What to do about an elevated Coronary Calcium Score? Your doctor ordered this CT Scan to check for heart issues. What is the cause of elevated coronary calcium and what are the possible solutions?
Asking what else you can do than taking Statin drugs is a legitimate question.
A CT Heart scan gives you a Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) score based on the amount of Calcium seen in the arterial walls of the Heart. The Score can be 0 – 400 or higher.
The higher your Coronary Calcium Score, the more Calcium is IN your arteries, and the greater the risk of Atherosclerosis – hardening of the arteries – with the potential risk for reduced blood flow or a heart attack.
There should be zero (or minimal) calcium lining your arteries.
Arterial Calcium, Heart Disease and Vitamin K2
Multiple studies in the last 15 years have suggested Vitamin K2’s use in preventing or removing calcium deposits from arteries, veins and capillaries all over the body.
Calcium deposits harden – and narrow – arteries and veins, reducing blood flow through “your pipes”. Just like water in your home pipes.
Here is one PubMed article on K2 and calcification: you’ll see more suggested on that page for heart disease and K2.
In my previous article and Primal Diet – Modern Health Podcast on Heart Disease, K2 and Calcium, I discuss the dangers of taking Calcium and Vitamin D WITHOUT taking Vitamin K2 as well.
This is THE key to understanding elevated Coronary Calcium
Dr. Weston A. Price discovered Vitamin K2 in the 1940’s, calling it Activator X. He found that Vitamins D, A and E won’t work properly without Vitamin K2. Without K2, Calcium will not enter bones, teeth, muscles and nerves where it SHOULD go, but can end up in the arteries (and in joints, gall bladder stones, and kidney stones).
Why is there Calcium in your Arteries? 
To research this article, I searched extensively on the question: “Why is there Calcium in my arteries?”
All sites but one answered the same basic way – “we don’t know but”… ‘calcium accumulates in the arteries and binds with Cholesterol to form dangerous plaques on artery walls. These plaques can block the artery. Or, “harden” the artery walls’. Etc. Versions of that.
The general suggestions always are: take Statin drugs to stop the Liver from making Cholesterol (which it makes to provide the base substance of many Hormones and other necessities), reduce Cholesterol in food (meat, eggs, butter), and take Blood Pressure medications.
Not a word about Calcium being there as a result of a Vitamin K2 deficiency.
What Causes Atherosclerosis if not Calcium Deposits In Arteries?
Researchers say they are unable to find the mechanism for calcium deposits in arteries, but believe certain triggering factors contribute to hard arteries – Atherosclerosis.
Cholesterol and Heart Disease
This article and Primal Diet – Modern Health Podcast offer my views and research on the question of Cholesterol still being seen as the cause of Heart Disease.
Functional Medicine Doctors and practitioners such as myself and many studies have shown this link to be marginal. Please read more about this. What does the Science say??
Can Vitamin K2 Reduce Calcification of Arteries?
Studies from the last 15 years show that significant doses of K2 – more than the minimal found in food – may chelate (“grab on to”) calcium in the arteries and relocate it to bones, teeth, etc.
I have several Clients who have lowered their Arterial Calcium Score and reduced bone spurs when taking 15 to 30 mg. (milligrams) K2 with full meals daily. I use these higher dose K2 caps for this. (A milligram is 100 x’s more than a microgram).
The amount of K2 in our top-selling Vitamin D3 Complete is 100 mcg. (micrograms) per cap. Walkabout Emu Oil provides 16 mcg. (micrograms) in 1 tsp. daily. These amounts are fine for today’s dose of Vitamin D and/or Calcium but inadequate to help latch on to arterial calcium.
It’s encouraging that numerous studies are underway to gauge dose and methods of K2 supplementation in preventing and reversing calcification.
How Do You Get Vitamin K2?
In historic Hunter/Gatherer foods, we ate animal organs, fat and endocrine glands. Rich sources of Vitamin K2.
K2 only comes from animal sources except for a type of K2 from fermented Natto soybeans (an acquired taste).
In modern food, we get some from Pastured Eggs, Pastured Liver, and Organic aged Cheese. And we CAN convert some of the K1 in vegetables into K2 but not enough for our needs, especially if we take Vitamin D or Calcium without proper amounts of K2.
Here is how I offer it to Clients and in my Online Store:
- Vitamin D3 Complete: D3 + K2 + A in balanced ratio
- Vitamin K2 MK-7 form from OrthoMolecular
- High Dose MK-4 form from Klaire Labs
- Walkabout Emu Oil MK-4 form found in the whole unprocessed oil
Is K2 the Same as K1?
No, the two vitamins are quite different, although we can convert some K1 into K2.
K1 helps manage clotting in the blood, helping assure we don’t bleed excessively from cuts or injuries.
Is K2 Safe at Higher Doses?
Few studies have been done on high dose K2, but so far, no evidence of toxicity or side effect has ever been shown.
This 2015 study of Breast Cancer and Vitamin K2, used very high doses with therapeutic effects. There are multiple studies of this nature on the web.
CAUTION: Do not use self-treatment of high-dose K2 or any other experimental model without medical supervision.
CAUTION: Do NOT use high dose K2 if taking blood thinners such as Coumadin and Warfarin. Low dose K2 is OK, with doctor’s permission.
Conclusion: What to do About Elevated Coronary Calcium?
Study your Doctor’s treatment plan, study more about Vitamin K2, and depending on the severity of your artery blockage, decide a treatment plan together to address it.
Once you have reduced your Calcium Arterial Score with higher dose K2 (NOT TO BE USED IF ON BLOOD THINNERS) continue future Vitamin D with added, balanced K2.
