1. < Heart & Blood Health

Has anyone seen a reduction in their CAC score from taking vitamin K2?

Posted by hikerguy62 @hikerguy62, Mar 31, 2023

I was told earlier this week that my CAC score is 2534. I considered myself to be a very healthy 60 year old male. I've never drank or smoked, always maintained my weight right around 155 lbs. (at 5'7"), hiked all my life (and still hike, but not as much or as far). I ate primarily chicken, pork and salmon the last 8-10 years (VERY rarely red meat) and no family history of heart disease except an uncle who had a heart attack (and was a heavy smoker until that wake-up call) and my dad who passed away from a heart attack at 84. So to say I was shocked when my doctor called and told me the score is a big understatement.

I've been doing a LOT of research on CAC scores since I got my results this past Tuesday. It's been a roller coaster of emotion because one article gives you hope, then another takes you back down lol

I've started on K2 (in addition to the D3 I started about 3 weeks ago).

I'd love to hear from anyone who's been on K2 (and especially the MK-7 "variety" of K2) who has seen improvement in their score.

Thanks!

Andy

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mayoconnectuser1 | @mayoconnectuser1 | Jan 26 12:10pm

icdattc,

Did you cardiologist provide instructions wrt K2?

REPLY
tenclawz | @tenclawz | Jan 26 12:35pm
In reply to @icdattc "Have they looked at your Para Thyroid levels?" + (show)
@icdattc

Have they looked at your Para Thyroid levels?

Jump to this post

Yes, and I have been on thyroid meds for several years.
Does the thyroid cause the plaque in arteries? I have
not been told that it does or does not.
Thanks, tenclawz.

REPLY
1 reply
carlwgordon | @carlwgordon | Jan 26 1:09pm
In reply to @icdattc "I have moderate aortic stenosis. My Cardiologist instructed me NOT to take Vit D3. I was..." + (show)
@icdattc

I have moderate aortic stenosis. My Cardiologist instructed me NOT to take Vit D3. I was just recently diagnosed and doing some reading on it. I have been thinking about starting K2 but not with D3.

Jump to this post

What was reasoning it him not wanting you to take vit D3

REPLY
1 reply
icdattc | @icdattc | Jan 26 8:48pm
In reply to @tenclawz "Yes, and I have been on thyroid meds for several years. Does the thyroid cause the..." + (show)
@tenclawz

Yes, and I have been on thyroid meds for several years.
Does the thyroid cause the plaque in arteries? I have
not been told that it does or does not.
Thanks, tenclawz.

Jump to this post

You mentioned you have an elevated calcium level in your blood work. The “Para Thyroid” controls your calcium levels. This is different than the “Thyroid”.

REPLY
icdattc | @icdattc | Jan 26 8:59pm
In reply to @carlwgordon "What was reasoning it him not wanting you to take vit D3" + (show)
@carlwgordon

What was reasoning it him not wanting you to take vit D3

Jump to this post

Because D3 affects calcium absorption.

REPLY
questionofbalance | @questionofbalance | Jan 27 7:50am
In reply to @icdattc "I have moderate aortic stenosis. My Cardiologist instructed me NOT to take Vit D3. I was..." + (show)
@icdattc

I have moderate aortic stenosis. My Cardiologist instructed me NOT to take Vit D3. I was just recently diagnosed and doing some reading on it. I have been thinking about starting K2 but not with D3.

Jump to this post

Did your cardiologist explain why to NOT take D3?

REPLY
timely | @timely | Jan 29 9:33am
In reply to @icdattc "I have moderate aortic stenosis. My Cardiologist instructed me NOT to take Vit D3. I was..." + (show)
@icdattc

I have moderate aortic stenosis. My Cardiologist instructed me NOT to take Vit D3. I was just recently diagnosed and doing some reading on it. I have been thinking about starting K2 but not with D3.

Jump to this post

@icdattc

Why did your doctor say not to take vitamin D. From everything that I have read, it does not interfere with any heart meds.

Vitamin D and vitamin K need to work together to
Bring calcium to the bones and not build up in heart tissue.
Calcium can’t get to the bones without both.
So many women and even older men have osteoporosis.

REPLY
ctgirl428 | @ctgirl428 | Nov 3 10:06pm

I have done a ton of research on this topic hope all of this can help. I had a CAC done 10 years ag and my score was 426 and the cardiologist wouldn’t let me fly unless I had a heart catherization. My current cardiologist said he panicked over nothing. I’m about to have another CAC tomorrow I think my cardiologist is wondering if this K2-MK7 works or not. I’m doing a big experiment this year by stopping all my supplements. I see a naturopath because I prefer to not take medications. When my blood was tested in June the biggest change was in my triglycerides which are now 120 which I’m fine with because I always do the more thorough lipid test and my small ldl particles dropped from 1234 to 430 which is below normal!! Medicare pays for this type of lipid test. It also tells you how well your insulin works too.
What I stopped was my d3. One of the things it does is raise your cholesterol!! I also would never take a statin either because yes it will reduce it but you need cholesterol to transport things to your brain! 40 is way too low! Sorry I hate big pharma. Get your d3 from being in the sun. You only need 20-30 minutes of uv exposure to give your body the ability to take if if it’s d3 without supplements.
I’m hoping that because of these past 10 years being very active and I was taking d3 with k2 during the 9 years prior to last January and now I take 200 mcg of K2-mk7 once a day along with magnesium drops and trace minerals drops in my morning water.
I don’t know how long it will take to get my results but I will respond here once I get them. I’m also getting my 6 months bloodwork in a couple of weeks as well.
Good luck
Rita

REPLY
5 replies
njx58 | @njx58 | Nov 4 4:34am
In reply to @ctgirl428 "I have done a ton of research on this topic hope all of this can help...." + (show)
@ctgirl428

I have done a ton of research on this topic hope all of this can help. I had a CAC done 10 years ag and my score was 426 and the cardiologist wouldn’t let me fly unless I had a heart catherization. My current cardiologist said he panicked over nothing. I’m about to have another CAC tomorrow I think my cardiologist is wondering if this K2-MK7 works or not. I’m doing a big experiment this year by stopping all my supplements. I see a naturopath because I prefer to not take medications. When my blood was tested in June the biggest change was in my triglycerides which are now 120 which I’m fine with because I always do the more thorough lipid test and my small ldl particles dropped from 1234 to 430 which is below normal!! Medicare pays for this type of lipid test. It also tells you how well your insulin works too.
What I stopped was my d3. One of the things it does is raise your cholesterol!! I also would never take a statin either because yes it will reduce it but you need cholesterol to transport things to your brain! 40 is way too low! Sorry I hate big pharma. Get your d3 from being in the sun. You only need 20-30 minutes of uv exposure to give your body the ability to take if if it’s d3 without supplements.
I’m hoping that because of these past 10 years being very active and I was taking d3 with k2 during the 9 years prior to last January and now I take 200 mcg of K2-mk7 once a day along with magnesium drops and trace minerals drops in my morning water.
I don’t know how long it will take to get my results but I will respond here once I get them. I’m also getting my 6 months bloodwork in a couple of weeks as well.
Good luck
Rita

Jump to this post

D3 does not raise your cholesterol. I've been taking it for over a year, and my cholesterol (total and LDL) fell 20 points with no changes to diet or exercise. My brother takes 5000 IU a day, and his cholesterol is fine.

I also took K2-MK4 during that time. The combination of the two is supposed to help prevent plaque buildup by directing more calcium to the bones. I have read stories of some people having trouble (irregular heartbeat) with the MK7 type, but nothing definitive. The main difference from my understanding is that MK7 has a longer half-life. My method is to take some MK4 in the morning, and some at night.

REPLY
1 reply
mayoconnectuser1 | @mayoconnectuser1 | Nov 4 8:28am
In reply to @ctgirl428 "I have done a ton of research on this topic hope all of this can help...." + (show)
@ctgirl428

I have done a ton of research on this topic hope all of this can help. I had a CAC done 10 years ag and my score was 426 and the cardiologist wouldn’t let me fly unless I had a heart catherization. My current cardiologist said he panicked over nothing. I’m about to have another CAC tomorrow I think my cardiologist is wondering if this K2-MK7 works or not. I’m doing a big experiment this year by stopping all my supplements. I see a naturopath because I prefer to not take medications. When my blood was tested in June the biggest change was in my triglycerides which are now 120 which I’m fine with because I always do the more thorough lipid test and my small ldl particles dropped from 1234 to 430 which is below normal!! Medicare pays for this type of lipid test. It also tells you how well your insulin works too.
What I stopped was my d3. One of the things it does is raise your cholesterol!! I also would never take a statin either because yes it will reduce it but you need cholesterol to transport things to your brain! 40 is way too low! Sorry I hate big pharma. Get your d3 from being in the sun. You only need 20-30 minutes of uv exposure to give your body the ability to take if if it’s d3 without supplements.
I’m hoping that because of these past 10 years being very active and I was taking d3 with k2 during the 9 years prior to last January and now I take 200 mcg of K2-mk7 once a day along with magnesium drops and trace minerals drops in my morning water.
I don’t know how long it will take to get my results but I will respond here once I get them. I’m also getting my 6 months bloodwork in a couple of weeks as well.
Good luck
Rita

Jump to this post

Rita,

There appears to be some misinformation in your post. I would caution folks reading it, especially the part re your thoughts on statins.

However, if you find a simple supplement had lowered your CAC numbers, please let us know - as this would be, at least from my reading, a first - and would upend the science.

REPLY
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