Vitamin K2 (MK7)

What is Vitamin K2?

Vitamin K2 is a fat-soluble vitamin best known for its role in directing calcium where it’s needed (like your bones) and away from where it’s not (like your arteries). This function makes it especially important for cardiovascular health, bone integrity, and long-term physical performance (1,3,4,6,7). As such, it’s an essential nutrient for hikers, climbers, and anyone who puts repetitive stress on their skeletal system.

Optiventure uses Vitamin K2 as MK-7 (menaquinone-7) in a 1% potency, meaning it’s a highly active, bioavailable form that’s been microdosed for precision. MK-7 is the longest-lasting form of K2, with a half-life of up to 72 hours, making it ideal for once-daily supplementation (8). The “1%” refers to the standardised concentration of MK-7 in the raw material, which helps ensure accuracy at low but effective doses like 0.12mg.

While K1 (phylloquinone) is mostly responsible for blood clotting, K2 (especially MK-7) has unique benefits for bone health, cardiovascular protection, and cellular longevity, with multiple studies finding it more effective at these functions than K1 (2,3,4).

Why Do Outdoor Adventurers Need Vitamin K2?

You might not think much about your arteries and bones when lacing up your hiking boots, but over time, physical stress (like carrying heavy packs and long descents) increases wear and tear on your skeletal system.

Vitamin K2 helps by:

• Directing calcium into bones and teeth, helping maintain strength and density (2)
• Preventing calcium buildup in blood vessels, supporting long-term cardiovascular health (3)
• Supporting joint integrity, especially in weight-bearing activities like hiking (2)

Inadequate K2 intake may increase the risk of osteopenia, osteoporosis, and arterial stiffness, conditions you definitely don’t want sneaking up on you if you’re adventuring well into your 40s, 50s, or beyond (2,3).

Dietary Sources of Vitamin K2?

K2 is mainly found in fermented foods like natto (fermented soybeans), aged cheeses, sauerkraut, and certain meats – not exactly standard trail food! Most Western diets are low in K2, especially among people who eat a lot of processed foods or avoid dairy or meat (11).

Add to that the fact that many hikers lean toward plant-based, non-perishable, or lightweight food packs, and K2 intake can be pretty minimal on the trail. This makes supplementation with a stable, bioavailable form like MK-7 a smart call for long-term skeletal and vascular health.

What’s the Best Form of Vitamin K2 For Hikers?

There are multiple forms of Vitamin K, but here’s why MK-7 stands out:

• Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone): Found in leafy greens, but poorly absorbed and doesn’t strongly affect bone or heart health (10).
  
• Vitamin K2 as MK-4: Requires high doses and frequent dosing due to short half-life (9).
  
• Vitamin K2 as MK-7: Long half-life, well-absorbed, and effective in small, daily doses, perfect for daily active lifestyles and long treks with limited packing space (8).

Key Information About Vitamin K2

Deficiency Stats

Despite the critical roles Vitamin K2 plays, there’s no established Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI) or upper level for K2 in Australia or New Zealand. Research volume on this nutrient may be low, but we know that increased food processing continues to reduce the natural amount of K2 in our food (7). Those who consume few fermented foods, suffer from malnutrition, or have alcohol dependency may be deficient in K2 (11).

Older adults, people on statins or blood thinners, and those with gastrointestinal disorders that affect fat absorption are particularly at risk (11). But active individuals who don't regularly eat fermented foods or aged cheeses may also be falling short, especially if their vitamin D and calcium intakes are high, as this increases the demand for K2 to manage calcium properly.

Why Optiventure Has 120mcg of Vitamin K2

Optiventure includes a research-supported 120 mcg dose of MK-7. This is high enough to promote optimal bone and cardiovascular health without unnecessary megadosing. It’s a preventative powerhouse for anyone putting strain on their joints, bones, and circulation with regular physical activity.

This dose is:

• Scientifically validated to improve arterial flexibility and bone strength
• Well-tolerated and effective even in low-K2 diets
• Long-acting, maintaining blood levels with a single daily dose
• Ideal for plant-based eaters, those on hiking trips, or anyone not downing natto by the spoonful

References

1. Cockayne, S., Adamson, J., Lanham-New, S., Shearer, M. J., Gilbody, S., & Torgerson, D. J. (2006). Vitamin K and the prevention of fractures: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Archives of Internal Medicine, 166(12), 1256–1261. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinte.166.12.1256
2. Beulens, J. W. J., Booth, S. L., van den Heuvel, E. G., Stoecklin, E., Baka, A., & Vermeer, C. (2013). The role of menaquinones (vitamin K2) in human health. British Journal of Nutrition, 110(8), 1357–1368. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114513001013
3. Beulens, J. W., Bots, M. L., Atsma, F., Bartelink, M. L., Prokop, M., Geleijnse, J. M., & Grobbee, D. E. (2009). High dietary menaquinone intake is associated with reduced coronary calcification. Atherosclerosis, 203(2), 489–493. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2008.07.010
4. Geleijnse, J. M., Vermeer, C., Grobbee, D. E., Schurgers, L. J., Knapen, M. H. J., van der Meer, I. M., & Hofman, A. (2004). Dietary intake of menaquinone is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease: The Rotterdam Study. The Journal of Nutrition, 134(11), 3100–3105. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/134.11.3100
5. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2001). Vitamin K. In Human vitamin and mineral requirements: Report of a joint FAO/WHO expert consultation, Bangkok, Thailand (pp. 133–150). Rome, Italy: FAO.
6. Knapen, M. H., Drummen, N. E., Smit, E., Vermeer, C., & Theuwissen, E. (2013). Three-year low-dose menaquinone-7 supplementation helps decrease bone loss in healthy postmenopausal women. Osteoporosis International, 24, 2499–2507. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-013-2325-6
7. Maresz, K. (2015). Proper calcium use: Vitamin K2 as a promoter of bone and cardiovascular health. Integrative Medicine (Encinitas), 14(1), 34–39.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4566462/
8. Booth, S. L., & Al Rajabi, A. (2008). Determinants of vitamin K status in humans. Vitamins and Hormones, 78, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0083-6729(07)00001-5
9. Sato, T., Schurgers, L. J., & Uenishi, K. (2012). Comparison of menaquinone-4 and menaquinone-7 bioavailability in healthy women. Nutrients, 4(12), 2040–2048. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu4122040
10. Schurgers, L. J., Teunissen, K. J., Hamulyák, K., Knapen, M. H., Vik, H., & Vermeer, C. (2007). Vitamin K–containing dietary supplements: Comparison of synthetic vitamin K1 and natto-derived menaquinone-7. Blood, 109(8), 3279–3283. https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2006-08-040709
11. Vermeer, C., Knapen, M. H., & Schurgers, L. J. (2004). Vitamin K and bone health. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 61(21 Suppl 6), S14–S19. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajhp/61.suppl_6.S14
12. National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, & New Zealand Ministry of Health. (2006). Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand: Including Recommended Dietary Intakes.https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/nutrient-reference-values/nutrients/vitamin-k
13. Akbulut, A. C., Pavlic, A., Petsophonsakul, P., Halder, M., Maresz, K., Kramann, R., & Schurgers, L. (2020). Vitamin K2 needs an RDI separate from vitamin K1. Nutrients, 12(6), 1852. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12061852
14. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. (2024, July 12). Vitamin K: Fact sheet for health professionals [Fact sheet]. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminK‑HealthProfessional/