New research associates low K status with poor cardiovascular status.
Building on an impressive portfolio of human clinical research linking vitamin K2 (as menaquinone-7; MK-7) to improve cardiovascular structure and function, Gnosis by Lesaffre shares two recently published studies that underscore the need for supplementing with vitamin K2 by revealing negative cardiovascular effects of low extrahepatic vitamin K status.
It is known that Vitamin K2 is essential for carboxylation of Gla-proteins in extrahepatic tissues, including matrix Gla-protein (MGP) in arteries, where it acts as a powerful inhibitor of vascular calcification, helping to maintain arterial health and flexibility.
Multiple studies have shown that higher amounts of circulating dephosphorylated-uncarboxylated matrix Gla protein (dp-ucMGP) — a primary marker of low vitamin K2 status — are associated with increased risk of vascular calcification, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and other health complications. However, during aging, research showed that adults over 40 exhibit the most pronounced tissue-specific vitamin K deficiency and may benefit significantly from MK-7 supplementation. 1
New Vitamin K2 Evidence
The first of the two 2024-published studies investigated the relationship between dp-ucMGP and cardiovascular risk factors. After analyzing data from more than 4,000 adults, researchers found that those with higher dp-ucMGP levels were more likely to present with central obesity, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and impaired kidney function. These findings underscore the potential of improving vitamin K2 status to mitigate cardiovascular disease risk factors and promote overall health. 2
The second investigation assessed data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) cohort of 2,663 participants. The researchers discovered that elevated dp-ucMGP levels are significantly correlated with the long-term progression of coronary artery and aortic calcification over 10 years. These associations were more prevalent in older adults and those with diabetes, suggesting that low vitamin K2 status accelerates vascular calcification, a key risk factor for CVD. The authors suggest that employing an agent that serves as an essential cofactor for the carboxylation of matrix Gla-protein (MGP) could have great potential for reducing vascular calcification progression, thereby protecting cardiovascular health. 3
Earlier Research Supported by New Studies
The concept of insufficient vitamin K2 potentiating adverse impact on cardiovascular function has been realized in earlier research. This includes epidemiological studies showing that higher dietary intake of vitamin K2 is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease, providing the foundation for the two new studies described above. In a 2012 human clinical study, in turn, researchers found that low-dose menaquinone-7 MenaQ7® improved extrahepatic vitamin K status/carboxylation of MGP. 4
A breakthrough clinical study of 244 post-menopausal women who consumed 180 mcg daily of MK-7 as MenaQ7® showed a reversal of arterial stiffness after three years, as measured by carotid-femoral Pulse Wave Velocity (cfPWV). The results showed that MK-7 supplementation reduced dp-ucMGP by 50% compared to placebo, leading the researchers to conclude that long-term use of MK-7 supplements improves arterial stiffness in healthy postmenopausal women, especially in those having high arterial stiffness. 5
Kimmo Makinen, Gnosis Global Head of Scientific Affairs, commented, “Statistics released by the American Heart Association are somewhat grim: the projected rise in heart disease and stroke is rapidly climbing and is likely to triple in related costs to $1.8 trillion by 2050. Therefore, providing the public with safe, natural, and effective tools to protect cardiovascular function is critical. Clinical studies demonstrate that MenaQ7® supplementation effectively improves extrahepatic vitamin K2 status, significantly promoting cardiovascular health, especially when consumed long-term.”
He added, “MenaQ7® far and away has the most human clinical studies of any K2 ingredient and is the only K2 that is associated with a highly esteemed research facility, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM).”
References
1 Theuwissen E, et al. “Vitamin K status in healthy volunteers.” Food Funct. 2014 Feb;5(2):229-34.
2 Lauridsen JA, Leth-Moller KB, Mollehave LT, et al. “Investigating the associations between uncarboxylated matrix gla protein as a proxy for vitamin K status and cardiovascular disease risk factors in a general adult population” Eur J Nutr . 2024 Nov 21;64(1):17
3 Berlot AA, Fu X, Shea MK, et al. Matrix gla protein and the long-term incidence and progression of coronary artery and aortic calcification in the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis, Atherosclerosis (2024), doi: https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2024.117505.
4 Theuwissen et al. “Low-dose menaquinone-7 supplementation improved extra-hepatic vitamin K status, but had no effect on thrombin generation in healthy subjects” British Journal of Nutrition (2012), 108, 1652–1657.
5 Knapen et al. “Menaquinone-7 supplementation improves arterial stiffness in healthy postmenopausal women: double-blind randomised clinical trial.” Throm Haemost. 2015 May;113(5):1135-44.
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