Vitamin K2 is one of the most important vitamins that research has proven effective in lowering the blood sugar level of diabetics, and it has also been proven effective in preventing diabetes, which can ensure a life free of diseases that may result as complications of diabetes, such as Hyperlipidemia, Fatty liver, Hypertension and Cardiomyopathy.

In this article, we will know :

• What is insulin resistance (IR)?
• What are the signs and symptoms of insulin resistance?
• Is there a relationship between insulin resistance and vitamin K2?
• What are the most important vitamins and minerals for diabetics?
• What is the treatment for insulin resistance?
• Tips to reduce insulin resistance.
• Benefits of vitamin K2 for other diseases.

• Insulin resistance

High blood sugar is one of the clearest signs of diabetes, which has always been attributed to a disorder in the pancreas leading to a deficiency in insulin secretion, the hormone necessary to control blood sugar levels and provide the necessary nutrition for all body cells and tissues, until 1960 it was all about pancreases, then it was discovered through a research that the elderly suffered from chronic high blood sugar, but the levels of insulin were normal and the pancreas was working efficiently, so that lead to the discovery of insulin resistance, and IR can be defined as the lack of response to insulin by body tissues and cells despite its presence.

Research has indicated that the vast majority of individuals who have fat accumulation around abdominal area are most likely to have insulin resistance, as their body cells do not allow insulin to enter due to the lack of sensation of its presence on the receptors, and as a result the pancreas is stimulated to secrete more insulin hormone approximately Four or five times the normal amount to increase its concentration and increase the receptors' sense of it, which leads to a higher percentage of insulin for these people in some areas of the body, and a lesser percentage in other areas of the body such as brain cells and muscles.

In this case, places with low insulin levels begin to send signals to the pancreas to produce more insulin, and the pancreas continues to operate in a closed circuit, causing serious complications if the condition remained untreated.

• Signs and Symptoms of insulin resistance:

People with insulin resistance may suffer from some of the following: 

1. High fasting blood sugar level, more than 100 mg /dL.
2. High blood pressure, more than 130/80 mm/Hg.
3. Increased triglycerides levels and decreased HDL levels “good cholesterol” in blood.
4. Appearance of dark spots all over the body.
5. Fatty liver.
6. Polycystic ovaries.
7. Weight gain.
8. Extreme thirst.
9. Frequent urination
10. Constant hunger.
11. Feeling tired and lethargic.
12. Tension and nervousness.
13. Lack of focus.
14. Poor memory.
15. Impaired vision.

• Is there a relationship between insulin resistance and vitamin K2?

Research and studies have indicated the role of vitamin K2 in solving the problem of chronic high blood sugar in diabetics due to the body's resistance to insulin, and the results of these studies proved the following:

• Chronic hyperglycemia as a result of reduced insulin sensitivity contributes to demineralization of the bones, and that when adding vitamin K2 and vitamin D3 to the treatment protocol, this contributed to reducing blood sugar by treating insulin resistance, maintaining normal calcium levels in the blood and depositing it in the bones properly.

• That the daily intake of vitamin K2 in prediabetic patients contributed to a decrease in the risk of becoming diabetic.

• In addition to the importance of vitamin K2 in reducing insulin resistance in the body, it also reduces harmful fats in blood vessels, contributes to calcium deposition in the bones, prevents blood vessel calcification and atherosclerosis, and has anti-inflammatory properties.

• What are the most important vitamins and minerals for diabetics?

Here are the most important vitamins and minerals for the health of diabetics:

• Vitamin C

• Vitamin C is one of the best vitamins for diabetics and hypertensive patients, according to many studies; it helps reduce blood sugar levels, and also lowers blood pressure levels that accompany type 2 diabetes patients.

• Omega-3

• Studies have confirmed that omega-3 is one of the best dietary supplements for diabetics, especially type 2diabetes, as it also maintains low levels of triglycerides, which reduces the risk of heart problems and fatty liver.

One of the best suplements that contain omega-3 and antioxidants is Oxifree

“Oxifree is the first product in Egypt that is rich in omega-3, selenium and zinc. It strengthens the immune system of the body, reduces the level of triglycerides, which reduces the complications of diabetes and improves the health status of a diabetic.”

• Magnesium

• Magnesium is one of the most important elements that help maintain blood sugar and pressure levels.
• It can be found in leafy greens like spinach, and nuts like almonds, cashews and peanuts.

• Alpha-lipoic acid

• Alpha-lipoic acid is a powerful antioxidant that has proven effective in lowering blood sugar levels, due to its contribution to high levels of good cholesterol, which reduces the risk of heart disease, and is considered an insulin resistance drug for diabetics.

• Chromium

• Chromium helps insulin bind to its receptors on cells.
•  Chromium is found in fruits and vegetables, meat and fish.

• Biotin

• Biotin works to manage glucose inside the cell, and taking biotin with chromium helps improve blood sugar levels, especially in type 2 diabetes.
• Biotin is found in wheat, eggs, dairy products, salmon, and white meats such as chicken.

• Inositol D- CHIRO 

• It is the best chemical alternative to the B complex vitamins, which improves the glucose pathway and reduces blood sugar levels.
• Found in soybeans, lentils, chickpeas, and beans.

• Vitamin D

• Vitamin D helps improve insulin secretion and boosts insulin sensitivity.
• Found in sunlight, fish, dairy products, mushrooms, vegetables and fruits.

• Vitamin B12

• Vitamin B12 may not be used mainly in treating diabetics, but its importance lies in treating vitamin B12 deficiency in diabetics, resulting from the use of some medicines to treat diabetes, such as Metformin.

• Berberine

• Research has indicated that Berberine improves blood sugar levels and after using it for three months, it gives the same result as using metformin, which is used to treat diabetics, and has shown its effectiveness in treating insulin resistance in the body in other studies.

• Centrum

• Centrum is one of the Multi-vitamins for diabetics, as it contains the best dietary supplementation and antioxidants such as vitamin C, selenium, zinc, copper and B complex vitamins, to stimulate and improve metabolism.

• Vitamin K2

• Vitamin K2 is one of the most important vitamins that studies have shown to help treat insulin resistance and reduce blood sugar levels, along with diabetes medications.

What are the best supplements that contain vitamin K2?

The best dietary supplement containing vitamin K2 is MENA Q, as it is the number 1 product in Egypt that contains vitamin K2 from the MK-7 series of menaquinone, which improves the health condition of patients with Atherosclerosis, heart problems and diabetics and protects them from complications.

What is the concentration and dose of MENA Q?

Mena Q contains vitamin K2 at a concentration of 45 μg, which is a sufficient dose to improve health and give the person the desired therapeutic effect.

• Dosage: one tablet (to swallow) a day, regularly.
• Age: suitable for ages 10 and above
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding: MENA Q is completely safe during pregnancy and lactation, and has no side effects.

What are the indications for MENA Q?

Mena Q can improve general body health and prevent various diseases, and its indications include:

• Prevention of osteoporosis: as it works on the deposition of calcium in the bones and teeth.
• Protection of cardiovascular patients: Vitamin K2 or MENA Q works to prevent calcium deposition on the walls of blood vessels and the heart, which prevents complications of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis and strokes.
• Protection from diabetes: as it increases the sensitivity of cells to insulin, it reduces the level of sugar in the blood.
• Protecting kidney patients: Protects kidney disease patients from serious complications such as atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases, and osteoporosis.

• What is the price of MENA Q?

MENA Q contains 20 small easy-to-swallow tablets at a price of 95 pounds, available in all pharmacies in the Arab Republic of Egypt.

• What is the treatment for insulin resistance?

• Metformin

• Metformin helps to inhibit the liver’s ability to release glucose into the blood, and increase the sensitivity of muscles and fat cells to insulin. This helps in the usage of glucose for energy in cells.

• Thiazolidinedione
  • The Thiazolidinedione group helps treat insulin resistance through:
    • Reducing high blood sugar.
    • Enhancing the sensitivity of cells to insulin.
    • Reducing the problem of hyperinsulinemia.
    • Improving the response of fat cells to insulin.

• Acarbose
  • Acarbose is used in the treatment of insulin resistance in the body, as it slows down the metabolism of sugars from the intestine, thus reducing the body's need for insulin.

Warning:

“It is prohibited to use any of the previous types of insulin resistance drugs without the supervision of a doctor, due to the large number of side effects that cause some health problems, and these medicines may be useful in some cases and harmful for others.”

• Tips to reduce insulin resistance

Taking vitamin K2 for diabetics is one of the best practices that a diabetic should take care of as it helps reduce insulin resistance while paying attention to the following:

• Weight loss

• Obesity is one of the main reasons why the body suffers from insulin resistance, as research and studies have indicated that people who have high waist circumference have high insulin resistance.

• A healthy diet

• By following a healthy and varied diet rich with many vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin K2, which is found in the following foods:
  • Fermented soybeans (natto)
  • Chicken.
  • Blue cheese.
  • Whole milk.
  • Liver.

In addition to many healthy foods such as:

• Fatty fish.
• Low fat meat.
• Foods rich in fiber (green leafy vegetables).
• Fruits and vegetables.
• Peas.
• Beans.
• Lentils.
• Whole grains.
• Oats.
• Barley.

• Exercise

• Exercising regularly supports metabolism, and prevents gastrointestinal disturbances, in addition to increasing muscle sensitivity to insulin which helps in using glucose so that the muscles get energized. 

• Vitamin K2 benefits for other diseases:
   
• Bone health: Vitamin K2 helps maintain bone health because it contributes to the process of absorbing calcium from the blood and depositing it in bones, which leads to reducing the risk of bone fractures.

• Prevention of memory diseases: Regular intake of vitamin K2 helps the elderly to improve memory and reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease, as research indicated that taking vitamin K2 by the elderly made them less likely to forget and also improved their cognitive ability.

• Prevention of cancer: In some studies on adding vitamin K2 to food, the studies indicated that individuals who consumed vitamin K2 by a greater percentage than the rest of the people included in the studies had a significantly reduced risk of developing cancer, confirming the many benefits of vitamin K2.

*This article was written by an integrated medical team affiliated with Devart Lab, the leading company in the field of Nutraceuticals in Egypt and the Middle East (Nutrigenomics and Food Fortification), by providing nutrients that are fortified with minerals and vitamins that the body needs on a daily basis to obtain effective results in the least possible time. By using the latest technological technologies that ensure full absorption without any side effects.