The winter season calls for soaking up the sun. But there is a secret ingredient along with sunlight that makes vitamin D more potent. Well, we all know that exposure to sunlight helps to make vitamin D by the body. Vitamin D3 is a type of vitamin D which is essential to increase calcium uptake. When combined with vitamin K2, it can work wonders. Vitamin D3 and K2 have many benefits, so sit back, relax and enjoy a nice sun-kissed glow!

Over the years, scientists have worked on the combination of vitamin D3 and K2 and their benefits.

Vitamin D3 and K2: The ‘Batman and Robin’ effect

Celebrity nutritionist Pooja Makhija sees these two vitamins D3 and K2 as having a ‘Batman and Robin’ effect — they’re good on their own, but even better together when they work together. Seeing the benefits, she decided to share some facts about the dynamic duo on Instagram.

Vitamins D3 and K2 improve calcium aborption and use in body

Both the vitamins are fat-soluble and team up to metabolize calcium in your body by activating helpful proteins. Vitamin D3 helps to improves your calcium absorption. As for vitamin K2, it allocates where that calcium can be used.

Dr Ron Hunninghake, MD wrote for Riordan Clinic that calcium is a necessary mineral for good health, but research has shown that excessive calcium intake, especially calcium supplements, can be do harm to the body.

The additional calcium needs to be correctly utilized or it can pop up in the wrong places and lead to diseases. Vitamin D can lead to excessive calcium uptake, leading to interference with normal cardiac and renal function, and tissue deposition. Calcium is absorbed and directed toward healthy functions in the body by using vitamin K2 in conjunction with D3.

Vitamins D3 and K2 may help reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis

Taking the two vitamins together may help reduce the risk of developing conditions such as osteoporosis, or other diseases like kidney or heart ailments. But this needs to be backed by more studies and research.

According to the National Library Of Medicine, it was established in Japan that treatment with 1 alpha-hydroxyvitamin D3 slightly reduces bone turnover. It sustains lumbar bone mineral density (BMD), and prevents osteoporotic vertebral fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.

Vitamin K2 (menatetrenone) on the other hand, enhances gamma-carboxylation of bone glutamic acid residues and secretion of osteocalcin. It also sustains lumbar BMD, and prevents osteoporotic fractures in patients with osteoporosis.

Quiz time: Are your vitamin D levels on point? Find out with this quiz

Low vitamin K status may increase risk of cardiovascular disease

As per Current Nutrition Reports, observational studies suggest that low vitamin K status, measured by high dephosphorylated uncarboxylated matrix gla protein concentrations, has a potential role in cardiovascular disease development. It is specifically in high-risk and chronic kidney disease populations.

What are some vitamin K sources?

Green leafy vegetables are good source of vitamin K, which is also found in meat, liver, milk, and egg yolk, according to Food and Drug Administration.

If you’re a vegetarian or if you like to eat meat more and don’t include many veggies in your diet, you can think of taking a vitamin K2 supplement. MK-7 is considered to be the superior of the two subtypes of K2. MK-4 is the other subtype.

According to Pooja Makhija, studies indicate that a 90-100 mcg dose per day is a good dose to start with, to enjoy the benefits of K2.

But she said that there is some evidence that suggests that taking more than 50 mcg of MK-7 is not recommended for those on blood thinners.

Check out her Instagram post right here!

Vitamin K and blood thinners

You need to be careful not to overdo vitamin K if you have a heart problem and taking blood thinners such as warfarin.

According to Cleveland Clinic, blood thinners are generally prescribed by doctors to people who are at risk of developing blood clots that are harmful.

Cardiologist Leslie Cho, MD, said that if you suddenly increase vitamin K intake in your diet, it can decrease the effect of warfarin.

She said that this happens as the vitamin is an important part of the chemical process for forming blood clots in a person’s body.