It’s a basic vitamin that literally every single one of us needs. Yet it doesn’t just get less attention than the other nutrients like vitamin C and D. It hardly ever gets ANY mentions at all
But vitamin K isn’t only just as essential as the other “big names” in nutrition. In many ways, the vitamin could be even more important.
If K isn’t on your radar yet, chances are you aren’t getting nearly the amount you need of this vital vitamin every day.
And that could be a problem. Because chronically low vitamin K levels could be contributing to one of the biggest mysteries of aging.
It’s why some people lose their memory and face dementia while others stay sharp well into their later years.
Why you need to boost your K
The new study focused on a group of 800 seniors in Japan. And I’ll explain why that’s a VERY important point in a moment (and it’s not just because folks tend to live a whole lot longer over there to start with).
The research found that often-overlooked vitamin K levels could mean the difference between good brain function and a quicker, steeper cognitive decline.
Seniors in the study with the right levels of K were much MORE likely to be cognitively healthy. Meaning they were much LESS likely to be at risk for decline and dementia.
But the folks with the lower vitamin K levels… seniors whose list of topped up essential nutrients stopped at D or maybe E… were much more likely to struggle.
They had problems in three key areas of cognition…
- language (words)
- calculations (numbers)
- orientation (time and place)
In other words, they were facing major memory challenges across the board. The one thing that many of us fear above all others as we age.
(If you’re concerned about your risks for cognitive decline check out my report, “THESE could be your first 2 dementia warning signs” to discover some of the earliest red flags.)
Of course, there are other reasons people struggle with cognition in their later years. A lot of them, in fact.
That’s one reason why this problem has been so difficult to narrow down. And it’s also why there’s no single solution for driving down dementia risks for everyone.
But if the new study is any indication, vitamin K could turn out to be an easy way to protect cognition and cut the risk of memory problems for many seniors.
Except, there’s also a catch.
What you need to know about vitamin K
Most of the vitamin K in the typical U.S. diet is the K1 found in leafy greens. And you DO need that nutrient.
But as I mentioned earlier, this study was done in Japan. There they also get a good deal of a different and far more powerful form of this nutrient called vitamin K2.
K2 is found in certain fermented foods, especially in a staple of the Japanese diet called natto. But while the vitamin can be found in a few foods in the Western diet… such as aged cheeses and beef liver… it typically isn’t very plentiful.
Studies find that K2 can help keep blood vessels clean, clear, and open. As a result, the vitamin helps enhance circulation to ALL parts of the body, including the brain potentially reducing dementia risks.
K2 is also a crucial part of the bone-building process, especially when it’s taken in combination with calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D.
Since most Americans don’t eat natto, the best way to get vitamin K2 is in a supplement. Look for one with the menaquinone-7 or MK-7 form for the best results.
Just be sure to check in with your doctor first, especially if you’re on a blood thinner such as warfarin, which in most cases shouldn’t be taken with vitamin K.
Now keep in mind every little brain burp or memory slip isn’t a sign of dementia. Sure, it’s natural to worry about them as we age. But according to Healthier Talk contributor and friend Dr. Rothfeld, nearly 50 percent of Alzheimer’s patients are misdiagnosed.
The good doc tackles this shocking discovery… and so much more… in his protocol for INCREASING brain cell activity… IMPROVING memory… and TURNING an AGING brain into a “SUPER BRAIN.”
Latest posts by Alice Jacob (see all)
- Harsh breast cancer treatment may be unnecessary - July 4, 2022
- Declare freedom from carcinogens this 4th of July - July 4, 2022
- Common appendix operation can haunt you years later - July 3, 2022
