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Is too much vitamin K2 bad for you? While it’s rare to experience side effects or vitamin k2 toxicity from getting high amounts from food alone, you might develop symptoms if you take high doses of vitamin K supplements.
However, for most people even high doses of this vitamin, such as 15 milligrams three times a day, have been shown to generally be safe.
Are there potential drug interactions to worry about? If you’re someone who takes the drug Coumadin, a potential side effect associated with taking too much vitamin K is increasing your risk for heart-related problems.
Too much vitamin K can also also contribute to complications in people with blood clotting disorders.
Look for a supplement that specifically lists menaquinone if you plan to supplement. Because vitamin K supplements can interact with many medications, talk to your doctor if you plan to take a vitamin K supplement and are taking any daily medications. *
How much vitamin k2 do you need each day?
The minimum daily requirement of K2 in adults is between 90–120 micrograms per day.
- Some experts recommend getting about 150 to 400 micrograms daily, ideally from K2 foods as opposed to dietary supplements.
- Overall it’s recommended to tailor your dosage depending on your current health. People with a higher risk of heart disease or bone loss (such as older women) may benefit from getting a dose on the higher end of the spectrum (200 micrograms or more).
- Those looking to maintain their health can get a bit less, especially from supplements, such as around 100 micrograms.
Is it beneficial to take vitamin K dietary supplements?
If you take a supplement that contains vitamin K, the chances are very likely that it’s vitamin K1 but not K2.
While some newer K2 supplements are now available, the type of supplement matters greatly.
- • MK4, the form of K2 found in many vitamin K supplements, is a synthetic K2 with a short half-life. This means that to get the full benefit of it, you have to take it multiple times throughout the day.
- • Often, an MK4 serving size is thousands of micrograms to counteract the half-life of the compound. However, MK7 derived from natto has a much longer half-life and can be taken in more reasonable doses like those listed above.
Remember that vitamin K works with other fat-soluble vitamins, like vitamins A and D, so the best way to obtain these nutrients is to eat foods that provide many different vitamins — like eggs and raw, full-fat dairy products.
Particularly for those at risk of osteoporosis, calcium should also be a nutrient you aim to eat a lot of while increasing your K2 intake. *
