What vitamin K2 does
Vitamin K helps activate certain proteins involved in calcium handling, including:
- Osteocalcin — a protein involved in directing calcium into bones.
- Matrix Gla protein (MGP) — a protein that may help limit calcium deposition in soft tissues, including blood vessels.
Because of this, researchers have studied whether vitamin K2 could help support bone health and cardiovascular health.
Does vitamin K2 “clean calcium from arteries”?
No. That is an exaggeration.
- There is some evidence that vitamin K status is linked with vascular calcification risk.
- However, it has not been proven that taking vitamin K2 supplements will reverse artery calcium buildup or prevent heart disease in everyone.
- More research is needed to determine who benefits, what dose is appropriate, and the long-term effects.
Where vitamin K comes from
Vitamin K is found in foods such as:
- 🥬 Leafy green vegetables (rich in vitamin K1)
- 🧀 Some fermented foods (such as certain cheeses and natto, a fermented soybean food, which is high in K2)
- Eggs and some animal products contain smaller amounts of K2
Who should be cautious with vitamin K supplements?
People taking warfarin or other vitamin K–sensitive blood thinners should not start vitamin K supplements without medical advice, because changes in vitamin K intake can affect how these medicines work.
Bottom line
Vitamin K2 plays an important role in the body’s calcium-regulation systems, and it is an area of active research. But the idea that a vitamin can simply “switch off artery calcium” or undo plaque buildup is not established medical fact. Maintaining heart health still relies on proven measures such as controlling blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, not smoking, regular activity, and a balanced diet.
