Would you take a weight-loss pill that made you gain weight?
Or a sleep aid was loaded with caffeine that kept you up all night?
Of course not!
And your doctor would never recommend these things… because they do the exact opposite of what they're intended to do.
So why do conventional doctors keep prescribing statins to prevent heart disease?
We know that these drugs aren't safe. They can cause kidney failure and liver damage. They could even kill you.
And they don't do the one thing they're supposed to do — help your heart.
Sure, statins are pretty good at lowering cholesterol… but that's the problem. Because high cholesterol is not the cause of heart disease. In fact, lowering your cholesterol levels with statins can actually cause heart disease.
What is vitamin K2?
One of the ways that statins damage your heart is by inhibiting vitamin K2. K2 is a nutrient that activates a protein called MGP, which helps prevent hardening of the arteries.
Without K2, plaque levels in your body worsen, increasing the risk of atherosclerosis and heart failure.1
Causes Of Heart Disease
What DOES cause heart disease is inflammation and oxidation. And recent research on vitamin K2 shows that it prevents inflammation by inhibiting pro-inflammatory markers produced by white blood cells.2
Vitamin K2 For Heart Health
K2 is one of the best vitamins for heart health. One study of 4,800 people showed that high levels of vitamin K2 lowered the risk of coronary artery disease by 57%. It lowered calcium buildup in arteries by 52%. And it slashed the risk of death from any cause by 26%.3
The study also found that populations that get more vitamin K2 in their diets reduce their risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by 50% over those who had lower amounts. In fact, it showed that for every daily increase of 10 mcg of K2, the risk of coronary heart disease decreases by 9%.
Unfortunately, most people today are deficient in K2. Some estimates put the number as high as 98%!4
How To Get More K2 In Your Diet
Our primal ancestors got plenty of K2 in their diets — from organ meat. But most people today don't eat much organ meat, if any.
This table below shows some good food sources of K2 and how much of this heart-healthy vitamin they contain. Keep in mind, you need a minimum of 45 mcg to reap K2's heart-health benefits.
|
FOOD |
VITAMIN K2 |
|
Natto (1/2 ounce) |
200 mcg |
|
Goose liver (3.5 ounces) |
369 mcg |
|
Gouda or Brie cheese (1 ounce) |
75 mcg |
|
Egg yolks |
approx. 32 mcg/yolk |
|
Beef liver (1 cup) |
5 mcg |
|
Chicken liver |
3 mcg |
You can also get K2 from the meat of grass-fed animals and from dairy products that come from grass-fed animals.
You won't get it from animals raised on grain, though. Here's why…
Grass is rich in vitamin K1. Animals that eat grass have a unique ability to convert K1 to K2. So meat, eggs, and dairy from pastured and grass-fed animals contain higher levels of vitamin K2 compared with their grain-fed counterparts.
This vitamin is so important for your heart that I recommend taking a supplement — between 45-90 mcg daily. And since it's fat-soluble, take it with a meal to improve absorption.
You can find K2 at your local health food store or online.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD, CNS
1."Statins stimulate atherosclerosis and heart failure: pharmacological mechanisms." Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology. 2015 Mar; 8(2): 189-99.
2. Maresz K et al. New study shows evidence that MensaQ7 Positively Impacts Inflammation. 13th international Nutrition and Diagnostic Conference. INDC 2013.
3. Johanna M. Geleijnse et al. "Dietary Intake of Menaquinone Is Associated with a Reduced Risk of Coronary Heart Dusease: The Rotterdam Study." J. Nutr. 2004 vol. 134 no. 11 3100-3105.
4. Maresz K et al. New study shows evidence that MensaQ7 Positively Impacts Inflammation. 13th international Nutrition and Diagnostic Conference. INDC 2013.