As American Heart Health Month is celebrated this February, new learning emerges on how two simple vitamins work together in support of cardiovascular health, according to Dr. James DiNicolantonio, Director of Scientific Affairs at AIDP, Inc.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. It is also one of the most preventable, (CDC), costing about $200 billion each year in the US. Unfortunately, the first sign of a heart condition is a heart attack, afflicting even the most fit.
The human heart is a complex organ, promoting life and love. Although there is a lot known about how the heart works, there are still many unanswered questions about heart health and the cardiovascular system. Vitamin K2 and Vitamin D3 in combination can help maintain a healthy heart.
Vitamin K2 plays an important role in bone health, heart health and immune health. Vitamin K2 helps the body transfer calcium out of the blood and into bone. This process helps promote strong healthy bones and healthy arteries.
Vitamin K2 is important in the activation of anti-calcification proteins in the body. Calcification, or hardening of arteries, can lead to cardiovascular disease. Vitamin K2 may help to maintain healthy supple arteries, supporting overall cardiac health.
Vitamin K2 may also help maintain normal blood glucose and insulin levels. Vitamin K is involved in forming the pancreatic cells responsible for insulin synthesis, storage and release, insulin sensitivity, and glucose control. Thus, vitamin K2 may be good for the heart, arteries and blood sugar.
Vitamin D3 is important for supporting the immune system and plays a vital role in the body's ability to absorb calcium and build bones.
Vitamin D helps in vasoprotection, while deficiency can lead to endothelial dysfunction. Vitamin D may improve nitric oxide levels, helping to dilate the blood vessels and improve oxygenation. Nitric oxide is a potent inhibitor of platelet aggregation and adhesion, which plays a role in heart disease. Vitamin D may also help protect the endothelial cells by reducing oxidative stress and may even help to maintain normal blood pressure. Combining vitamin K2 and Vitamin D3 is a romance for the heart and provides numerous synergistic effects. Vitamin D3 helps with the absorption of calcium from the diet into the blood stream, where vitamin K2 moves it away from the arteries and into the bone. Vitamin D activates over 2,000 genes, including many vitamin K-dependent proteins, which require vitamin K2 to activate. Thus, taking both vitamin K2 and vitamin D3 would provide a larger increase in activated vitamin K-dependent proteins. Thus, combining vitamin D3 and vitamin K2 makes for the perfect match.
Supplementing with both Vitamin K and D is a smart choice for heart and bone health. K2 Vital® is a great option, as the most bioactive vitamin K on the market, while VegD3® features the only organic and vegan certified vitamin D3 from algae.
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Dr. James DiNicolantonio
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Kathy Lund
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Original Source: How Two Simple Vitamins Can Help With Heart Health
