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Back-to-school season is here! Parents are busy with backpacks and lunch boxes. This time of year is perfect to think about what helps children grow. Many parents track height on doorframes. Now it’s time to understand what fuels those growth spurts. Good nutrition is just as important as school supplies.
Back-to-school season is here! Parents are busy with backpacks and lunch boxes. This time of year is perfect to think about what helps children grow. Many parents track height on doorframes. Now it’s time to understand what fuels those growth spurts. Good nutrition is just as important as school supplies.
A child’s final height comes from both genes and environment. About 20% of height differences come from environmental factors, mainly nutrition. For proper bone growth and development, children need calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin K.
Most parents know about vitamin D’s importance for children’s growth. New research shows that lacking vitamin K2 can also impact height development, increasing the risk of shorter stature by over 50%.
Vitamin D for Growing Bones
Vitamin D helps children absorb calcium for healthy bones. Without enough vitamin D, bones may not grow properly, leading to shorter height.
Studies show higher vitamin D levels link to better growth rates. Each small increase improves yearly height growth. Children with very low levels grew about half a centimeter less per year compared to those with healthy levels.
Vitamin K2: The Overlooked Growth Nutrient
Vitamin K2 plays an equally important role in children’s growth and development. It activates a protein called osteocalcin that binds calcium to bones, making them stronger.
The MK-7 form of vitamin K2 works best because it stays in the body longer. Children with better vitamin K levels show more bone growth during key development periods.
During puberty, children grow taller and bones become denser. Vitamin K2 improves bone density and helps build collagen, which forms the framework for growing bones.
A recent study compared vitamin K2 levels in children of normal height versus shorter children. Results showed shorter children had much lower K2 levels. Between ages 2 and 15, K2 levels often decrease, affecting growth and development.
Children need more vitamin K2 than adults because their bones grow rapidly. Unfortunately, modern diets contain less K2 than in the past, putting today’s children at risk for deficiency during critical growth years.
Better Together: Vitamins D and K2 Work as a Team
Vitamins D and K2 work together to support children’s growth. Vitamin D brings calcium into the body, while K2 directs calcium to bones instead of soft tissues where it doesn’t belong.
This teamwork matters most during growth spurts when children rapidly build bone. Without enough of both vitamins, even with adequate calcium intake, a child may not reach full growth potential.
Supporting Optimal Growth and Development
Children need both K2 and D to reach their full height potential. Research confirms children lacking K2 are more likely to experience growth problems.
For parents concerned about children’s growth and development, both vitamins matter—not just calcium and vitamin D. They support healthy bone formation and optimal height development throughout childhood and adolescence.
While genetics plays the main role in determining height, good nutrition helps children reach their full potential. Vitamins D and K2 support bone development that determines a child’s final height.
As our understanding of nutrition grows, these often-overlooked vitamins become increasingly important. Ensuring children get enough of both vitamins may be one of the best strategies for supporting healthy growth and development in children during the school year and beyond.
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As the summer sun shines brightly, it’s the perfect time to spotlight an often-overlooked nutrient: Vitamin K2. This essential menaquinone is crucial in maintaining strong bones and a healthy cardiovascular system, making it a must-have for overall well-being.
As the summer sun shines brightly, it’s the perfect time to spotlight an often-overlooked nutrient: Vitamin K2. This essential menaquinone is crucial in maintaining strong bones and a healthy cardiovascular system, making it a must-have for overall well-being.
Bone-Boosting Vitamin K2 Benefits
Vitamin K2 is a game-changer when it comes to bone health. Research shows that this nutrient helps direct calcium into the bones where needed, rather than allowing it to accumulate in the arteries. By improving calcium absorption, this vitamin supports the mineralization of bone, reducing the risk of compromised bone health. Getting enough Vitamin K2 can help you build and maintain strong, dense bones, whether young or old.
Protecting Your Heart with Vitamin K2
In addition to its bone-strengthening effects, Vitamin K2 offers impressive cardiovascular benefits. Studies indicate that higher Vitamin K2 intake is associated with a lower risk of heart disease and stroke. This is because Vitamin K2 activates proteins that help stop the buildup of calcium in the arteries, limiting the progression of atherosclerosis. By keeping your arteries clear and flexible, Vitamin K2 supports overall heart health.
Supplementing with Vitamin K2
While there are certain Vitamin K2 food sources like cheese, egg yolks, and natto, getting optimal amounts from diet alone can be challenging. That’s where supplements come in. MenaQ7® is a clinically-studied, highly bioavailable form of K2 that can help fill the gap. By incorporating a high-quality Vitamin K2 supplement like MenaQ7® into your routine, you can give your bones and heart the support they need to thrive.
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Indonesia has made a landmark move by approving the country’s first-ever functional health claim for vitamin K, encompassing both K1 and K2. This approval officially recognizes the role of vitamin K in supporting bone health, setting a new precedent in Southeast Asia’s regulatory landscape.
Indonesia has made a landmark move by approving the country’s first-ever functional health claim for vitamin K, encompassing both K1 and K2. This approval officially recognizes the role of vitamin K in supporting bone health, setting a new precedent in Southeast Asia’s regulatory landscape.
The successful outcome was the result of a strategic initiative led by PT Signa, in close collaboration with Gnosis by Lesaffre. The news has been publicly shared on BPOM’s platform and is expected to accelerate the integration of functional health ingredients into the region’s food and supplement industries.
An Achievement Fueled by Collaboration and Expertise
This milestone showcases the value of coordinated scientific advocacy and regulatory engagement. The Gnosis team—especially Tan Wen Yan (regulatory), Dr Katarzyna Maresz (scientific), and George Andrianus (commercial)—played an instrumental role in supporting the process from the early stages in 2023. Their work underscores how shared commitment and cross-functional teamwork can help unlock new opportunities for health-promoting ingredients. As stated by Wen Yan from the regulatory team, “This is an achievement not just for our distributor, but for all of us,” reflecting the collective effort that made this success possible.
Science at the Core of Our Mission
Gnosis remains deeply committed to advancing human health through science and innovation. The company’s long-standing focus on clinical research, such as the widely recognized MenaQ7® study demonstrating bone health benefits at nutritional doses, is a testament to that commitment. This new regulatory recognition aligns perfectly with Gnosis’s mission to bring scientifically proven, effective ingredients to markets around the world. As we continue to work alongside industry partners and regulatory authorities, Gnosis will remain at the forefront of driving innovation that supports healthier lives and communities.
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Vitamin K2 is best known for helping with blood and bone health, but new research points to an unexpected role: protecting the brain and supporting cognitive function.
Vitamin K2 is best known for helping with blood and bone health, but new research points to an unexpected role: protecting the brain and supporting cognitive function.
Vitamin K2 acts as an activator for specific proteins involved in vital body functions, particularly in blood regulation and bone metabolism. But recent findings indicate it may also contribute to neurological balance and protection. Beyond its established roles, K2 appears to support brain cell stability and may even help defend against age-related cognitive decline.
What makes K2 especially intriguing is its apparent influence on epigenetic mechanisms — the biological processes that control how genes are expressed without altering the DNA itself. It seems capable of modulating gene activity through pathways like DNA methylation, histone modification, and microRNA regulation. This kind of control could help counteract the molecular dysfunctions seen in diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
All signs point to K2 as a promising yet underexplored ally in the fight against neurodegenerative disorders. While more focused research is still needed, the potential is striking. With deeper investigation, vitamin K2 could emerge as a valuable tool in developing strategies to preserve brain function and slow cognitive decline.
>> THE EPIGENETIC POTENTITAL OF VITAMIN K2 IN BRAIN HEALTH <<
Nutrients published a new post-hoc analysis of the 1-year MenaQ7 cardiovascular study, examining an underrepresented population and demonstrating a promotion of healthy blood pressure through a reduction in vascular stiffness.
Nutrients published a new post-hoc analysis of the 1-year MenaQ7 cardiovascular study, examining an underrepresented population and demonstrating a promotion of healthy blood pressure through a reduction in vascular stiffness.
A new post-hoc analysis of a 1-year cardiovascular study on the vitamin K2 supplement MenaQ7® has uncovered promising findings for women’s heart health. The study, published in the journal Nutrients, specifically examined the effects of vitamin K2 MK-7 supplementation on vascular stiffness and blood pressure in pre-, peri-, and post-menopausal women with low vitamin K status.
The results showed that for post-menopausal women with high baseline vascular stiffness, vitamin K2 MK-7 supplementation significantly improved vascular flexibility and reduced blood pressure in the brachial and carotid arteries. In contrast, post-menopausal women in the placebo group with high baseline stiffness exhibited increased blood pressure. These findings suggest vitamin K2 MK-7 may be an effective intervention for mitigating the negative cardiovascular effects that can occur with menopause.
Importantly, the researchers note that the benefits of vitamin K2 MK-7 were not uniform across all participants. Those with elevated arterial stiffness experienced the greatest improvements, underscoring the importance of personalized approaches to cardiovascular health. These new insights build on previous clinical trials demonstrating the vascular health benefits of MenaQ7® vitamin K2, further validating its potential as a targeted supplement for supporting women’s heart health, particularly during the menopausal transition.
>> IT’S IN YOUR BLOOD – CHECK IT!<<
The Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has granted approval for the use of Vitamin K2 in Food for Special Medical Purposes (FSMP), a significant advancement for medical nutrition. This decision reflects the growing understanding of Vitamin K2’s role as a vital nutrient for individuals with specific medical or nutritional requirements.
The Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has granted approval for the use of Vitamin K2 in Food for Special Medical Purposes (FSMP), a significant advancement for medical nutrition. This decision reflects the growing understanding of Vitamin K2’s role as a vital nutrient for individuals with specific medical or nutritional requirements.
MenaQ7® – A Trusted, Clinically Supported Vitamin K2
At the forefront of this category is MenaQ7®, a patented and extensively researched brand of Vitamin K2 (Menaquinone-7, or MK-7). Renowned for its excellent bioavailability and extended half-life, MenaQ7® supports the activation of calcium-binding proteins that help channel calcium to bones and away from arteries. While Vitamin K1 primarily supports blood coagulation, Vitamin K2’s ability to support bone and cardiovascular health makes it especially relevant for elderly individuals, patients with osteoporosis, and those at risk of arterial calcification.
Opening New Possibilities for Clinical Nutrition
This FSANZ approval allows healthcare providers and medical nutrition companies to formulate FSMP products that include Vitamin K2, helping to meet the targeted nutritional demands of patients under medical supervision. The inclusion of MenaQ7® in such products offers a scientifically backed solution to support bone density, vascular flexibility, and long-term health outcomes.
As scientific awareness continues to expand around the importance of Vitamin K2, this regulatory milestone paves the way for broader adoption of effective, targeted nutrition in the clinical setting.
Do you need more information about Vitamin K2 or have any outstanding questions? Please do not hesitate to contact us; our expert team will happily answer!