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evidence · mechanism · dose
Supplements/Vitamin

Vitamin K2 (MK-7)

Long-half-life K2 — directs calcium to bone and away from arteries.

Bone HealthCardiovascular HealthHealthy Aging

Overview

Long-half-life K2 — directs calcium to bone and away from arteries.

Natural sources
    Common forms

      Forms & variants of Vitamin K2 (MK-7)

      Different chemical forms of Vitamin K2 (MK-7) behave differently. Browse each form's mechanism, bioavailability, and best-use context.

      MK-4 (Menatetrenone)
      Vitamin K2 (MK-4)

      Short-acting K2 form used at high dose in Japanese osteoporosis protocols.

      Mechanism of action

      Cofactor for γ-glutamyl carboxylase — activates osteocalcin (bone) and MGP (artery protection).

      Pathways
      • · Osteocalcin carboxylation
      • · Matrix Gla Protein activation

      Effects on the body

      Organ system effects

      Evidence-based benefits

      Reduces arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women

      Moderate evidence

      Improves bone mineral density (with D3)

      Moderate evidence

      Potential side effects

      Common
        Rare
          Serious

            Drug interactions

            Warfarin
            Antagonizes warfarin — avoid.
            severe

            Supplement interactions

            Pairs well with
            • Vitamin D3
              Directs the calcium D3 absorbs into bone.
            Avoid combining with

            No specific avoidances listed.

            Dosing & bioavailability

            Typical dose
            100–200 mcg
            Study range
            180–360 mcg
            With food?
            With fat

            Where to buy

            Affiliate-style search links to reputable retailers. We don't endorse specific brands — verify third-party testing (USP, NSF, Informed Sport) before purchase.

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            Thorne
            Practitioner-grade · NSF tested

            Scientific evidence (9)

            RCTOsteoporos Int · 2013

            MK-7 on bone and vascular health in postmenopausal women

            Knapen MHJ, et al.

            3-year RCT of MK-7 180 µg/d.

            Key findings

            Reduced bone loss and vascular stiffness.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Vitamin K2 (MK-7) — Reduces arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Vitamin K2 (MK-7) Reduces arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Vitamin K2 (MK-7) and "Reduces arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Vitamin K2 (MK-7) — Improves bone mineral density

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Vitamin K2 (MK-7) Improves bone mineral density" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Vitamin K2 (MK-7) and "Improves bone mineral density". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Vitamin K2 (MK-7) — randomized controlled trial

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Vitamin K2 (MK-7) randomized controlled trial" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Vitamin K2 (MK-7) and "randomized controlled trial". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Vitamin K2 (MK-7) — meta-analysis

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Vitamin K2 (MK-7) meta-analysis" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Vitamin K2 (MK-7) and "meta-analysis". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Vitamin K2 (MK-7) — pharmacokinetics

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Vitamin K2 (MK-7) pharmacokinetics" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Vitamin K2 (MK-7) and "pharmacokinetics". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Vitamin K2 (MK-7) — safety adverse events

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Vitamin K2 (MK-7) safety adverse events" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Vitamin K2 (MK-7) and "safety adverse events". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Vitamin K2 (MK-7) — dose response

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Vitamin K2 (MK-7) dose response" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Vitamin K2 (MK-7) and "dose response". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewGoogle Scholar · 1970

            Google Scholar: Vitamin K2 (MK-7) — clinical evidence

            Live Scholar search

            Cross-database citation index for Vitamin K2 (MK-7) as it relates to "clinical evidence".

            Key findings

            Includes preprints, theses, and journal articles. Useful for tracking citation counts and follow-on work.

            Open study
            Educational use only. This profile is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic condition.