Most people will scrunch their forehead hearing vitamin K, which means they rarely heard about that. Yes! Vitamin K indeed is not a mainstream nutrient that people know. Originally, vitamin K was found in 1929 for blood clotting. The initial discovery was done by a German scientific journal, which named after the German word for blood clotting (koagulation). That is how vitamin K originates.
Vitamin K plays important role in helping the blood clot and preventing excessive bleeding. The vitamin consist 2 different groups, vitamin K1 and vitamin K2. Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) can be obtained through leafy greens and other vegetables, whereas Vitamin K2 (menaquinone) is a group of compounds largely obtained from meats, cheeses, and eggs, and fermented foods.
Researchers from the R & D Group VitaK have provided definitive proof that vitamin K2 not only prevents arteriosclerosis, but also restore the elasticity of blood vessels. The most striking result of the study is that not only was the development of atherosclerosis stopped, the stiffened blood vessels started to regain their elasticity.
Another scientific study has confirmed that vitamin K2’s role in the body extends far beyond blood clotting . Vitamin K2 contributes in protecting us from heart disease, ensuring healthy skin, forming strong bones, promoting brain function, supporting growth and development and helping to prevent cancer ( Chris Kesser, 2008). A support research by the R & D Group VitaK (2013) showed that vitamin K2 has a beneficial effect on bone strength for menopause women. The researchers, in collaboration with Erasmus University Rotterdam (2004) proved people who ate a diet rich in vitamin K2 were fifty percent less likely to die from cardiovascular disease. Another research conducted in collaboration with the University of Leuven showed that low vitamin K levels in the blood vessel wall was a significant risk factor for cardiovascular mortality, similar to that of smoking. Women between 55 and 65 years is strongly recommended to have a daily intake of vitamin K2.