Though many associate Vitamin K and blood clotting, there are actually different forms of Vitamin K. Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) is found in food sources such as dark leafy greens and is the form necessary in blood clotting. Another form of Vitamin K, K2 (menaquinone), is found primarily in fermented foods such as soy natto, egg yolks and cheese. Recent research suggests those with diets rich in Vitamin K2, have a lower risk of cancer mortality and incidence.
According to the study, researchers in Europe looked at the dietary intake of over 24,000 people. Participants were free of cancer at enrollment and were followed for at least ten years. Results showed that those individuals consuming the greatest amount of K2 in their diets, primarily from cheese, were only half as likely to develop lung cancer compared to those with the lowest K2 intake. The effect was more pronounced in men than in women.
This is also the form of Vitamin K that has been shown to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and is essential for bone health. K2 acts like a traffic cop in the body that tells calcium to go into the bone. This is especially important for those supplementing with calcium, as it can cause kidney stones or arterial calcification (a buildup of calcium in the arteries). For more information on K2 and bone health, listen to the Vital Choice podcast “Solving the Calcium Paradox”.
Though more research needs to be done to assess K2 and cancer prevention, we certainly have a good base of scientific evidence suggesting dietary intake of menaquinones, which is highly determined by the consumption of cheese, is associated with a reduced risk of incident and fatal cancer. At the very least, we have a good excuse to indulge in some cheese!
–Nicole Gould, RD LD
