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Daily Health Care

One vitamin could reverse heart disease, says Canadian doctor - and most of our diets are dangerously in short supply of it

High doses of calcium and vitamin D could be potentially harmful if not supplemented with vitamin K2

TORONTO - Vitamin K2, a little-known super-nutrient that humans once thrived on could be the key to reversing heart disease and preventing osteoporosis.

Millions of people take calcium and vitamin D supplements for bone health, but findings released as recently as April 2011 show that this can actually increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, as the added calcium builds up in arteries. Vitamin K2, a nutrient that disappeared from our diet decades ago, works to help our bones absorb the calcium and keep our arteries clear.

"Vitamin K2 used to be a part of our regular diet," says Kate Rhéaume-Bleue, BSc., ND. "We got it mainly through eating grass-fed animals and animal products." When the food industry became industrialized and animals were taken from the pasture to feedlots, "we inadvertently removed vitamin K2 from our diet," explains Rhéaume-Bleue.

Preventing heart disease isn't the only benefit of increased vitamin K2 levels. The nutrient has been found to improve prenatal health and the rate of fertility, contribute to strong bones and cavity-free teeth in children, and help with the absorption of insulin for those with diabetes. It also serves as the ultimate anti-aging nutrient, preventing wrinkles, varicose veins and osteoporosis.

"Even a slight K2 deficiency can have a long-term cost," says Rhéaume-Bleue. "It's the triage theory of aging: your body is taking care of more immediate concerns, while degenerative diseases associated with aging, such as osteoporosis and atherosclerosis, quietly develop."

So how to reverse the deficiency and improve our health?

"Vitamin K2 is available as a supplement in every major health food store," says Rhéaume-Bleue, "but one of the best ways to get it is to simply eat locally - grass-fed eggs in particular are exceptionally high in vitamin K2. Butter, certain types of cheese, and goose liver are also rich in vitamin K2."