Vitamin K2 is an important vitamin especially those with
cardiac disease, osteoporosis or MS.
Those supplementing with vitamin D should also be taking
vitamin K2 as vitamin D increases the need for vitamin K2.
Most are aware of vitamin K1 which is involved with blood
clotting, Newly discovered vitamin K2 is a related molecule with different
functions.
Vitamin K2 (menaquinone)
•
Directs calcium away from soft tissues such as
blood vessels and toward bones and teeth, improving vascular and bone health [1]
•
Is essential to building part of the myelin
sheath [2], [3]
•
Protects myelinating cells and neurons [4], [5]
•
Improves overall longevity:
[6-10]
•
1. S. Cockayne, J. Adamson,
S. Lanham-New, M.J. Shearer, S. Gilbody and D.J. Torgerson, Vitamin K and the prevention of fractures:
systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Arch Intern Med. 2006; 166: 1256-1261
•
2. N.A. Denisova and S.L. Booth, Vitamin K and sphingolipid metabolism:
evidence to date. Nutr Rev. 2005;
63: 111-121
•
3. G. Ferland, Vitamin K and the nervous system: an overview of its actions. Adv Nutr. 2012; 3: 204-212
•
4. S.A. Back, N.L. Luo, N.S. Borenstein,
J.M. Levine, J.J. Volpe and H.C. Kinney, Late
oligodendrocyte progenitors coincide with the developmental window of
vulnerability for human perinatal white matter injury. J Neurosci. 2001; 21: 1302-1312
•
5. J. Li, H. Wang and P.A. Rosenberg, Vitamin K prevents oxidative cell death by
inhibiting activation of 12-lipoxygenase in developing oligodendrocytes. J Neurosci Res. 2009; 87: 1997-2005
6 Rees K, Guraewal
S, Wong YL, et al. Is vitamin K consumption associated with cardio-metabolic
disorders? A systematic review. Maturitas. 2010 Oct;67(2):121-8.
7 Geleijnse JM, Vermeer C, Grobbee DE, et al.
Dietary intake of menaquinone is associated with a reduced risk of coronary
heart disease: the Rotterdam Study. J Nutr. 2004 Nov;134(11):3100-5.
8 Gast GC, de Roos NM, Sluijs I, et al. A
high menaquinone intake reduces the incidence of coronary heart disease. Nutr.
Metab. Cardiovasc. Dis. 19 (2009) 504-510.
9 Beulens JW, Bots ML, Atsma F, et al. High
dietary menaquinone intake is associated with reduced coronary calcification.
Nutr. Metab. Cardiovasc. Dis. 19 (2009) 504-510.
10 Vermeer C. Clinical trial on beneficial
effects of long term menaquinone-7 (vitamin K2) intake by postmenopausal women.
ClinicalTrials.Gov NCT00642551.
Kroon A. The effects of
vitamin K2 supplementation on the progression of coronary artery calcification.
ClinicalTrials.Gov NCT01002157.
