After reading about K2 on a number of blogs, including Richard’s and Stephan’s, I started taking a K2 supplement (Carlson’s 5mcg, 1x per day). A couple months later when I stopped by my doc, she asked why I was taking it (and a bunch of the other supplements I was taking), but by that time I had forgotten.

I think it’s useful to be prepared. I want to say “I’m taking it because I read a couple studies that showed it did X.” I don’t want to say I’m taking a supplement just because I read about it on a blog, although that was really what happened.

The difference between “reading something on the internet” and “reading a study” is just the vagueness of communication. If you read a study on the internet, then you are getting peer-reviewed info. If that study was linked from a blog, then you’re getting peer-reviewed science from an “unreliable blog,” as I think the MSM would prefer to call it.

I don’t think there’s anything unreliable about Peter, Richard, or Stephan. Quite the contrary. Their posts, the discussion in the comments, and then the studies (that I could read without paying anything, at least) convinced me that K2 was a good thing. I believe in getting my beliefs from evidence. I think believing something because you read a convincing argument is, well, foolish. It’s not the argument itself that should be convincing, but rather the evidence. So go read Richard and Stephan, and read the papers. You owe it to yourself to get the info directly from research whenever you can; us bloggers are here just to point you towards the papers and provide some context and interpretation.

These bloggers did mention that supplementing wouldn’t be necessary if one eats a decent amount of organ meat, fish roe, shellfish, fermented foods like sauerkraut miso and natto, and/or pastured dairy products. I eat a good bit of raw, pastured cheese, but not a lot of organ meat; maybe just once  a month. And except for some roe sprinkled on sushi, I eat very little roe and shellfish. K2 is a pretty expensive supplement; about 50c a day. (I’m not breaking the bank here, but still, that’s an expensive pill. I’m glad I’m not paying $3 a day for a statin.)

So, what’s K2 do?

* prevents heart attacks

* prevents arterial calcification

* reduces the chance for osteoporosis-related fractures

* activates clotting factors (as a substitute or conversion into K1)

Since my dad and my mom both have had heart attacks, and my dad’s father died in his early 40s from heart disease, I’m very concerned about my own heart health. If there’s anything genetic to it (tho I think it is primarily dietary), I want to do what I can to keep my heart healthy.

I’ll continue supplemental probably until I’m eating organ meats weekly, and these other great sources (eg sauerkraut and fish roe) more often.