Supplementing with K2

[belindalore]

Does anyone supplement with K2? Sometimes called Mk7. I am on Eliquis so no problem with the K. I've read that it's good to take k2 along with magnesium and vitamin D to help absorb them better. Also that k2 helps to keep calcium from building up in the arteries and keeps stiffness down of the blood vessels. How much would a dose be for someone who weighs about 120 lbs? 68 yrs old woman. Thanks for any info. Hope everyone here is safe and well. See that UK is under lockdown again. Several areas here in USA having a surge of the virus. Wish somehow it would just go away😔

[BobD Volunteer]

MarkS has been taking K2 for years using warfarin as it levels the amount of k ingested and helps balance the INR. Since Eliquis is a different type of DOAC this probably doesn't apply but he may contribute.

[belindalore in reply to BobD]

I read on a different afib forum that some take K2 (aka as Mk7) to help keep calcium from stiffening the blood vessels, particularly in the heart. I take Eliquis and others on this other afib site are taking Eliquis take k2. Thought it might be a good thing to consider. Maybe others here take it. I'm still trying to figure it all out. Thanks. Take care.

[MarkS]

Hi Belinda,

As Bob says, I've taken K2 MK-7 for years on warfarin. It has helped me stabilise my INR so I now get 99% in the 2-3 range. I think it's also really good, along with Vit D3, for ensuring calcium goes to building bones rather than stiffening and blocking arteries.

As you're on eliquis, you obviously won't get the benefit of INR stabilisation. However you will get the benefit of strengthening bones. I suggest 90 micrograms of K2 MK-7 per day. I used to get my tablets from iHerb, a US company, but I now get them from Natures Best, a UK company.

My wife also takes 90 mcg K2, she is not on anticoags but had problems with excess parathyroid hormone, PTH. PTH regulates the amount of calcium in the blood. The more PTH, the higher the Ca content. Her's was too high and hence she had osteopenia as the Ca was being leached out of her bones. After taking K2 for 6 months, her PTH dropped to normal range and her bone density increased, The consultant was very surprised. We didn't mention the K2. I've learnt to be cautious with supplements and medics.

[belindalore in reply to MarkS]

Thanks Mark S. Am going to look into mk7. I'm in the USA and have used iherb before. Swansons Vitamins is a company here that's been around for a long time. Both have good prices. Take care. Hope you're enduring another lockdown over there. Daytona Beach FL (20 miles from me) is having their yearly motorcycle festival. And the virus is surging here in Florida. I expect there will be a lot of people get covid because of it. Don't know what to think anymore.......

[Doggiemomma]

I've been taking Vit D3 along with Vit K (MK7) for a couple of months. I read that they work best when taken with a "fat." The little gel caps might even have oil inside them to help them metabolize better.

For YEARS I never knew that Vit. D3 should be taken together with VIt. K.

I also take Magnesium Glycinate during the day, usually with lunch. I haven't really taken the Mg, the D3 and Mk7 all together--I'm not sure why but I must have read something about it somewhere, about which one to take with food and which one to take with a fat! I can see I'll have to try and research some more about this, unless someone already knows and can post that info here!

[belindalore in reply to Doggiemomma]

Thanks. I take mg and d separately as I have low BP anyway so have to add a little Himalayan salt sometimes to counteract that. I think I read too that some of these blood thinners and other meds can leech nutrients from our bodies and especially calcium from our bones. And the mk7 helps stop that. So much to know. One problem begets another....... Thanks. Take care.

[Clipper100 in reply to belindalore]

What is your Heart condition? How many ablations?

I take 2 Eliquis/day... Naturally, 2 Tikosyn for the AFIB (which works magic) and get plenty of sun golfing and also take A & D sup , and of course Mag

[belindalore in reply to Clipper100]

Afib. No ablations. Recently diagnosed this June. Only one afib attack when I was diagnosed. Take 2.5 Eliquis 2x a day. Nothing else. Take mag, d, c, coq10. Multi vitamin. Not doing well because I am one who can't tolerate prescription meds well. But thought I'd try mk7 anyway. Have NO energy to even go outside unless I need to shop. Thanks

[Doggiemomma in reply to belindalore]

Here's info that I found in my notes, pulled from drugs dot com website about interactions. Hope this helps:

Interactions between your drugs (Mg and D3)

Moderate interaction

Applies to: Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), and magnesium glycerinate

Using cholecalciferol together with magnesium glycinate can lead to elevated magnesium blood levels, particularly in individuals with reduced kidney function.

Symptoms of high magnesium levels may include nausea, vomiting, flushing, drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, muscle weakness, reduced reflexes, low blood pressure, slow heart rate, and impaired breathing.

[belindalore in reply to Doggiemomma]

Wow. I hadn't seen that. But all the side effects you listed are also side effects of the Eliquis. ???? So which one is the culprit. My Drs said it was okay to take what I'm taking. Was taking them before I was diagnosed. Hard and next to impossible to get any Drs to test for these things. And I don't have deep pockets for private tests. I'll just have to stop taking them and see what happens. They never bothered me before which makes me think it's the Eliquis..... Thanks for the info.

I use drugs.com and just double checked. Said no interactions with mag glycinate or d3. Could be it's changed since whenever you checked it? I see many people on here and a couple other forums I look in from time to time who take the same and very few problems. Things change off and on with these meds. Do we really know for sure? Thanks again. You took time to do all that. Much appreciated. I know the mag helps with irregular beats and is calming and I'm not taking that much. Maybe 200mg. Same with d3. So I don't think I'm over dosing. Watch what's in the food I eat too. It's a full time job trying to keep up.

These meds also deplete our bodies of nutrients. Some of us worse than others. And Drs don't seem to understand that or just don't want to deal with it. I wonder when all these drug trials are done if the volunteers are tested for nutrients along the way........

[Doggiemomma in reply to belindalore]

I checked at drugs.com a few minutes before I posted the info in the other reply. How odd that you double-checked and found different info. I did a copy/paste of the info, too! I have no clue about Eliquis. A lot of doctors don't seem to know much about supplements and how they interact with the medicines or other things (supplements) we're taking. That's frustrating, but I do know that many pharmacists refer to drugs.com as well as the Physicians Desk Reference.

[belindalore in reply to Doggiemomma]

You know I got to thinking and realized you were doing the interactions between the two supplements. My mistake. I apologize for that. But still I wasn't having these side effects til I started the Eliquis so I tend to believe it's the problem. I've seen many people on here with some of the same side effects of the Eliquis that I have. And some have problems with the other blood thinners. We're all different.

Again I apologize. Was feeding my cats a bit ago and all of a sudden it dawned on me what I did. I was doing the interactions of each supplement with the Eliquis. Not the supplements. I also have brain fog on Eliquis. Not before. I wish I didn't have all these side effects. Not fun. And can't rely on the Drs to know anything. Nor most of the pharmacists. If you're in the UK it seems from what I've seen on here your pharmacists are much more knowledgeable. Thanks again Doggiemomma. I assume from your name you have dogs? I have in the past. I never thought I'd be a cat person but I converted.😁. Loved dogs too. But I was attacked by a pit bull that had just killed a feral cat I fed a couple years ago. Fortunately I wasn't injured. I reported it to animal control but they never found the owner or the dog. Now I'm leery of any dogs. Even cringe when I hear the neighbors little dog bark. Here in the states there are many pit bull dog attacks. Some have killed their owners. And yet people are still allowed to own them. These dogs have been so inbred through the years they have just become loose cannons. So it's not really their fault. It's the humans fault. As with the feral cats. They became feral because someone abandoned them. Humans can be so cruel.

Once again I do appreciate your taking your time to look up the info for me. Take care and be safe.

[Doggiemomma in reply to belindalore]

No worries! You can always go to that website and plug in Eliquis and Magnesium and Vitamin D3 and K and see if there are any interactions. Sorry about your dog experience--how frightening!!!

[belindalore in reply to Doggiemomma]

Thanks for your help.

Yes it was pretty scary. Would never want to go through that again.

I'll look on drugs.com again.

Take care. This forum is such a blessing.