By Mike Montemarano, Associate Editor01.20.23
Consumer awareness is high for most single-letter vitamins—A, B, C, D, and E—which are abundant in most multivitamin/mineral supplements. Meanwhile, in many ways, vitamin K is the new kid on the block, earning the spotlight thanks to new research and scientific understanding.
Product formulations, and consumer health, stand to benefit from the addition of a specific form of vitamin K in particular: vitamin K2 (Menaquinone-7), or vitamin K2 MK-7.
Vitamin K includes two natural vitamers: vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) and vitamin K2 (menaquinone). Vitamin K2 consists of several related chemical subtypes, with differing lengths of carbon side chains. The two most studied menaquinones are MK-4 and MK-7. Most mainstream K2 ingredients are MK-7, which has a longer side chain, allowing f
Product formulations, and consumer health, stand to benefit from the addition of a specific form of vitamin K in particular: vitamin K2 (Menaquinone-7), or vitamin K2 MK-7.
Vitamin K and Where It’s Found
Vitamin K was first discovered in 1929 by Danish biochemist Carl Peter Henrik Dam, and was immediately found to be associated with blood coagulation during experiments on sterol metabolism. It was given its name based on the German for coagulation (“koagulation”).Vitamin K includes two natural vitamers: vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) and vitamin K2 (menaquinone). Vitamin K2 consists of several related chemical subtypes, with differing lengths of carbon side chains. The two most studied menaquinones are MK-4 and MK-7. Most mainstream K2 ingredients are MK-7, which has a longer side chain, allowing f
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