Health and Lifestyles

Vitamin K In Foods And Supplementation For Covid

January 18, 2022

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Covid-19 infection may cause blood clotting deterioration of elastic fibers in the lung. Blood clots can form obstructing blood vessels with Covid-19 infection, known as thromboembolism. Another condition can occur in which the body’s ability to form clots is impaired (coagulopathy). The ladder is linked to severe Covid-19 cases, with decreased survival rates from the disease. Vitamin K, known for its role in blood clotting, plays an important role in coagulation. Research has shown vitamin K levels may be low in people with severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. Covid-19 patients were significantly more likely to have low vitamin K levels compared to patients without disease.

Vitamin K, a fat-soluble vitamin found in foods like spinach, eggs, and some cheeses, is the latest supplement that may have a protective role against Covid-19. Deficiency in this vitamin has been linked to decrease survival rates with Covid infection. Researchers studied 123 patients admitted to the Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital in Nijmegen, a city in the Netherlands. Both vitamin K levels and elastin degradation were measured in the study. Elastin degradation was measured by desmosine, an amino acid found in tendons and a component of elastin. Vitamin K was evaluated by measuring desphospho-uncarboxylated matrix Gla protein (dp-ucMGP), which is inversely related to vitamin K status. In other words, the higher the dp-ucMGP, the lower the vitamin K level. According to the researchers, “vitamin K status was reduced in patients with Covid-19 and related to poor prognosis. Similarly, low vitamin K levels seem to be associated with increased elastin degradation.

The only time vitamin K may not be appropriate is for patients who are on anticoagulant medication, in particular warfarin (Coumadin). Vitamin K1 is the antidote for increased levels of warfarin, which has an extremely narrow therapeutic blood range. High warfarin blood levels are associated with increased bleeding episodes.

There are two types of vitamin K, phylloquinone (vitamin K1) and menaquinones (vitamin K2). Vitamin K1 is derived from green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, broccoli and cabbage. It is best known for its role in clotting. Without enough vitamin K1, blood cannot clot properly and increases risk of bleeding to death. The absorption of vitamin K1 from food is extremely low, roughly around 10%. Vitamin K2, on the other hand, is known for its part in bone and heart health. It is found in grass-fed animal products such as meat, eggs, liver, and dairy, but also in fermented foods, including sauerkraut, certain cheeses, and the fermented soy food natto. Only grass-fed animals, not grain fed, will develop naturally high levels of K2. Even though the amount of vitamin K2 in certain foods is lower than the amount of vitamin K1 found in leafy, green vegetables, all of vitamin K2 is absorbed by the body.

A report from the WHO-China Joint Mission on Covid-19 in February 2020, found a higher crude fatality rate (CFR) among people with SARS-CoV-2 infection and additional health conditions. Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure contributed to poor clinical outcomes with Covid. Vitamin K could play an important role here, since deficiencies are linked to diabetes and heart problems. Both vitamin K1 and K2 intake may be associated with a decreased risk of Type 2 diabetes. Vitamin K may be beneficial in regulating insulin sensitivity and reducing insulin resistance in Type 2 diabetes because of it’s effects on calcium metabolism. The Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism found “increased vitamin K1 intake in a cohort study….was shown to decrease the risk of developing diabetes by 51%. A recent review suggests that vitamin K supplementation may be used as a novel adjuvant therapy to improve glycemic control and quality of life.”

As mentioned above, people with heart disease have very poor outcomes if they develop Covid-19 infection. Heart health may be linked to vitamin K, in particular vitamin K2. This effect on the heart is a very complex biochemical process involving the enzymes matrix gla-protein (MGP- found in the blood vessels) and osteocalcin, found in bone. “Gla” stands for glutamic acid, which binds to calcium in the cells of the arterial wall. Then it removes the calcium from the lining of the blood vessels. Once it is removed from the lining of the blood vessel, vitamin K2 promotes calcium into the bone matrix, where osteocalcin helps bind it into bone. Therefore, without vitamin K2, the transfer process of calcium from arteries to bone cannot occur, which raises the risk of arterial calcification (plaques in artery).

Low levels of vitamin D and vitamin K have been associated in ohigh blood pressure (hypertension), which increases the risk for poor outcomes with Covid-19 infection. The same for Type 2 diabetes, which is usually seen together with high blood pressure. These conditions may be reversed, reducing the risk of becoming seriously ill from Covid-19, by adding vitamin K to the equation.

Vitamin K2, vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium can be utilized together because when bundled, all 4 supplements have a synergistic relationship on health. Similarly, vitamin D is important in terms of Covid. There is a direct correlation between levels of vitamin D and severity of illness in people infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus. To improve immune function, it is recommended to raise vitamin D level between 60 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) and 80 ng/ml.

It can be difficult to tell if you are getting enough vitamin K, since there is no easy way to screen or test for vitamin K2 deficiency. Vitamin K2 cannot be measured directly. It is measured indirectly through an assessment of under-

carboxylated osteocalcin, which is discussed above. This test is still commercially unavailable, however. As a general rule, if you have osteoporosis, heart disease, or diabetes, you are probably deficient in vitamin K2. I mentioned some of the food sources of vitamin K2 above. Also, if you take a statin drug for cholesterol, which can deplete vitamin K2, causing deficiency. Dr. Mercola recommends taking 150mcg of vitamin K2 per day. Other physicians recommend slightly higher doses upward of 180 to 200mcg per day. He also claims not to worry about overdosing because it is nontoxic. I also mentioned above to be aware of excessive intake of dietary or supplemental vitamin K1, since it can interact with certain anticoagulant medications.

CONCLUSION

In a previous article, I discussed melatonin as possible treatment for Covid-19 infection, especially during the cytokine storm, which usually occurs in the second week. Vitamin K, whether by diet or supplementation, seems to aid in SARS-CoV-2 with preexisting conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis, and heart disease. Vitamin K2 is available in combination with vitamin D. I recommend the liposomal delivery system, which can be purchased at RedPillLiving.com. This is an opportunity to support patriot sponsors, abandoning evil empires, such as Amazon. In doing so, you are supporting Dustin Nemos, one of the best independent journalists we have today. I thank God for him and other “ruth seekers,” such as Dr. Mercola. May Yahweh bless you all.

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