Question about supplements that might help prevent or dissolve calcium deposits

[tigerlily]

Hi all. This may be a silly idea but when I found out that my aortic tissue valve has moderate stenosis plus some calcification of the mitral valve annulus, I started wondering if there are any supplements that might prevent calcification of the heart, heart valves and arteries or even reverse some of the damage. Supplements that I've considered are K2, magnesium, Q10, Hawthorn, pomegranate juice and chanca piedra. Of course, when it comes to a calcified tissue valve, nothing may help but I wondered what others thought about this. The suppliments may be just my way of trying to feel some control. Thanks.

 

[cldlhd]

I take K2, a multi that has a good bit of magnesium ( plus I eat a lot of it ), and Q10. Whether it helps or not I can't say.

 

[tigerlily]

I take K2, a multi that has a good bit of magnesium ( plus I eat a lot of it ), and Q10. Whether it helps or not I can't say.

How much K2 do you take?

 

[Paleowoman]

I take viamin K2. I first started taking it five years ago when I read that it is supposed to help put calcium in the bones and not in the coronary arteriea so it's supposed to help prevent or reverse coronary calcification - I read all about it and read a study done in Holland regarding it. I did not, and do not, have coronary calcification but I had calcification on my bicuspid aortic valve so I decided to take the K2 on the off chance it might help slow down the calcification. No studies have been done on that I might add. Wherther or not it helped me who knows as there's not a copy of me in a parallel universe who did not take K2 LOL When I had AVR the valve was "moderately calcified" , though I had severe stenosis. The other reason I take K2 is that I have osteoporosis. In Japan vitamin K2 is a prescribed treatment for osteoporosis, and currently in the UK one of the large London hospitals is starting a trial using it in the treatment of osteoporosis.

I take 300 mcg of K2 per day. I take a supplement called 'Super K' (made by Life Extension) which contains 200 mcg of vitamin K2 as MK-7. I take two on alternate days, on on the other alternate day, so that it averages 300 mcg per day.

The book: "Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox" by Dr Kate Rheaume-Bleue is well worth a read for information about the health benefits of K2.

I also take omega 3's and vitamin D3, both supposed to be helpful for the heart. I get those prescribed. And I take CoQ10 which is also supposed to be helpful for the heart

 

[tigerlily]

I take viamin K2. I first started taking it five years ago when I read that it is supposed to help put calcium in the bones and not in the coronary arteriea so it's supposed to help prevent or reverse coronary calcification - I read all about it and read a study done in Holland regarding it. I did not, and do not, have coronary calcification but I had calcification on my bicuspid aortic valve so I decided to take the K2 on the off chance it might help slow down the calcification. No studies have been done on that I might add. Wherther or not it helped me who knows as there's not a copy of me in a parallel universe who did not take K2 LOL When I had AVR the valve was "moderately calcified" , though I had severe stenosis. The other reason I take K2 is that I have osteoporosis. In Japan vitamin K2 is a prescribed treatment for osteoporosis, and currently in the UK one of the large London hospitals is starting a trial using it in the treatment of osteoporosis.

I take 300 mcg of K2 per day. I take a supplement called 'Super K' (made by Life Extension) which contains 200 mcg of vitamin K2 as MK-7. I take two on alternate days, on on the other alternate day, so that it averages 300 mcg per day.

The book: "Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox" by Dr Kate Rheaume-Bleue is well worth a read for information about the health benefits of K2.

I also take omega 3's and vitamin D3, both supposed to be helpful for the heart. I get those prescribed. And I take CoQ10 which is also supposed to be helpful for the heart

Thank you Paleogirl, that's very helpful. I'm copying your information in my health file. I laughed at your mention of you in a parallel universe. Wouldn't that be so interesting LOL. I'd love to change a few things around and see who I would be in another dimension... if I would exist there at all. Who knows, maybe I've done as well as possible in this one.

 

[cldlhd]

I take vitamin k2 100 mcg in mk7firm and a multi ( Thorne basic nutrients ) that has 200 mcg as k1 and 200 mcg k2. It doesn't list what form but I believe its mk-4.

 

[Paleowoman]

In Life Extension Super K there is, per capsule, 200 mcg K2 as MK-7, 1000 mcg K2 as MK-4 and 1500 mcg K1. K2 MK-7 has a half life of several days and only needs to be taken once a day, K2 MK-4, on the other hand, has a half life of just a few hours and needs to be taken several times a day in larger doses than MK-7. (K1 is the coagulation vitamin).

 

[cldlhd]

In Life Extension Super K there is, per capsule, 200 mcg K2 as MK-7, 1000 mcg K2 as MK-4 and 1500 mcg K1. K2 MK-7 has a half life of several days and only needs to be taken once a day, K2 MK-4, on the other hand, has a half life of just a few hours and needs to be taken several times a day in larger doses than MK-7. (K1 is the coagulation vitamin).

Thanks, just checked Amazon and they have it for $17USD. Maybe I'll check it out but along with my multi I wonder if there's a potential negative effect from too much k1 especially because I eat a good bit of greens.

 

[tigerlily]

Thanks, just checked Amazon and they have it for $17USD. Maybe I'll check it out but along with my multi I wonder if there's a potential negative effect from too much k1 especially because I eat a good bit of greens.

I wonder the same thing cidihd. I'm not on warfarin but since K is a coagulant, I wonder even with a tissue valve if it increases your chances of a blood clot or stroke.

 

[Paleowoman]

Thanks, just checked Amazon and they have it for $17USD. Maybe I'll check it out but along with my multi I wonder if there's a potential negative effect from too much k1 especially because I eat a good bit of greens.

Hi cihlhd - I have just done a search on the net to find out if there is a toxic level for vitamin K1 intake, I knew there was none for K2, and I found this:
"There is no known toxicity associated with high doses of phylloquinone (vitamin K1), menaquinone (vitamin K2), or menadione (vitamin K3) and its derivatives. High intake of vitamin K is not recommended for individuals taking anticoagulant medications such as Warfarin (coumadin)": http://www.vitamins-supplements.org/vitamin-K.php It's kind of what I guessed since K1 is an absolutely essential vitamin the body needs from dietary sources, rather like vitamin C. I eat tons of leafy greens too, I eat a good portion of them as part of my breakfast, lunch and supper.

 

[Paleowoman]

I wonder the same thing cidihd. I'm not on warfarin but since K is a coagulant, I wonder even with a tissue valve if it increases your chances of a blood clot or stroke.

Hi tigerlily - see my post above. But also, when I had my valve replacement surgery I had to let the hospital know I was taking vitamin K and other supplements and hand in the containers as well as my prescribed medications. My dose of Super K was duly handed out to me each day by the nursing staff So my medical team certainly didn't consider that K1 was contraindicated with me having a tissue valve, and neither does my cardiologist who knows of all the supplements and medications I take.

 

[cldlhd]

Hi cihlhd - I have just done a search on the net to find out if there is a toxic level for vitamin K1 intake, I knew there was none for K2, and I found this:
"There is no known toxicity associated with high doses of phylloquinone (vitamin K1), menaquinone (vitamin K2), or menadione (vitamin K3) and its derivatives. High intake of vitamin K is not recommended for individuals taking anticoagulant medications such as Warfarin (coumadin)": http://www.vitamins-supplements.org/vitamin-K.php It's kind of what I guessed since K1 is an absolutely essential vitamin the body needs from dietary sources, rather like vitamin C. I eat tons of leafy greens too, I eat a good portion of them as part of my breakfast, lunch and supper.

Thanks for looking it up.

 

[Nocturne]

Does warfarin negate K2? I mean if you are taking K2 (I recently started), does your required dose of warfarin simply go up and does that negate the benefits of the K2?

My wife, who is a hematologist, is telling me that warfarin is an excellent drug to avoid taking if you can. Hoping that by the time I need surgery, there are other good options. I DO have coronary artery calcification, in spades for a guy my age, so any desperate grab at straws to slow it down makes sense to me.

 

[cldlhd]

Learning From Our Parents’ Heart Health Mistakes https://nyti.ms/2oQNLe5