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We are a 100%-owned family farm, so you can rest assured that everything that bears our name is produced on our farm with the greatest attention to every detail.
You see, we truly care about the health of our family, and we care about yours too.
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Farm Blog
Posted by: Trevor
August 31, 2025
Menaquinones are fat-soluble vitamins which, taken together, are commonly referred to as vitamin K2. Menaquinones help your body by directing calcium to where it is most needed, specifically into bones and teeth [1] --- and ensuring it doesn’t get deposited into tissues like cartilage (osteoarthritis), arteries (arteriosclerosis), and kidneys (kidney stones).
There is evidence that K2 supplementation can improve cardiovascular health [2], and increase bone density [3]. There are also reports of improved hormone levels [4], greater insulin sensitivity [5], and reduced incidence of chronic diseases [6]. I have personally been supplementing K2 for years.
Most of the population is not getting sufficient K2 [16]. Although we can convert K1 into K2, and we can synthesize K2 in our gut, these sources don’t come close to meeting our needs [7]. We need to get K2 from our diet. While there is a plant-based (sort of) source of K2, it is made from fermented soybeans --- i.e. it is made by bacteria feeding on soybeans. In Japan, it is called natto, and it is a rich source of K2. The taste is peculiar.
Other dietary sources of K2 are egg yolks, and certain meat products. This version (i.e. the version of K2 found in animal products) is known as MK-4, and it is the only version of K2 which isn’t produced by bacteria. Animals convert K1 to K2 (in the form of MK-4) and deposit it in their tissues.
You can get K2 from healthy whole food sources instead of pills...
Eggs, from hens which can forage plants outdoors, can contain MK-4 in the range of 20 to 30 mcg per yolk [8]. A decent amount. But pork has been shown to be an even better source of K2, ranging from 68 to 534 mcg per 100g depending on the fat content of the pork product (pork sausages, typically higher in fat, are at the higher end) [9]. Keep in mind that this latter study was conducted on conventional pigs, which are bred for leanness and are never allowed to forage. It is reasonable to conclude that outdoor, organic, pasture-raised heritage breeds would have even higher K2 levels.
The other forms of K2 --- i.e. MK-5, MK-6, MK-7, MK-8… all the way to MK-14, are produced by bacteria. Particularly aged cheeses [15] --- the longer the cheese ripens, the more K2 it has. Munster cheese is high in MK-4, MK-8, and MK-9. So is gouda (the long-aged gouda, i.e. 26+ weeks). Both cheeses also contain significant amounts of MK-7. A 50 gram serving of either of these cheeses will provide about 30 to 40 total mcg of K2. Aside from cheese-ripening time, other factors which influence the amount of K2 in cheese are the diet of the cow --- green, spring grass will dramatically increase the cheese’s K2 content --- and the fat percentage (K2 is fat-soluble).
The difference between the various types of K2 is in how the body absorbs them. MK-4 is processed relatively quickly and has an affinity for certain tissues like the brain and salivary glands [10]. MK-7 lasts much longer in the body than MK-4, and has an affinity for arteries and bones [11]. MK-8 and MK-9 last much longer than MK-4 (but not as long as MK-7) and have an affinity for the liver [12].
Research on K2 is relatively young. So far, there is no official recommended daily allowance for K2. But experts put the likely optimal range between 100 and 360 mcg per day [13]. Although K2 is fat soluble, it is efficiently excreted by the body [14]. It uses what it needs, and excretes the rest.
Because MK-4 has a much shorter half-life than MK-8 or MK-9, which in turn have shorter half-lives than MK-7, it means that optimal daily intake is going to vary depending on the form of K2 you are taking. This can make it tricky if you are getting K2 in pill form --- most pills are selling MK-4, but some contain a blend of MK-4 and MK-7.
Although I used to take K2 in pill form, I now prefer to get it from whole food sources --- eggs, aged cheese, and pork. A simple breakfast of two pastured organic eggs, 25 grams of long-aged organic cheese, and 50 grams of pastured organic pork sausage will give me between 205 to 330 total mcg of K2, which is solidly within the daily K2 range I am looking to achieve. No pills required.
Have you been experimenting with K2 supplementation? Let us know about your experiences, we love to hear your stories. Together we can help each other to learn more, and become healthier.
Sources:
[1] Vitamins K1 and K2: The Emerging Group of Vitamins Required for Human Health. Schwalfenberg. Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism. 2017
[2] Menaquinone-7 supplementation improves arterial stiffness in healthy postmenopausal women… Knapen et al. Thrombosis and Haemostasis. 2015
[3] Three-year low-dose menaquinone-7 supplementation helps decrease bone loss in healthy postmenopausal women. Knapen et al. Osteoporosis International. 2013
[4] Menaquinone-4 enhances testosterone production in rats and testis-derived tumor cells. Ito et al. Lipids in Health and Disease. 2011
[5] Vitamin K2 Supplementation Improves Insulin Sensitivity via Osteocalcin Metabolism. Choi et al. Diabetes Care. 2011
[6] The role of menaquinones (vitamin K2) in human health. Beulens. British Journal of Nutrition. 2016
[7] Recent trends in the metabolism and cell biology of vitamin K with special reference to vitamin K cycling and MK-4 biosynthesis. Shearer. Journal of Lipid Research. 2014
[8] Determination of phylloquinone and menaquinones in food. Effect of food matrix on circulating vitamin K concentrations. Schurgers. Haemostasis. 2000
[9] Measurement of multiple vitamin K forms in processed and fresh-cut pork products in the U.S. food supply. Booth et al. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2016
[10] Menaquinone-4 concentration is correlated with sphingolipid concentrations in rat brain. Carrie et al. The Journal of Nutrition. 2004
[11] MK-7 and Its Effects on Bone Quality and Strength. Sato et al. Nutrients. 2020
[12] Vitamin K nutrition, metabolism, and requirements: current concepts and future research. Shearer. Advances in Nutrition. 2012
[13] Vitamin K, osteoporosis and degenerative diseases of ageing. Vermeer et al. Menopause International. 2011
[14] Vitamin K: an old vitamin in a new perspective. Grober. Dermato-endocrinology. 2015
[15] Menaquinone Content of Cheese. Vermeer et al. Nutrients. 2018
[16] Dietary intake of menaquinone is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease: the Rotterdam Study. Vermeer et al. Journal of Nutrition. 2004
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