What is Vitamin K2?

Vitamin K comes in more than one form. This fat-soluble vitamin is important for heart health and blood coagulation (clotting), and it works with vitamin D to ensure calcium is properly absorbed into the bones rather than building up elsewhere in the body.

Vitamin K1 is known as phylloquinone. It is found in plant-based foods including dark leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage. Vitamin K2 is known as menaquinone and found in both animal and fermented foods. K2 gets broken down even further, and the most important forms are MK-4 and MK-7. You will hear more about MK-7 soon.

Vitamin K2 is hard to source in the average diet, so that’s why many people choose to take this essential fat-soluble vitamin in supplement form. K2 is mostly found in animal foods, but lean proteins and low-fat animal products don’t deliver much (due to is being a fat-soluble nutrient).