DEAR DR. ROACH: My blood work showed that I was slightly low in vitamin D, so my doctor recommended that I take a supplement. My pharmacist was concerned and told me that vitamin D does not get absorbed in people with dark complexions and tends to get deposited in the arteries.

The pharmacist recommended that I take vitamin D with K2, which allows vitamin D to be absorbed more efficiently. My cardiologist told me that vitamin K wasn’t well-studied, but some studies showed that it can actually thicken in the blood. In any event, the cardiologist didn’t believe it was a big deal. So, now I’m back to just taking vitamin D. Am I doing the right thing? — S.P.

kAmp}$(t#i %96C6’D 2 =@E @7 4@?7FD:@? 96C6] u:CDE @77[ 2 A6CD@? H:E9 52C<6C D<:? :D[ :?5665[ >@C6 =:<6=J E@ 92G6 =@H G:E2>:? s[ 6DA64:2==J H96? 😕 E6>A6C2E6 K@?6D 23@G6 E96 =:?6 @7 {@D p?86=6D E@ pE=2?E2 😕 E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D] %9:D 😀 ?@E 5F6 E@ 2? :?23:=:EJ E@ 23D@C3 G:E2>:? sj :E’D 2? :?23:=:EJ E@ 24E:G2E6 G:E2>:? s 😕 E96 D<:? E9C@F89 DF?=:89E] %96C6 😀 ?@ AC@3=6> H:E9 E96 23D@CAE:@? @7 G:E2>:? s DFAA=6>6?ED 32D65 @? D<:? 4@=@C]k^Am

kAm$@>6 A6@A=6 5@?’E 23D@C3 :E H6==[ D@ x FDF2==J 4964< E96 3=@@5 =6G6= H96? 2 A6CD@? 92D G6CJ =@H G:E2>:? s] x 5@?’E @H H92E E96 A92C>24:DE >62?E 23@FE G:E2>:? s 36:?8 56A@D:E65 😕 E96 2CE6C:6D]k^Am

kAm%96 7@C> @7 G:E2>:? z E92E 😀 :>A@CE2?E 7@C 3@?6D 😀 G:E2>:? za] za 96=AD 42=4:F> DE2J 😕 E96 3@?6D 2?5 @FE @7 E96 3=@@5 G6DD6=D] xE 2=D@ 92D ?@E9:?8 E@ 5@ H:E9 G:E2>:? s 23D@CAE:@?] xE 2=D@ 92D ?@E9:?8 E@ 5@ H:E9 3=@@5 4=@EE:?8j E92E’D G:E2>:? z`]k^Am

kAm!6@A=6 H:E9 2 G:E2>:? z` 567:4:6?4J 42? 56G6=@A 6I46DD 3=665:?8 @C 6I46DD 4=@EE:?8[ 3FE 8:G:?8 G:E2>:? z` W:? C62D@?23=6 5@D6DX E@ 2 A6CD@? H:E9@FE E96 567:4:6?4J 5@6D ?@ 92C>] x? 255:E:@?[ :E 5@6D ?@E AC65:DA@D6 A6@A=6 E@H2C5 4=@EE:?8] W$@>6 A6@A=6 >:DFD6 E96 E6C> “E9:4< 3=@@5” H96? E96J >62? E92E E96 3=@@5 😀 >@C6 =:<6=J E@ 4=@E]Xk^Am

kAm’:E2>:? za[ 3J E96 H2J[ 😀 >256 😕 E96 :?E6DE:?6D 3J J@FC 962=E9J 324E6C:2[ H9:49 FD6D G:E2>:? z` 2D 2 AC64FCD@C] |@DE A6@A=6 5@ ?@E ?665 DFAA=6>6?E2E:@?] $EF5:6D @? G:E2>:? za DFAA=6>6?E2E:@? 😕 E96 &]$] 92G6 ?@E D9@H? 2? :>AC@G6>6?E 😕 3@?6 56?D:EJ @C 7C24EFC6D[ F?7@CEF?2E6=J] $E:==[ :E 😀 ?@E 92C>7F=[ 2?5 E96C6 >2J 36 2 36?67:E E92E 😀 E@@ D>2== E@ 36 D66? 😕 E96D6 DEF5:6D]k^Am

kAmstp# s#] #~prwi p? 2865 72>:=J >6>36C 56G6=@A65 2 =2C86 3=@@5 3=:DE6C H:E9:? 2? 9@FC 27E6C 2 72==] xE H2D >62DFC65 E@ 36 2AAC@I:>2E6=J `_ 3J `_ 46?E:>6E6CD 2?5 H2D b 46?E:>6E6CD 😕 96:89E] |J F?56CDE2?5:?8 😀 E92E C68F=2C 3=:DE6CD D9@F=5 36 =67E 2=@?6 2?5 ?@E “A@AA65]” xD E9:D E96 42D6 H:E9 2 =2C86 96>2E@>2 @C 3=@@5 3=:DE6Cnk^Am

kAmxE 92D 366? @G6C 2 >@?E9] xE 92D @A6?65 DA@?E2?6@FD=J[ 3FE 2? :?764E:@? 56G6=@A65] p?E:3:@E:4D H6C6 @C56C65[ 2?5 :E 😀 D9C:?<:?8 2?5 =@@<:?8 36EE6C] p H@F?5 42C6 E62> 😀 :?G@=G65] — s]|]k^Am

kAmp}$(t#i x? 86?6C2=[ J@F 2C6 C:89E E92E 3=:DE6CD H:E9 3=@@5 @C 7=F:5 F?56C?62E9 D9@F=5 ?@E 36 5C2:?65] x7 E96 D<:? @G6C=J:?8 E96 3=:DE6C 😀 :?E24E[ :E D9@F=5 <66A E96 324E6C:2 @FE D@ E92E E96C6 😀 @?=J 2 D>2== 492?46 @7 :?764E:@?] |@DE 3=:DE6CD 962= 😕 @?6 E@ EH@ H66:89E E2<6 =@?86C]k^Am

kAm%9:D 3=:DE6C H2D G6CJ =2C86[ 2?5 2 G:D:E E@ E96:C C68F=2C 5@4E@C H@F=5 92G6 366? H:D6 27E6C 2 H66< @C EH@ @7 :E ?@E 962=:?8] WqFE x 92G6 E96 25G2?E286 @7 9:?5D:89E]X $FC86@?D H:== @7E6? 5C2:? 2 =2C86 3=@@5 4@==64E:@? W96>2E@>2X =:<6 E9:D :7 :E :D?’E 962=:?8 H:E9:? E9:D E:>6] ~?46 E96 H@F?5 @A6?65 3J :ED6=7[ 324E6C:2 4@F=5 W2?5 5:5X 86E 😕 2?5 42FD6 2? :?764E:@?] p H@F?5 42C6 E62> 2C6 6I24E=J E96 C:89E 4@?DF=E2?ED]k^Am

Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu or send mail to 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803.