What’s the best way to have healthy bones that stay strong as you age?
Ask most people how to achieve that and their immediate response will be “more calcium.” And for decades, that was the main advice from medical professionals too.
However – Recent science has shown that approach is actually the exact wrong thing to do. As it turns out, more calcium doesn’t strengthen bones… More calcium can’t help prevent fractures… and more calcium may even increase your risk of heart-attack!
Quick Answer: For strong bones as you age, more calcium supplements are not the answer. Bones do need calcium, but your body can only absorb so much at once, and large supplemental doses have been linked with kidney stones, GI distress, and cardiovascular risks. The better strategy is to get enough calcium from foods spread through the day, then make sure that calcium goes to the right place. That is the job of vitamin K2, which activates proteins that direct calcium into your bones and away from your blood vessels and soft tissue. Because K2 is hard to get from diet alone, a high-quality K2-7 (menaquinone-7) supplement is often the smarter choice for bone health.
Does More Calcium Actually Strengthen Bones?
No. Bones need calcium, but taking excess calcium through supplements does not add benefit, and your body cannot absorb large amounts at once. Getting enough calcium from foods throughout the day is the better approach.
Strong, healthy bones do indeed require calcium to stay in great shape. But taking excess calcium through supplements won’t add any benefits. Especially when you’re taking large doses, like 1000 to 1200 mg per day.
It doesn’t matter if you’re taking capsules, tablets, or chewables – Different forms of calcium will make no difference. If you’re taking a lot of calcium, you’re not just failing to boost your bone strength… You’ll be setting yourself up for significant health risks…
For one thing, your body just can’t absorb a lot of calcium at one time. That’s why it’s so much better to get your calcium from foods steadily throughout the day (vs a blast of calcium from a supplement). As long as you’re getting enough calcium (from foods) to keep your bones healthy, you don’t want more.
What Are the Best Non-dairy Sources of Calcium?
Beyond dairy, excellent calcium-rich foods include almonds, chia and sunflower seeds, dried figs, soybeans and tofu, leafy greens like kale and collards, broccoli, winter squash, oranges, and salmon.
Dairy products are well-known for their calcium content. Here are ten other foods to help you get plenty of calcium through your diet.
- Almonds
- Chia seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Dried figs
- Soybeans and tofu
- Green leafy vegetables including kale, arugula, and collard greens
- Broccoli
- Butternut squash and other winter squashes
- Oranges
- Salmon (fresh or canned)
When your body has too much calcium to deal with, it fails to manage how and where it goes… For you that means calcium could end up where you don’t want it: in your blood vessels, organs, and soft tissue where it can cause serious damage. Taking just 1000 mg of calcium supplements daily has been linked with:
- Kidney stones
- Gastrointestinal (GI) distress
- Stroke
- Heart attack
So how do you make sure calcium goes where you want it to so you can have strong, resilient bones? With nature’s calcium manager – vitamin K2.
| For bone health | High-dose calcium supplements | Vitamin K2 (K2-7) |
|---|---|---|
| Strengthens bones | Excess does not add benefit | Activates proteins that build bone |
| Where calcium ends up | Can deposit in blood vessels and soft tissue | Directs calcium into bones, away from soft tissue |
| Associated risks | Linked with kidney stones, GI distress, cardiovascular events | Supports proper calcium handling |
| Getting enough from food | Readily available in many foods | Hard to get from diet alone |
Why Is Vitamin K2 the Key to Healthy Bones?
Vitamin K2 is the "calcium manager." It activates proteins like osteocalcin and matrix Gla that direct calcium into your bones and keep it out of your blood vessels and soft tissue, so the calcium you have is used properly.
When it comes to calcium, it’s more important to be able to use what you have than to get more. And for your body to use calcium properly, it needs an assist from vitamin K2 – the calcium manager.
Vitamin K2 directs calcium into your bones and away from your blood vessels, vital organs, and other soft tissue. To do that, K2 activates special proteins that regulate calcium so it can nourish and support the strength of your bones. Those calcium-management proteins include:
- Osteocalcin regulates bone quality – a key factor of bone strength – by directing calcium into your bones and binding it in place
- Matrix Gla keeps calcium out of your blood vessels so they don’t calcify, becoming hardened and brittle
- Protein S regulates bone turnover – a process where old bone cells are replaced by healthy new bone cells
Without vitamin K2, these protective proteins can’t do their main job: Keeping your bones healthy and strong, and containing rogue calcium so it can’t damage your soft tissue. That’s why the true key to healthy bones is vitamin K2.
What Kind of Vitamin K2 Should You Look For?
Look for the K2-7 form (menaquinone-7), the most active and absorbable type of vitamin K2. Because K2 is tough to get from diet alone, a high-quality K2-7 supplement can make a real difference for bone health.
When it comes to your bones, quality means everything. Strong, mineral-dense bones keep you standing straight and tall. Resilient bones can withstand shocks and remain whole. That quality comes from vitamin K2 and its unique ability to activate the proteins your bones depend on to remain dense and springy.
Research demonstrates that high quality vitamin K2:
- Supports healthy spinal bone density and allover bone resiliency in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis
- Regulates bone metabolism, the continuous process of producing healthy new bone while removing and replacing old bone tissues
- Preserves bone density and bone quality in women with documented low bone density
- Stimulates bone formation and mineralization, encourages collagen production, and promotes healthy bone quality
You can see how crucial vitamin K2 is for rock solid bones. The trick is getting enough of this critical nutrient. But unlike calcium, it’s tough to get ample K2 from diet alone.
That’s why high-quality vitamin K2 supplements can make all the difference to your bone health. The most active and absorbable form of vitamin K2 is “K2-7” (also called menaquinone-7). So if you decide to take K2 supplements – a must for strong, resilient bones – look for it in the K2-7 form.
Just Thrive Bone Health Products
Frequently Asked Questions About Calcium and Bone Health
Do calcium supplements strengthen bones?
Strong bones need calcium, but taking excess calcium through supplements does not add benefit. Your body can only absorb so much at once, so getting enough from foods spread through the day is preferable.
Are calcium supplements risky?
High supplemental doses, around 1000 to 1200 mg per day, have been linked with kidney stones, GI distress, stroke, and heart attack. When the body has more calcium than it can manage, it can deposit in blood vessels and soft tissue.
What does vitamin K2 do for bones?
Vitamin K2 activates proteins that direct calcium into your bones and away from your blood vessels and soft tissue. Without enough K2, those proteins cannot do their job of building and protecting bone.
What is the best form of vitamin K2?
The most active and absorbable form is K2-7, also called menaquinone-7. If you choose to supplement, look for K2 in the K2-7 form.
Can I get enough vitamin K2 from food?
Unlike calcium, it is tough to get ample K2 from diet alone, which is why many people choose a high-quality K2-7 supplement to support their bone health.
Vitamin K2-7 Puts Calcium in Its Place for Strong, Healthy Bones
You want strong healthy bones, but more calcium won’t get you there. Making sure calcium gets delivered to the right place is the right way to maintain your bone density and resilience. And that’s exactly how Just Thrive Vitamin K2-7 works to support the health of your bones.
Vitamin K2-7 delivers an optimal daily dose of pharmaceutical grade vitamin K2-7 to help activate bone-building proteins like osteocalcin.
Plus, Vitamin K2-7 supports vitamin K2 proactivity with three crucial cofactors:
- Vitamin K1
- Magnesium
- Zinc
Keep calcium where it belongs – in your strong, healthy bones – every day.
Try Just Thrive Vitamin K2-7 TODAY!
And remember…
All Just Thrive purchases are COMPLETELY covered by our Bottom of the Bottle, 100% money back guarantee.
That means you can give Vitamin K2-7 a try, and if for some reason you don’t absolutely love the way you feel…
Simply ask for a full refund at any time... Whether it’s 2 weeks, 2 months or 2 years… Even if the bottle is empty!
