Vitamin K1 and K2
Intake model: one reported food record, food date unconfirmed. References: man aged 19–30. How to read the references.
Clarify. K1 subtotal cannot establish total K adequacy; K2 and sauce herbs are unquantified.
Linked eating record; usual intake and clinical status unestablished · Reviewed 2026-10-10
Intake confidence: Limited. Quantity confidence: Limited. Body status: Unassessed.
FDA values describe food labels.
Vitamin K1 phylloquinone
80 µg available-value subtotal from food; some foods are unquantified.
| Recommended intake | Upper reference | Food label reference |
|---|---|---|
| 120 µg (AI) US National Academies · Vitamin K; the counted food subset is K1 | Not established US National Academies · Food and oral supplements | 120 µg (DV) FDA · Adults and children 4+ Model: K1 counted; label DV covers vitamin K. Label rule |
Other authority and form-specific references
- 70 µg phylloquinone/day (AI)
EFSA · Phylloquinone (K1) only, adult reference body-weight basisUS vitamin K AI is 120 µg/day for adult men and derives largely from phylloquinone intake data. No universal K1/K2 mass equivalence was established.
The US vitamin K AI derives largely from phylloquinone intake data. The food model counts K1; K2 and sauce herbs remain unquantified. The AI does not establish a universal one-for-one equivalence of K1 and K2 forms.
Food contributions and uncertainty
Values are available for 12 of 13 recorded foods. The displayed number is an available-value subtotal. Product identity and portion assumptions still limit accuracy.
The saved portion/recipe scenarios span 79–83 µg. This is a sensitivity range, not a confidence interval; uncertain food composition and unreported foods can fall outside it.
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| Food | Model portion | Contribution | Source basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hass avocado | 150 g assumed | 32 µg | Generic USDA comparator |
| Large beefsteak tomato | 182 g assumed | 14 µg | Generic USDA comparator |
| Raspberries | 170 g assumed | 13 µg | Generic USDA comparator |
| Red bell pepper | 150 g assumed | 7.4 µg | Generic USDA comparator |
| RT RT roast chicken meat and skin | 299 g estimated | 7.2 µg | Generic USDA comparator |
| Banana | 472 g reported | 2.4 µg | Generic USDA comparator |
| Crown Prince Natural Skinless boneless sardines in olive oil | 80 g assumed | 2.1 µg | Generic USDA comparator |
| Trader Joe's European style organic plain nonfat yogurt | 907 g reported | 1.8 µg | Generic USDA comparator |
| Raw English walnuts | 15 g assumed | 0.41 µg | Generic USDA comparator |
Unquantified: RT RT chimichurri.
Role and intake references
Vitamin K supports activation of proteins involved in blood clotting and bone metabolism. K1 is phylloquinone; K2 describes several menaquinones. The US adult male AI is 120 µg daily for vitamin K, with no established UL. An AI is not a strict minimum, and absence of a UL is not evidence that arbitrarily large supplemental doses are safe. NIH vitamin K.
What the food record establishes
Attention: Clarify. The available estimate is 80 µg K1, led by avocado at about 32 µg, tomato 14 µg and raspberries 13 µg. This is a K1 subtotal, not a measured total vitamin K intake. Menaquinones in animal and fermented foods are unquantified; the herbs in chimichurri are also unquantified. Comparing the subtotal with the total-K AI does not establish a deficiency or prove the diet falls short.
The original reason for considering chimichurri was its herbs. That intention should not be replaced by pretending an unknown restaurant sauce contains a measured dose of parsley or vitamin K. A cup modeled largely as oil is still a sauce estimate. Learning its ingredients would improve the accounting more than increasing the serving.
Food choices and medication context
A small amount of leafy greens or fresh herbs can broaden K1 sources if I enjoy it and can finish it that day. Fat with vegetables can enhance K1 absorption; there is already fat in the reported meals. Fermentation alone does not guarantee a specific K2 amount in my yogurt. NIH forms, food sources and absorption.
For people taking warfarin or related vitamin K antagonists, consistent intake is important because abrupt changes affect anticoagulation. No such medication is reported in this log; this is a relevant interaction, not an assumption about my treatment. NIH medication interactions.
K2, bones and the calcium-routing claim
The common claim that K2 directs calcium into bones and keeps it out of arteries is stronger than the demonstrated clinical evidence. Vitamin K-dependent proteins provide a mechanism. A change in their blood markers is not itself proof of fewer fractures or cardiovascular events.
One trial randomized 244 healthy postmenopausal women to 180 µg MK-7 daily or placebo for three years. It found less loss at some measured bone sites. That is a positive result in a different population; it does not establish injury protection for a young man or prove fewer fractures. Knapen et al., 2013 primary trial.
In a separate trial, 365 men with aortic valve calcification, mean age 71, received 720 µg MK-7 plus 25 µg vitamin D daily or placebo for two years. Calcification progression was 275 versus 292 units, with no significant primary difference (P = .64). The vitamin K-related biomarker improved, but the primary calcification outcome did not differ significantly. The combination prevents attributing effects to K2 alone, and established disease in older men differs from prevention in healthy young adults. Diederichsen et al., 2022 primary trial.
What would resolve this
Quantified herbs, verified product-specific K2 data and repeated complete records would improve intake interpretation. They would still not turn the food log into a blood measurement. For now, food variety is a practical option; automatically adding K2 to a modest vitamin D supplement is not established as necessary by these trials.