Vitamin D3 and K2 Studies have shown that the combined therapy of Vitamin D3 and Vitamin K2 helps increase bone turnover, promotes bone formation and calcification resulting in marked increases in bone mineral density and improvement in bone quality. Low levels of circulating Vitamin K are linked to an increased risk of mobility limitation and disability in older adults. Supports proper calcium metabolism in vascular structures. Highly stable and highly bioavailable. Important for healthy bones, teeth and the cardiovascular system. Vitamin D3 promotes calcium transport and absorption. Vitamin K2 is critical for the formation of a healthy, strong bone matrix. Ingredients: Vitamin D3 (125 mcg), Vitamin K2 (180 mcg), Magnesium Citrate, (200 mg), Curcumin C3 complex, Rice Starch Vegetable Capsule 60 softgels, serving size 1 capsule Retail $39.95, your cost $29.96

Vitamin D

Vitamin D may be the “oldest” pro-hormone on the planet, synthesized by a micro-organism which is estimated to have lived in the ocean 750 million years ago. Approximately 150 years ago, it was recognized that people, especially children, who worked and lived in urban areas with little light were especially susceptible to rickets, a softening of the bones leading to fractures and deformity. The predominate cause of rickets is a deficiency of vitamin D.

As early as 1849, cod liver oil was used in the treatment of tuberculosis (TB). We now know that the vitamin D in cod liver oil activates the immune system cells that can fight TB. In 1970, Adolf Windaus, a German scientist, was awarded the Nobel Prize for his synthesis of vitamin D by replicating the photoactivation process that occurs in the skin.

In the 1930s, the U.S Federal Government began recommending to parents, especially those in the Northeast, that they send their children outside to play in order to increase vitamin D levels. In addition, milk was fortified with vitamin D.

Today we know that vitamin D has many critical metabolic functions, yet much of the population is still at risk of deficiency. It is estimated that at least 30%, and as much as 80%, of the US population is deficient in vitamin D. In the latitudes north of Atlanta, Georgia (USA), the skin does not photo-convert any vitamin D from November through March. During this season, the angle of the sun is too low to allow ultraviolet B light to penetrate the atmosphere. Instead, it is absorbed by the ozone layer. In late Spring, Summer, and early Fall, most vitamin D is synthesized by the skin between 10 am and 3 pm when UVB from the sun penetrates the atmosphere and reaches the earth’s surface.

The Importance of Sun Exposure:

Vitamin D is produced by a phyto-reaction of exposure to ultraviolet B light from the sun (wavelength 270-300 nm, with peak synthesis occurring between 295-297 nm). These wavelengths are present in sunlight when the UV index is greater than 3. This solar elevation occurs daily within the tropics, daily during the spring and summer seasons in temperate regions, and almost never within the arctic circles. Sufficient amounts of vitamin D3 can be made in the skin after only ten to fifteen minutes of adequate sun exposure to the face, arms, hands, or back (without sunscreen) at least two times per week. With longer exposure to UVB rays, an equilibrium is achieved in the skin, and the vitamin simply degrades as fast as it is generated. Even dietary sources of vitamin D are ultimately derived from organisms, from mushrooms to animals, which are not able to synthesize it except through the action of sunlight at some point. For example, fish contain vitamin D only because they ultimately exist on a diet of ocean algae which synthesize vitamin D in shallow waters from the action of solar UV.

Vitamin D3 and Bone Health

Probably the most important effect of vitamin D is to facilitate absorption of calcium from the small intestine and the re-sorption of calcium within the kidney, minimizing the loss of calcium in the urine. Vitamin D also enhances fluxes of calcium out of bone.

Vitamin D does this in concert with parathyroid hormone. Because of its important regulatory role, a vitamin D deficiency can contribute to the bone weakening diseases of osteomalacia and osteoporosis.

Benefits of Vitamin D3

Health Consequences Associated with a Vitamin D Deficiency

Bone disorders, Joint Disorders, Muscular weakness, Cardio-vascular disorders, Psychoneurological disorders, Endocrine disorders, Polycystic ovary syndrome, Inflammatory bowel disease, Periodontal disease, Irritable Bowel Disease, Crohn’s, Ulcerative Colitis. Heart Disease, Hypertension, Arthritis, Chronic Pain, Depression, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Obesity, Premenstrual Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Crohns Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Autoimmune Illness, and Cancer.

Vitamin K2 (MK-7)

Vitamin K2 (MK-7) is a highly bioavailable extract of Natto, a traditional food used in Japan for over 1,000 years! Derived from fermented soybeans, a significant amount of MK-7 is produced during a proprietary fermentation process. There are generally two forms of Vitamin K: K1 and K2. Vitamin K1 is obtained in the diet primarily from dark leafy vegetables (lettuce, spinach and broccoli). Unfortunately, Vitamin K1 is tightly bound to the chlorophyll in green plants, thus, aging humans are not always able to benefit from ingested K1-containing plants. While Vitamin K1 is not absorbed particularly well from food, it is absorbed from supplements provided that the supplements are taken with meals.

Vitamin K2 (MK-7) is found only in small quantities in the diet, primarily in dairy products. Human studies show that Vitamin K2 (MK-7) is absorbed up to ten times more than Vitamin K1. Vitamin K2 (MK-7) remains biologically more active in the body far more than Vitamin K1. For instance, Vitamin K1 is rapidly cleared by the liver within 8 hours, whereas measurable levels of Vitamin K2 (MK-7) have been detected 72 hours after ingestion. Our Vitamin K2 (MK-7) is naturally produced and does not contain genetically modified microorganisms (GMO-Free).

Our bones change every seven

Bone is comprised of a hard outer shell and a spongy inner tissue matrix which is a living substance. The entire skeleton is replaced every seven years. This process is regulated by osteoblasts cells that build up the skeleton and osteoblasts cells that break down the skeleton. As long as the bone forming activity (absorption) is greater than the bone-breakdown (resorption) the process of maintaining health bones will be under control.

Osteoblasts produce a vitamin K-dependent protein called osteocalin. This protein helps bind calcium in the bone matrix lending to increased bone mineral content. Consequently the skeleton becomes more resistant and less susceptible to fracture. Osteocalin needs natural Vitamin K2 (MK-7) to function optimally. Long-term vitamin K deficiency will lead to significantly reduced density and quality of bone.