Vitamin D3
Vitamin D3 is also known as cholecalciferol or calciol and is one of the most important forms of group D vitamins. But we could also hear about it as a „sun vitamin“. This vitamin can be produced by the body itself through UV radiation on the skin, but we can also find it in food, especially of the animal type, for example in cod liver oil.
Vitamin D3 belongs to the vitamins that are soluble in fats (we also know water-soluble vitamins – B vitamins). This means that for vitamin D3 to be absorbed into our body, we must take it with some food that is fat-rich, that is, fatty.
The role of vitamin D3 in our body
Vitamin D3 is essential for the proper functioning of the body and the immune system. The right level of vitamin D3 in the human body has a positive effect on reducing the risk of infections, even against influenza.
Vitamin D3 is involved in the proper development of bones and teeth and affects the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, which is most affected by the condition of the musculoskeletal system. It has a preventive effect against softening and thinning of bones.
In women, it is especially important during pregnancy, when it affects the proper course of pregnancy and the development of the fetal skeleton, but also in the following period during breastfeeding, when vitamin D3 promotes the production of breast milk.
Vitamin D3 supports the proper functioning of the nervous system, brain and its functions. It also plays an important role in maintaining proper mental vitality and fights fatigue or depression.
Vitamin D3 deficiency – how to solve it?
Currently, approximately 75% of people in Slovakia suffer from vitamin D deficiency. Its values in the body usually increase in the summer when we are more out in the sun, but still, it may not be enough and the vitamin may not reach the lower limit of optimal values, especially if we apply creams with a high protection factor and avoid the sun.
The solution may be a nutritional supplement that replenishes vitamin D3 in the body. Many studies suggest that taking a vitamin supplement with a daily recommended dose will not improve our deficiency, because the recommended dose only keeps the vitamin level at the same level. Therefore, it is advisable to consult the general practitioner about this condition and he may recommend an increased dose. What bothers the world today is hypovitaminosis, a vitamin deficiency, rather than hypervitaminosis – an overdose.
Vitamin K2
Vitamin K2, like vitamin D3, is fat-soluble. The path to the discovery of vitamin K2 was purely coincidental. The Danish physiologist Henrik Dam studied cholesterol and its role in the human body, and in that study, he was able to isolate a nutrient that no one had known before. He called it vitamin K. It was for this discovery that he and the biochemist Edward Doisy won the 1943 Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology. However, it took some time for vitamin K2 to gain its popularity based on recent clinical studies.
Documented effects of vitamin K2
Many positive effects of vitamin K2 have been documented based on clinical studies. Vitamin K2 was originally thought to be just one form of vitamin K, but recent studies have shown that it has a unique and irreplaceable position in our body. Vitamin K2:
– contributes to maintaining healthy bones and teeth,
– affects calcium metabolism,
– contributes to normal blood flow,
– helps maintain healthy blood vessels,
– helps prevent osteoporosis, fractures,
– helps prevent heart disease,
– reduces the risk of inflammation,
– helps with autoimmune diseases,
– improves mitochondrial function,
– reduces the risk of prostate cancer,
– is beneficial to the brain,
– reduces insulin resistance.
Vitamin K2 deficiency
Vitamin K2 deficiency in the human body can cause many unfortunate conditions and diseases. From less severe, like tooth decay, nosebleeds, to pneumonia, prostate, lung, liver and leukaemia cancers.
Why is vitamin K2 given at the same time as vitamin D?
Vitamin K2 is often supplemented with vitamin D3 (or vice versa), because vitamin D3 helps absorb calcium and, like vitamin D, has a positive effect on healthy bones. Co-dosing improves the effect of each of the vitamins. At the same time, they work synergistically, because excessive amounts of vitamin D can cause arterial calcification, but vitamin K reduces the risk of arterial calcification. Vitamin K2 thus acts as a „traffic cop“, which manages the absorption of vitamin D and supervises its negatives. Vitamin A works in a similar synergy with vitamin K2.
Liposomal vitamins D3 and K2
The liposomal form of vitamins D3 and K2 is a revolutionary form of uptake of this synergistic vitamin bomb into the human body. In today’s world, it is sometimes difficult to maintain a balanced and vitamin-rich diet, so it may be a good idea to supplement the body with vitamins through nutritional supplements. However, it is not an ordinary supplement.
The highest possible absorption of vitamins D3 and K2 is the liposomal form, which is the fastest and most effective. In contrast to the classic forms, the liposomal form has up to 6 times higher absorption. This is because the molecules of the substance (vitamin) are encapsulated in liposomes in the form of nanobubbles. The liposomal coating protects the vitamin from degradation and also provides better penetration into the cells. The result is almost 95% absorption into the body.
