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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chuckiepoo1 | @chuckiepoo1 | Nov 4 10:53am
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

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Thanks for your input. I have been reading about vitamin D3 and K2 as my CAC score is in excess of 800, as well as an LP(a) reading of 93.. I just read an article by a physician relative to these two vitamins and she indicates that if you do not take them together the calcium will likely to be deposited in the arteries. I find your research and following your levels quite interesting and sure would like to know your results after your next tests. Good luck with that.

REPLY
swilkins1974 | @swilkins1974 | Nov 4 11:52am
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

I eat 3 Brazil nuts a day. My cholesterol is great now. Was borderline high before

REPLY
2 replies
njx58 | @njx58 | Nov 4 12:45pm
In reply to @swilkins1974 "I eat 3 Brazil nuts a day. My cholesterol is great now. Was borderline high before" + (show)
@swilkins1974

I eat 3 Brazil nuts a day. My cholesterol is great now. Was borderline high before

Jump to this post

Be careful with that. Brazil nuts are very high in selenium. Three is probably the upper limit. There are other nuts that are heart-healthy; I would mix it up if I were you.

REPLY
swilkins1974 | @swilkins1974 | Nov 4 9:18pm

Brazil nuts are known to lower cholesterol.

REPLY
1 reply
njx58 | @njx58 | Nov 5 4:45am
In reply to @swilkins1974 "Brazil nuts are known to lower cholesterol." + (show)
@swilkins1974

Brazil nuts are known to lower cholesterol.

Jump to this post

Just saying that you don't want too much selenium. A couple of Brazil nuts a day won't do harm.

REPLY
lp77 | @lp77 | Nov 5 7:54am
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

D-3does not raise cholesterol .

REPLY
chuckiepoo1 | @chuckiepoo1 | Nov 5 8:35am
In reply to @swilkins1974 "I eat 3 Brazil nuts a day. My cholesterol is great now. Was borderline high before" + (show)
@swilkins1974

I eat 3 Brazil nuts a day. My cholesterol is great now. Was borderline high before

Jump to this post

Most interesting that you infer Brazil nuts will lower the cholesterol. Where did you read or hear about this being beneficial for cholesterol? I know that Brazil nuts are high in selenium and wondered if it is attributable to this? Thanks

REPLY
2 replies
njx58 | @njx58 | Nov 5 8:56am
In reply to @chuckiepoo1 "Most interesting that you infer Brazil nuts will lower the cholesterol. Where did you read or..." + (show)
@chuckiepoo1

Most interesting that you infer Brazil nuts will lower the cholesterol. Where did you read or hear about this being beneficial for cholesterol? I know that Brazil nuts are high in selenium and wondered if it is attributable to this? Thanks

Jump to this post

The data on this is mixed. Some studies show some benefits; others show that too much selenium can actually raise your cholesterol.

Also note that selenium can interfere with statins, so someone taking statins should probably not be eating Brazil nuts. Unrelated: people taking statins should avoid grapefruit.

REPLY
swilkins1974 | @swilkins1974 | Nov 5 9:02am
In reply to @chuckiepoo1 "Most interesting that you infer Brazil nuts will lower the cholesterol. Where did you read or..." + (show)
@chuckiepoo1

Most interesting that you infer Brazil nuts will lower the cholesterol. Where did you read or hear about this being beneficial for cholesterol? I know that Brazil nuts are high in selenium and wondered if it is attributable to this? Thanks

Jump to this post

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3693158/
Also on
https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-brazil-nuts

REPLY
1 reply
vaniag | @vaniag | Nov 5 9:09am

Have you had your Lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) levels tested? It is separate from the normal lipid panel. I had a high CAC score and my Lp(a) levels were found to be “out of this world”. I have not had another CAC CT…I was informed that it just goes up. However, I am in the Horizon study for high Lp(a) and on Repatha and Nexletol for cholesterol.

Keep on taking good care of yourself and keep the stress down. Weight is not the only risk factor…I am normal BMI and do all the right things but still had a NSTEMI 5 years ago. I think the combination of a high stress job, high Lp(a) and high cholesterol was my culprit. I retired…best decision of my life.

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