Vitamin K, fatigue, and mineralization

[Shannon]

My next experiment:

I think I have decent/good vitamin D levels, based on testing and fairly high dose supplementing. I think I have woefully low vitamin A levels, based on the lack of preformed vit A in my diet, and my aversion to cod liver oil. I was assuming that my vitamin K2 levels were decent, based on the massive quantity of Kerrygold butter that I consume.

With my fatigue experiments (see my last post), I've discovered that high vitamin butter oil is important for my energy levels. This is still a recent experiment for me, about a week long. Halfway through the week, I hit major fatigue again. I'm thinking it might have to do with the CLO I took. Now I'm trying to find an explanation why.

To begin, what on earth does vitamin K really do? It attaches calcium to glutamic acid in certain proteins, and makes them 'work.' Some of those proteins are clotting factors, others are tooth/bone mineralization factors like osteocalcin. It's also found in quantity in the mitochondria (where energy is produced, and where I think a lot of my fatigue issues are), and in the nucleus of cells. The research on those last two locations is really lacking, though.

Let's start with osteocalcin and MGA (matrix Gla protein), because they're the big ones for mineralization. I'm small-boned, prone to cavities, and have always had somewhat transparent teeth. Vitamins A and D together stimulate production of osteocalcin, and then vit K comes in to attach calcium to it. Then the calcium is deposited in the bone or teeth. In a similar fashion, MGA keeps calcium out of arteries, to prevent atherosclerosis.

Next, my fatigue experiments - HVBO is definitely a big factor (though not *the* factor). I can only assume it has to do with the mitochondrial component of the K2.

Then comes vitamin A. Almost two years ago, I was eating liver, and got symptoms of riboflavin deficiency (cracking corners of my mouth, for me, bright red lips for dd). I learned that riboflavin and vitamin A work together for healthy skin, so an imbalance of the two will give you symptoms. Adding riboflavin made the symptoms go away. Now, I'm getting seborrheic keratoses - keratinized moles - which can be caused by vit A deficiency. And my eyes seem to be having trouble lately, which is unusual for me. On a more immediate level, my lips are getting dry/cracking, and in the past, that's responded almost immediately to CLO. This last time I took some CLO, though, no significant change.

So earlier this week, when I thought I'd finally banished my fatigue with pantothenic acid and HVBO, suddenly it came back almost full force. The variables were: a potential sesame sensitivity, and CLO. Or increased tolerance for the butter oil. I'm guessing now it was the CLO. And here's my explanation for why:

Normally, my vit A levels are the low, so no osteocalcin was being stimulated. Which left no mineralization jobs for the vit K in the HVBO, and so it was directed to mitochondria land, where it helped my energy levels. When I took the CLO, though, the vit A and D (remember, my D levels are the highest of the bunch) stimulated osteocalcin production because my body NEEDS that right now, and so there was no K leftover for the mitochondria - experienced as fatigue for me. At the same time, the CLO didn't help my lips, for a similar reason - the A was snagged up for osteocalcin, and so none was left for skin.

What do I do about it? I think the time has finally come for me to attack fat soluble vitamins. Before this, I never noticed any effect from anything. But now, if I want energy and din't want my lips to be about to crack, I think I really need to attack this thing. Energy is my priority right now, cause it's the most debilitating, so I think what I'm going to try and do is add a K2 supp, as well as CLO, and use the fatigue as an indicator of dosage. I want to keep my K levels high enough that I still have energy despite increasing A. And if my guess is right, I'm going to need a fair bit of A in order to get my lips happy again. Which is going to mean lots of K. And as a side effect, hopefully stronger bones and fewer cavities. Hey, and I'll have the transparency of my teeth as a variable to watch and see if any extra mineralization is happening!

Let's hope I'm on the right track! If so, because levels of fat soluble vitamins are proportional in breastmilk, I should be also be able to watch some of the spots on dd's teeth finally disappear (she got cavities at 12mo) and prevent them altogether for this next one (I'm 39 weeks pregnant). I've got my fingers crossed!

http://books.google.com/books?id=rXSO9YLr72YC&lpg=PP1&dq=gr...

http://www.westonaprice.org/On-the-Trail-of-the-Elusive-X-Factor-A-...

[Pat Robinson]

Staying tuned in, for part 3...


Pat