Vitamin k2

[Wayfair]

We are frequently told by the media now that taking vitamins can interfere with our medications. Thinking of ordering k2 but do wonder if it’s ok as I take a lot of prescription medicines.

[Hidden]

HeronNS has done much research into Vitamins & if you look on her profile you may find an answer to your question but l'm sure she will reply in due course.

Kind Regards

MrsN

[HeronNS in reply to Hidden]

Haha, I was writing my reply as you spoke!

[HeronNS]

To the best of my knowledge there is only one kind of medication which you definitely need to bear in mind and that is warfarin type blood thinners. K2 doesn't have quite the same effect on blood clotting as K1 (K2 is more concerned with bones of course) but it is still a factor and you would need advice from a pharmacist, probably, about a safe dose of K2. They will likely suggest you endeavour to obtain your Vitamin K2 from foods, like grass fed animal products, some fermented foods. Otherwise it's like any other vitamin, and I know there are people who say you can't take this vitamin with that one, or whatever, but when you think normally we'd be getting our vitamins in our food I don't stress too much about it. Some medications, and indeed calcium itself, interfere with nutrient absorption in that case it's best to take the medication away from the supplements (like not taking pred with calcium, for example).

You can check online for possible interactions. I found this, and as usual one is never quite sure if they really mean Vitamin K2 or just Vitamin K generally.

webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-1644...

[Wayfair in reply to HeronNS]

Thank you for your helpful comments

[HeronNS in reply to Wayfair]

If you find out more I'd be very interested to learn.

[Blearyeyed in reply to HeronNS]

Nothing more to be said , cheers Heron xx

[Smokygirl in reply to HeronNS]

Are we allowed to take baby aspirin with pred?

I have taken one each night for 40 years after a suspected TIA but stopped three months ago when the PMR started and I was self medicating with Ibuprofen. I would like to start again if possible xx

[Hidden in reply to Smokygirl]

Best to run it past your GP but your ‘Best Friend’ on this Journey is your Pharmacist, keep to the same one & then they’ll have a record of all your Meds & can check for interactions.

As Aspirin can be irritating to your stomach then Care must be taken, so definitely check it with your GP/Pharmacist.

MrsN

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Smokygirl]

It has also been a recommendation for patients with GCA - but when the new recommendations are published it will be NOT recommended because in GCA the downsides outweigh the benefits (which are really few).

mdedge.com/neurology/articl...

seems to suggest the role of aspirin is for the immediate aftermath of a TIA - maybe a discussion with your doctors is called for. Do you really mean 40 years?

[Smokygirl in reply to PMRpro]

It is actually 37 years —-I was 40. However the Docs were never positive that it was indeed a TIA even tho I had an MRI and they called it an “ incident” and put me on the baby aspirin.

More advice please.

I have now been on Pred for a week and am in a routine that suits me for the moment with it.

So now of course, I worry about my bones, as I have read that the Pred leaches the Calcium from our bones most, in the first few months we are on it. Which certainly happened to my Mum 20 years ago.

At the moment I am eating 1000 mg of calcium naturally each day in my food.

A tin of sardines, 30 grams of cheddar cheese, 3 small Greek yoghurts plus, cottage cheese and a slice of whole meal bread .

I take a vit D supplement of 800 iu and multivitamins with another 100 iu in it.

I dont want to take a Calcium supplement as I have high cholesterol (7.00) and have always refused to take statins.

I have a Dexa scan in five weeks.

I walk a brisk mile every morning.

Grateful for your comments xxx

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Smokygirl]

After over 7 years on pred, most of it at above 10mg, my bone density had barely changed from baseline a couple of months after starting pred. I don't quite see the link with calcium and statins - I refuse to take statins but I willingly take calcium if it saves me from pressure to take AA.

It doesn't leach calcium from bones as such, once it is there it is there. However, bone is continuously being made and if the supply of calcium is reduced it doesn't get to the new bone being made. Taking a supplement increases the chances of calcium getting into new bone.

Wait for your dexascan and then review your decisions.

[Smokygirl in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks again PMRpro. Always grateful for your knowledge and experience. X

[PMRnewbie2017]

I was a pharmacist for 35 years and had never heard of Vitamin K2 until I joined this club!! I now take it and there is a very good book which you can download quite cheaply called "Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox". It has been a while since I read it but it contains some really useful information. Mine are 90microgram (mcg) in the form MK7 and one per day is the recommended dose. If you google K1 vs K2 there is a lot of information about the two , but they have different chemical structures and different absorption rates so are used by the body in different ways. I don't know if the K2 is helping my bones, but I had an excellent dexa scan result and will do anything to save my bones (my Rheumy is hellbent on getting me on AA!!). I'm not on Warfarin so that isn't an issue for me. Generally patients taking anti-coagulants can be stabilised even if they do take products which alter their INR. It just requires dose adjustment and monitoring.

Certainly your local pharmacist should be willing to help especially as you take multiple meds. They may have to research it though!

[Constance13 in reply to PMRnewbie2017]

You're not the only one! My doctor is one of the 'odd ones' who knew all about PMR and GCA but he hadn't heard of K2 either.

[TooSore]

I asked my pharmacist about the K2 when I added a low dose Lipitor and a baby aspirin and she said it wasn't a problem. I am taking them all at night with my Calcium. What do you think?

[HeronNS in reply to TooSore]

I have no opinion, or knowledge, about Lipitor, but the others would, I'd have thought, be fine together.

[Hidden in reply to TooSore]

I try not to take anything within 2 hrs of calcium. It effect some drugs but I don't want to think too hard everyday so just seperate it. Lipitor..otherwise know as atorvastatin .has been inplicated in "causing "PMR". Back in early 2000s I was onit and had terrible arm pain. I stopped taking it and was prescribed another statin. Seemed ok but I have stopped that now.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

Lipitor certainly had a fairly dramatic effect on me within a week of half the normal dose!!!

[TooSore in reply to PMRpro]

Doctor warned me of side effect. I chuckled and informed him I was used to those! He wants to know if it happened and we'll make adjustments...

[TooSore]

Interesting read - Calcium and K2 aren't mentioned as a problem but "Certain forms of magnesium may also decrease blood levels of statin drugs -- particularly Crestor" . Also mentioned not to drink green tea at the same time. Lipitor is actually Atorvastatin but I will switch my magnesium to the morning and watch when I drink my ice tea!