How MK4 Maintains Strong Bones
By Dr. John Neustadt
While most people, including doctors, equate bone mineral density with bone strength, they differ. A bone density result is a number on a test and only measures the mineral content of bone. But bone is a complex tissue and is more than simply a bunch of minerals stuck together. In addition to minerals, the bone contains about 200 proteins, including collagen.Bone density represents the quantity of bone, but bone collagen creates the bone strength and quality.
We’ve known since the 1990s that a bone density test predicts less than half of people who will break a bone. In 2008, a study determined that a bone mineral density (BMD) test only predicts 44% of women with osteoporosis and 21% of men who will break a bone.
Health Benefits of MK4
The health benefits of MK4 have been researched for more than thirty years. It’s the most-studied form of vitamin K2 for bone health. Over 25 clinical trials with over 7000 volunteers conclude that MK4 (45 mg/day) promotes healthy bone density and maintains strong bones, as indicated by more than 70% fewer fractures in clinical trial volunteers. After more than thirty years of research, we better understand how MK4 uniquely promotes bone health and health throughout the body.
Among other benefits, MK4:
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- Activates genes that promote the creation of osteoblasts. Osteoblasts are the cells that create new, healthy bones.
- Inhibits NF-kB to promote healthy inflammation balance.
- Reduces RANKL activity, which is associated with improved bone health.
- Activates genes involved in bone collagen formation.
- Enhances the ability of vitamin D to add minerals to the bone.
- Promotes healthy bone stem cell production.
- Promotes brain sphingolipid production to support brain health.
- Inhibits matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) in liver cells, associated with improved immune health and cell structure.
When people combine MK4 and Vitamin D, the synergistic effects of MK4 are amplified, with even greater bone health benefits.
Clinical Strength Products
For all these reasons, when Dr. Neustadt started NBI in 2006, some of his first products were for bone health and contained the clinical trial dose of MK4 (45 mg/day). Today, NBI has three bone support products with the MK4 and other key nutrients. They are Osteo-K, Osteo-K Minis, and Osteo-MK4. All three formulas provide 45 mg/day of MK4 and 50 mcg/day (2000 IU/day) of vitamin D3 to promote healthy bone density, support healthy bone matrix, and maintain strong bones. The only difference is the amount of calcium in each product. Osteo-K provides 1000 mg/day of calcium, Osteo-K Minis has 400 mg/day, and Osteo-MK4 has no calcium.
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