Test for K2 deficiency

[forterpride]

Hello all. Was hoping for some guidance. My father takes statins and I read that they can deplete K2, which he supplements with because he has high calcium score/arterial calcification. My fear is that the statins are negating the K2 he is taking. But he won’t stop the statins since his cardiologist told him not to. So then I came across this….

“Testing for Deficiency of K2
You can test a marker of vitamin K2 deficiency call undercarboxylated osteocalcin. This is a blood test offered by Genova Diagnostics that is called the Vitamin K Assay and it runs around $200 dollars. If you have high levels of undercarboxylated osteocalcin, it implies that you may have an issue with vitamin K2 insufficiency. Call your local Functional Medicine practitioner or Genova Diagnostics (1-800-522-4762) for more details.”

I also came across this…

“A new Vitamin K2 test for your artery walls.
If you're concerned about calcification of soft tissues like arteries or gums, the test you want is an assay for uncarboxylated MGP. This is a really good marker of Vitamin K2 level in artery walls and blood vessels.”

My question is if anybody knows which is better since he has super high calcium score (1300) and if anyone knows anything about these tests. Thank you.

 

[forterpride]

Bump

 

[forterpride]

@ecstatichamster
@Rinse & rePeat
@Hans

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

Oh

@ecstatichamster
@Rinse & rePeat
@Hans

Thank you forterpride for valuing my opinion, but i have no knowledge in this area. I wish I could have been helpful.

 

[ecstatichamster]

I am not sure I'd bother testing for K2. Lots of people don't take enough though. K2 MK4 is very benign. People can take 5mg - 15mg even several times a day.

Also, if he consumes a lot more D3 and dietary calcium that should lower parathyroid hormone and normalize blood calcium levels, unless something else is seriously wrong.

 

[Rafael Lao Wai]

Not sure about statins, but I read a few studies in rats where warfarin was very effective at depleting MK4( the active form of vitamin K) in tissues, even in rats which were being supplemented with vitamin K. I wonder if the issue with statins is more related to the endogenous production of CoQ10, as well as the conversion of K1 into K2 (since cholesterol is required for these actions) instead of depleting them. If he takes vitamin K( especifically K2) and eats beef heart (or takes a CoQ10 supplement), that should help a lot.

I think urinary GLA residue is also useful to know vitamin K status. Lower values mean the body is utilizing less of this vitamin. The best measurement, in terms of precision, would likely be a biopsy to see how much MK4 is in certain tissues such as the pancreas, which accumulate a lot of it, but that would, of course, be really invasive.