Page 39 - Spring2020

tamin K MK-4. Rarely do longer-chain MKs fermentative beings. (And of course, many ancestral cultures would not
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exist in the meat of chicken, beef or pork. In have access to greens throughout the entire year and would have obtained
offal small to moderate amounts of MK-6 to their fat-soluble vitamins from animal foods.)
MK-10 have been detected. Fish typically have Another theory is that we can meet all our vitamin K MK-4 needs
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small amounts of vitamin K MK-4. 8 from bacterial synthesis in the gut, but this premise is not sustained by
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Vitamin K MK-4 from animal foods is the evidence. Our gut bacteria can make short- and long- chain MKs (for
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quickly absorbed in the body and is stored in their own use), but they do not produce vitamin K MK-4. 13,14,15
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the brain, salivary glands, testes, sternum, face, The bioavailability of bacterial MKs is poor because they are tightly
pancreas, eyes, kidneys, bones, arteries, veins bound to the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane, and the largest pool is
and other tissues, where it is utilized for acti- present in the colon, which lacks bile salts for their solubilization.
vating vitamin K-dependent proteins (VKDP) Natto, a fermented soy product, is the only food with high amounts
and possibly for other, as yet unidentified, func- of vitamin K MK-7—it is an anomaly. It originates from the eastern
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tions. 9 part of Japan but has not been in most of the world’s diet except in trace
Unlike MK-4, MK-7 is not stored in any amounts. And the Japanese traditionally eat egg yolks, a source of MK-4,
organs. with natto.
Interestingly, practitioners in Japan give 45 mg of MK-4 (the synthetic
VITAMIN K VERSUS VITAMIN K 2 form), not MK-7, to treat osteoporosis.
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There are many forms of vitamin K, and
the inclination of articles and studies to refer to EVOLUTION AT WORK
all Ks using the term vitamin K or K has led, In 1988, a Japanese study done by Dr. Hidekazu Hiraike divided
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incorrectly, to the assumption that all Ks are pregnant women into two groups. Group A was asked to eat a normal
similar in origin and function. They are not. diet and Group B was asked to eat a diet high in natto. Vitamins K , K 2
1
Many studies state that the main source of MK-4, MK-6 and MK-7 were found in the placentas and mothers’ blood
vitamin K MK-4 is from K , which we get from plasma. (See Table 3.) Samples were taken of the placentas and umbili-
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2
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eating green leafy vegetables or vegetable oils, cal cord plasma right after delivery.
but our bodies absorb only miniscule amounts— Only K and MK-4 were found in the umbilical cord plasma, even
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less than 10 percent—of K from plant foods, though there were high concentrations of MK-7 available. It appeared
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and our MK-4 needs are greater than anything that the placental tissues effectively blocked the passage of MK-7 while
we could convert from vitamin K . 10 allowing MK-4 into the unborn child. High concentrations of vitamin
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In 1964, Carl Martius, using pigeons, chick- K MK-4 were found in the placenta. 16
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ens and rats, was the first to state that MK-4 was MK-7 scientists say that MK-7 is more bioavailable or has a longer
made from K and he was right—when you are half-life because it remains in the blood plasma longer than MK-4.
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using pigeons, chickens and rats. These animals However, the Japanese natto study provides a living account of nature’s
have gizzards and extra-large, large intestines selection for the type of vitamin K needed for the development of the
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that can convert K to vitamin K MK-4. 11,12 child—that is, the animal form MK-4. It’s worth hypothesizing that MK-7
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Cows, sheep, pigs, chickens and other ani- may remain in the blood longer because the body has no use for it.
mals can also make the conversion from K to Some studies indicate that MK-7 from food and synthetics induces
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MK-4, but humans, higher up on the food chain, more complete carboxylation of osteocalcin, a vitamin K-dependent
have a digestive system adapted to having our protein involved in bone homeostasis. One study involving menopausal
vitamin K MK-4 needs met predominantly women taking MK-7 as natto over one year showed reduced serum levels
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from eating grass-fed or pastured animals and of uncarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC), but the treatment had no effect
products made from them. Humans are not on bone loss rates. Could MK-7 increase the carboxylation of calcium
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HOW MUCH VITAMIN K DID DR. PRICE PRESCRIBE?
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How much vitamin K MK-4 was Dr. Price giving to his patients to heal caries and degenerative disease? In his book,
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Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, he reports using one-half to one and one-half teaspoons per day, which translates
to a range of 520 ng to 1560 ng, or 0.520 mcg to 1.560 mcg. If we assume that Price’s butter oil had ten times those
amounts in his day compared to now, assuming better soils and fewer toxins in the environment, that brings us to 5.2
mcg to 15.6 mcg per day.

SPRING 2020 Wise Traditions 39