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Natural Health News — Two recent studies suggest that vitamin K plays a key role in keeping arteries healthy.
The data suggests that a deficiency in a key vitamin K- dependent protein, MGP (matrix GLA-protein), could increase the risk of arterial calcification and stiffness.
One study published in the American Journal of Hypertension looked at data from 66 people with type-2 diabetes and found that low levels of circulating MGP were linked with artery stiffness.
“Our findings form the basis of further investigation into the role of vitamin K supplementation in reducing arterial stiffness in type 2 diabetes,” wrote researchers from the US and the Netherlands.
A similar finding was reported in a study of 83 people with chronic kidney disease, published in the journal Nephron.
» Vitamin K is necessary for multiple physiological functions. In particular, recent studies have shown it plays a key role in heart health.
» Adequate levels of vitamin K2 in particular may help to activate special proteins that help keep arteries clear and flexible.
» Ensuring patients who are at risk, for instance those with diabetes, high blood pressure or kidney disease, are getting enough vitamin K2 may be a beneficial strategy.
Both animal and human studies have shown that MGP inhibits arterial calcification and Vitamin K is necessary to activate this protein. It is also widely recognised that vitamin K2 as Menaquinone-7 is the most bioavailable and bioactive form of vitamin K available as a supplement today.
In particular, increased intakes of vitamin K2 may reduce the risk of mortality from coronary heart disease (CHD), but no such associations were observed for vitamin K1 (phylloquinone).
Previous research has also shown that a daily dose of 180 mcg per day of K2 for three years has also been shown to inhibit age-related stiffening of the artery walls and improve vascular elasticity.
Vitamin K benefits
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin required for many bodily functions. There are two main forms of vitamin K: phylloquinone, also known as phytonadione, (vitamin K1) which is found in green leafy vegetables such as lettuce, broccoli and spinach, and makes up about 90% of the vitamin K in a typical Western diet; and menaquinone (vitamin K2), which make up about 10% of Western vitamin K consumption and can be produced in the gut by microflora.
Like vitamins C and E vitamin K is a ‘family’ and other types of menaquinones can also be found in the diet; MK-4 can be found in animal meat, MK-7, MK-8, and MK-9 are found in fermented food products like cheese, and natto is a rich source of MK-7.
Apart from cardiovascular health vitamin K is also needed for better bone health, and there is some data that it has a supporting role for prostate health and cognitive benefits.
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