/article/gum-disease-forest-not-trees
Respectfully, this article could benefit from more research, more clarity,
more brevity.
1) It is vital NOT to consume any product with artificial Vitamin D3. It’s toxic.
There are only a very few brands of commercially available Cod Liver Oil without
this ‘pharmaceutical grade’ toxic component.
2) There are multiple herbs, which when combined and consumed regularly, in addition to
non-toxic Cod Liver Oil, supply enough organic plant calcium, magnesium and phosphorus,
trace minerals to have tooth enamel re-grow. Among them are comfrey and horsetail, if grown in rich organic soil and harvested properly, then rigorously tested for no heavy metals
whatsoever. Only one American bulk herb supplier does this most rigorous testing now.
3) Some specific herb combinations remove inorganic calcium deposits from any place in the body. Most importantly, one extensive combination dissolves and removes calcium deposits from the pituitary gland, which were formed from intake of fluoride and fluorine compounds.
4) neurotoxic compounds like MSG, Acesulfame-K, Neotame, Aspartame and Sucralose inhibit and halt the execution of toxic elements ingested from pollution and chemicals in food, drink and water. These toxic elements indirectly inhibit many bodily regenerations processes like the re-growth of tooth enamel. I have anecdotal personal experience, but no formal scientific proof.
All one can say is that this article in its present form is rather superficial and incomplete.
Goodluck, everyone.
Thank you for your comments. I like to consider ideas from all points of view.
Thank you for this informational article. I would like your supplement rating information as I have a number of children plus myself that need to begin supplementation.
Yes, I would be very interested in knowing which K2 supplements on the market are the best. Please do a review. I want to do the best I can for my oral health and avoid the dentist! Also, please hurry with the launch of your new product!!! Thank you.
Hi and thanks again for all you do!
Is there a rule of thumb ratio for D3/MK4&7? For example, If I’m taking 6000 IU of D a day, is there an optimal level of MK4 and 7 I should be getting?
Also, the D3/MK7 combo I’m looking at is 200IU/18mcg ratio, which would mean at 300mcg of MK7 a day, I wouldn’t be getting enough D without further supplementing, which seems to be the opposite of what you were saying, unless I’m missing something.
Thanks for your help, I appreciate it!
Yes, would like to hear more about k2.
Great article! I’ve been wondering about dosage of K2 myself and would like to get some ASAP. What brand do you use? Mahalo!
Would you be so kind as to recommend a K2 supplement?
Thank you so much Elaine in PA
Good information – thank you!
And yes, please do share what you’ve gleaned about which K2 supplements you prefer and why.
Thanks!
Thank you so much for this informative article. I’d love to hear about which K2 supplements you use/prefer. I’d also like to know how much D3 you feel is appropriate to supplement in proportion to the K2. Thank you again.
Yes, please share about which K2 supplements you recommend.
I’d like to get your thoughts about the k2 supplements you have reviewed. I am currently taking Tri-K from Designs For Health and would like to learn how that product compares to those you have reviewed.
Having osteoporosis and since there are no definite answers to the vitamin K2 MK4 or MK7, I take both, MK4 15 mg 3 times a day as per the Health Department of the Japanese government which considers this an official way to treat osteoporosis.
I have been taking this for 5 years. Yet I always have plaque on my teeth that I can scrape off with my nails after brushing with HealThyMouth. Also I always have a build up of plaque around the teeth in the gum pocket that I scoop out gently with my fingernail every 5 days or so. Genetics? Now I am trying Dr. Phillips xylitol to drink often xylitol and have some before bedtime to squelch the bad bugs.
Try cutting out all sugar (no dried fruit, maybe the equivalent of 1 apple or 3 small plums/day, no tropical fruits). Eat lots of greens and protein, with 3/4 of your plate from plants. You can also try having less carbs (ie reduce yams, potatoes, corn) or an alkaline diet. Swishing your mouth with 1 tsp of coconut oil for 5 to 10 minutes can help (“oil pulling”). Read more about traditional diets. Best wishes!
Regarding plaque on teeth, I am learning about this and recently found support to eat NO grains or potatoes. Since I have tried this, there has been much improvement. Also just added an “old tool” to my regime: that is a D-PlaK-R which I used 25 yrs ago. It does scrape off the plaque near the gum line that is very hard to get off with usual implements. I have to go at it “easy” though. The rinse with OraWellness’ oil helps too after using D-Plak-R.
Where is D-Plak-R being sold?
Thanks for the article to post and to share it with all of us . These are really helpful and easy tips to stop tooth decay.
Hi, thanks for this article! Thanks for doing the deep dives!
I’ve got a question to clarify about this segment:
Do you get cavities? Are you consuming WAY more fat soluble vitamins than everyone around you? (Remember Weston Price found indigenous peoples ate 10x the fats than Americans!)
Is your point that if you don’t get cavities and consume a lot of fat soluble vitamins (I don’t get cavities and I’m kind of a butter freak), you are probably okay with K2 levels?
Aloha Patty,
Thanks for stopping by to say ‘aloha’!
Yeah, if you don’t get cavities and eat buckets of butter, you probably do get plenty of K2. Other ways you can get clues are to notice how flexible/inflexible you feel. As K2 levels decline, one of the problems is excess calcium gets shunted into soft tissues resulting in tight muscles and joints.
We hope that helps!
This is a very helpful explanation on some cursory signs of calcium being in the wrong places; that is, you get less flexible due to the Ca being deposited in joints and soft tissues.
Thanks for sharing such a nice post for dental health. Good dental hygiene is essential for keeping your teeth healthy for as long as you possibly can. That’s why it’s important to know the truth about our dental health and be safe from tooth decay.
Thank you so much Will and Susan for your work on the interview with Dr. Kate and this article. Very helpful. It gave me a lot of hope that I can indeed repair teeth damage. I will try to find some natto somehow and see to get it weekly in my diet. And will report. I have to say that I have started to eat raw eggs daily for the last 1.5 years. My skin dramatically improved within 3 days of eating about 2-6 raw eggs. My skin was already quite clean but with the raw eggs it really went much younger. And if I stop doing that for a few days it goes back to being older looking. I did not particularly notice any change on the plaque of my teeth but will test this.
You mentioned that a good source is with fermented soy/natto…can fermented sauerkraut also be a good source of K2?
I too wonder about cod liver oil and vita k2 and if fermented or non-fermented is preferred?
Aloha Mimi,
To our knowledge, cod liver oil is not a source for K2. Yes, it’s great for vitamin D and A, but not K2. That’s why Dr Weston Price would combine cod liver oil and high vitamin butter oil to help his patients heal. That way, he was providing them a great blend of critical fat soluble vitamins to provoke positive change.
I hope that helps!
Does grass fed butter or ghee count as high vitamin butter oil or is it something different?
Is it necessary for egg yolks and cheeses to be raw in order to preserve vitamin profiles?
Aloha Tara,
Great question! While the merits of egg yolk and dairy are awesome in raw form, to our knowledge, vitamin K2 is not heat dependent. So, it’s ok for the eggs to be cooked and the cheese to have been pasteurized.
Hi there,
Such a great article! Thanks a lot!
However, I’m confused by the Amazon D/K product you recommend. It is the MK7 form and you said it was high enough in K, but it’s only 10 mcg and you recommend 100 as a minimum. So, 10 drops would give me 10,000 mg of D! What am I misunderstanding here?
I’m also concerned because the label says “Professional strength, not for sale on Amazon. com” — where I got it from.
Please respond to me!
Beth
Aloha Beth,
Great questions! Thanks for stopping by to ask for clarification.
Actually, we don’t know of a supplement for vitamin D and K2 where there is sufficient K2. Perhaps that alone with help clarify? We do like D/K2 blends, but also supplement K2 in addition to the blend.
I hope that helps!
Yes, thank you, it does help!
More reassuring news is at http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/gouda-the-nutrient-dense-cheese-of-choice/.
Admittedly, I have not scrutinized this information, but it continues Will and Susan’s trend of bringing healthy eating into the realm of the possible for average families.
NOTE: While the researchers are working with 100-360 mcg of MK7 per day, I suspect that Dr. Price’s average subject was not consuming that much. My question always is, “How many people in history, and around the world today, could get that?” When the answer is a low figure, then the “that” is not necessary. This has become my rule of thumb over the years.
Probably the most striking observation I had in practice, and it was general, is how determined the innate intelligence of the body is to be healthy, and how little it really requires. We repair ourselves with surprising rapidity (weeks and months) once true health becomes the person’s conscious priority.
I will be very interested in hearing your educated views about the best supplement source(s) for K2. My suspicion would be Natto capsules. Should be cheap to make, and I suspect they would last forever. Well, a long time.
Great article. Would K2 also be found in cod liver oil? If so, is it a good source – considering cod liver oil is also high in vitamins A and D? Thanks.
I am wondering if K2 is found in only the fermented cod liver oil? I am using cod liver oil that is NOT fermented. Thanks.
Best explanation I’ve come across regarding the roles and food sources of K-4 and K-7.
Thank you so much!
Thank you Marlene for stopping by to offer your supportive words!
Aloha!
I am glad you are back…..I was ready to order toothbrushes and lost you
Hehe, we’re here Adriane!
And we have brush bundles in stock!
I am so grateful for this article. I have been wanting to know how to calculate proper dosing of K2/vit D for a while now. Thank you very much!
I listened to the interview on K 2 recently and thoroughly enjoyed it and felt like it provided one of the missing pieces in the puzzle of better dental and overall health. This article is a nice complement to the information I picked up before. so thanks a lot!
Aloha Bonnie,
Thanks for reaching out to us, and for your feedback.
You are very welcome! We love to share information to help folks become self empowered on their journey to greater oral (and whole body) health.
Thank you and Aloha!
I always find your articles most informative. I use you oral health products and find my teeth accumulate much less plaque.
Aloha Sandra,
Thanks so much for your feedback! We’re honored to serve you on your journey to greater oral health!
Feel free to contact us with any questions; we’re here to help. 🙂
Thank you and Aloha!
Thank you for providing such pertinent important information regarding the health of our teeth, mouth and gums. I read your articles and take your advice. I use your toothbrush and Healthy Mouth Blend and I think my mouth is healthier because if it.
Aloha Tova,
Thanks for reaching out to us here.
You are very welcome! We are honored to provide products and information to help folks along their path to greater oral health. 🙂
Feel free to contact us with any questions, Tova; we’re here to help.
Thank you and Aloha!
Thanks for all your hard work. God Bless you and your family?
Yes, I would be interested in your review of vitamin K2 supplements. You are very generous in sharing your knowledge with us and it’s really appreciated. Blessings to you and your family.
same here–using NOW brand MK7
I am very interested in your article and more informationyou might have to share. What K2 supplement do you recommend? Thank you!