Vitamin K1 and K2 MK7

[michael1222]

Hello! I've been following a carnivore diet for several months now. Could anyone tell me which animal-based foods contain vitamin K1 and K2 MK7? I've done some online research, and these vitamins are typically found in plant-based and fermented foods. Thank you.

[Orweller]

Butter, eggs, and hard cheeses for k2. I also have an occasional supplement of k2 with my d3. 

[Geezy]

Even assuming you need K1, eating plants is about the worst way for you to get it:

• When comparing the 10-hour AUC of phylloquinone food-bound sources have been noted to have 4% the AUC of supplements

• Phylloquinone has been determined to have a bioavailability of 5-10% when consumed from plant based foods 

• The reduced bioavailability of plant-sourced vitamin K appears to be due to a tight binding of phylloquinone to the thylakoid membrane of plant chloroplasts 

Additionally, K1 is present in a variety of animal-based foods:

• Beef chuck: 0.6 µg/100g

• Mackerel: 1.0 µg/100g

• Egg yolk: 7.0 µg/100g

• Butter: 2.0 µg/100g

Given that "bioavailability is enhanced when consumed alongside fatty acids (3-fold) or when the phylloquinone is taken out of the food matrix", how convenient then that all the animal sources are fatty.

A couple more things. Avocado has the same amount of K1 as mackerel and, given that it's a plant source, the K1 is less bioavailable.

Perhaps more importantly, it's not even clear that K1 is required. In fact, current research shows that K2 performs the same functions while being distributed more evenly throughout the body. Current research also shows that K2 performs additional functions which K1 does not and potentially even acts outside of the vitamin K cycle.

Vitamin K2 MK-7 is a subtype of vitamin K2.

 Vitamin K2 MK-7 is synthesized by certain bacteria in the gut and can also be obtained from dietary sources such as fermented foods like natto, cheese, and sauerkraut. 

If you are eating a proper human diet of fatty meat, salt and water you should be getting all you need. It’s been proven time and time again that we do not need vegetables to be healthy. 

If you are concerned about a vitamin deficiency then get a blood test to check your markers and then proceed as necessary. 

[Meathead]

As @Orweller & @Geezy stated.

Honestly unless your blood work shows you deficient in any of these I myself don't and won't worry about supplementing. 

Don't OVERTHINK this and keep it simple.  When a person overthinks is where they mess themselves up and potassium especially is not something you willy nilly supplement.

Cheers and good luck. 

[Orweller]

3 hours ago, Meathead said:

As @Orweller & @Geezy stated.

Honestly unless your blood work shows you deficient in any of these I myself don't and won't worry about supplementing. 

Don't OVERTHINK this and keep it simple.  When a person overthinks is where they mess themselves up and potassium especially is not something you willy nilly supplement.

Cheers and good luck. 

I don't worry about bloodwork. No symptoms? No bloodwork. I guess I could make the same claim for supplements, but in my case, I have always supplemented somewhat. I knew I wasn't getting enough sun, etc. I do not mega dose either. Nor do I supplement daily, other than my iodine. Which trust me, you do need. 

[Meathead]

1 hour ago, Orweller said:

I don't worry about bloodwork. No symptoms? No bloodwork.

That's just common sense.

What works for you may not work for others and I don't recommend anyone making uniformed decisions or even bad advice. 

[Orweller]

27 minutes ago, Meathead said:

That's just common sense.

What works for you may not work for others and I don't recommend anyone making uniformed decisions or even bad advice. 

Of course, we each make our own choices. But blood tests are based on the "normal" numbers, the norm is however that 80% of Americans are metabolically unwell. When it comes to nutrients etc, they do not tell the entire story. Low vitamin D on a blood test does NOT necessarily mean you have low D. it means you have low D compared to the general population. So you get a test that merely gives you a suggestion. 

At the end of the day we make our own choices. And that is fine by me. I am merely explaining my opinion here and why I have it. Doctors have failed me for the last 30 years. In fact they wrote me of some 20 years ago. I was not even supposed to walk. 

[Meathead]

Understood but you can still get a baseline of your numbers for reference instead of blindly guessing.