Page 37 - Spring2020

THE K FAMILY ACTIVATOR X Dr. Price’s
Vitamin K comes in several forms: Dr. Price’s Activator X is vitamin K MK-
2
4. Dr. Price’s work in nutrition may be more Activator X
1. Vitamin K (phylloquinone) is found in valuable to us today, as it is a source to refer is vitamin
1
plants and some animal sources; it is in- to when the noise of synthetic supplementation K MK-4.
volved in coagulation. drowns out the wisdom of our ancestors—the 2
2. Vitamin K has side chains that contain knowledge that all health starts with nutrient-
2
from four to thirteen “isoprenoids,” rep- dense, whole foods. As Price stated, “People
resented as MK-4 to MK-13. MK means of the past obtained a substance that modern
menaquinone; the side chains are referred generations do not have.” Yet increasingly
to as short- and long-chain menaquinones we are seeing statements in published papers
(MKs). Vitamin K MK-5 through MK-13 that “it is unlikely that MK-4 is an important
2
are forms produced by bacterial synthesis. dietary source of vitamin K in food supplies.”
3. Vitamin K MK-4 is Dr. Price’s activator X Such assertions, often by those with ties to the
2
and is unique, in that it is the only form that supplement industry, have led us to the defense
is not the product of bacterial synthesis, but of this key nutrient in food.
comes from animal sources. (A synthetic In his studies, Price found a fat-soluble vi-
MK-4 is made from tobacco or geranium tamin he called Activator X. He believed it was
leaves.) a missing nutrient in our modern diet and that
4. Vitamin K (menadione) is synthetic and its absence could explain many of our modern
3
water-soluble, and it has no side chain. The diseases. He was able to heal caries, reduce oral
FDA banned its use for human consump- bacteria and cure other degenerative maladies in
tion because of its high toxicity—although his patients by giving butter oil, rich in activator
it still is allowed in animal feed, usually as X, along with cod liver oil. (Cod liver alone did
3
menadione sodium bisulfate (a good reason not work as well.)
to eat grass-fed animal products). Price wrote: “(a) [Activator X] plays an

O
CH 1. Vitamin K (phylloquinone) is found in plants and
1
3
some animal sources; it is involved in coagulation.
CH
3
o CH CH CH CH
3 3 3 3 2. Vitamin K MK-4 is Dr. Price’s activator X and is
2
unique, in that it is the only form that is not the
O product of bacterial synthesis, but comes from
CH animal sources. (A synthetic MK-4 is made from
3
tobacco and geranium leaves.)
CH
3
o CH CH CH CH
3
3. K (menadione), is synthetic and water-soluble
3
3
3
3
and has no side chain. The FDA banned its use for
O human consumption because of its high toxicity—
CH although it is still allowed in animal feed usually as
3
menadione sodium bisulfate (a good reason to eat
grass-fed products).
O
4. Menaquinone-7 (MK-7), is an example of a longer-
O chain menaquinone made by bacterial synthesis;
MK-7 is found in natto and supplements.
CH 3
CH 3
O CH 3 CH 3 CH 3 CH 3 CH 3 CH 3 CH 3

SPRING 2020 Wise Traditions 37