The mountain peak of K2 towers over China and Pakistan, reaching 28,251 feet above sea level and making it the second-highest mountain on Earth. As of 2021, only 377 people had made it to the top.

Not many people make it to the top of a healthful dose of vitamin K2 either. That has a negative impact on bone and heart health, as well as your gut's microbiome.

Vitamin K comes in two forms: K1 and K2. Vitamin K1 is found in leafy greens such as spinach and iceberg lettuce, as well as broccoli and canola and soy oils. Vitamin K2 shows up in inflammatory, artery-clogging foods such as high-fat dairy from grass-fed cows, egg yolks, and organ meats. It's also in gut-loving foods such as sauerkraut, natto, and miso.

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Your body can use gut bacteria to partially convert K1 to K2, but it doesn't amount to much because K1 from food is poorly absorbed. The National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements explains that the body absorbs only 4% to 17% as much vitamin K1 from spinach as it does from a tablet.

Vitamin K2 supplements — taken with vitamin D — can help you get what you need (check with your doctor first because vitamin K can affect blood clotting).

Dr. Mike and other colleagues at Cleveland Clinic believe adequate amounts of K2 can help prevent heart valve disease and atherosclerosis. The Food and Nutrition Board says "no adverse effects associated with vitamin K consumption from food or supplements have been reported."