Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. In this 4-week study of 82 prediabetic women (ages 36-45), those who took 1000 mcg of vitamin K1 significantly increased insulin sensitivity and improved blood sugar control compared to placebo.
A person with prediabetes has blood sugar levels that are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes. Without lifestyle changes to improve their health, 15% to 30% of people with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes within five years (1). And with type 2 diabetes costing our healthcare system $174 billion in 2011 (2), ways to help improve blood sugar and insulin health in those with prediabetes can have significant cost implications.
Now a new study (3) suggests that vitamin K1, also known as phylloquinone, may benefit blood sugar and insulin health. The study involved 82 prediabetic women between the ages of 36 and 45. They received either 1,000 micrograms of vitamin K1 (39 women) or placebo (43 women) for 4 weeks. Blood samples were taken before and after the study to measure for osteocalcin, a hormone that is thought to affect blood sugar health. Specifically, the researchers looked at two different forms of osteocalcin: carboxylated and uncarboxylated osteocalcin. Increased levels of carboxylated osteocalcin are thought to increase insulin sensitivity (4) and uncarboxylated osteocalcin is thought to be a marker of vitamin K levels (5) and also to improve blood sugar sensitivity (6).
After 4 weeks, the following significant differences were seen between the two groups:
| What was measured | Vitamin K1 | Placebo | p value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carboxylated Osteocalcin (nanograms/milliliter) | 40.3% increase (8.93 to 12.53) | 3.6% increase (7.17 to 7.43) | 0.001 |
| Uncarboyxlated Osteocalcin (ng/mL) | 55.7% decrease (5.57 to 2.47) | 0.4% increase (4.77 to 4.79) | 0.001 |
| 2-hour blood sugar test (millimoles/Liter) | 7.6% decrease (7.92 to 7.32) | 0.9% increase (8.55 to 8.62) | 0.001 |
| 2-hour insulin test (microInternational Units/mL) | 17.9% decrease (97.80 to 80.34) | 5.5% increase (106.55 to 112.43) | 0.001 |
For the researchers, “vitamin K1 supplementation for 4 weeks did not affect insulin resistance in premenopausal and prediabetic women but had beneficial effects on glycemic status and insulin sensitivity.”
Source: Rasekhi, H., et al. “The effect of vitamin K1 supplementation on sensitivity and insulin resistance via osteocalcin in prediabetic women: a double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial.” European journal of clinical nutrition 69.8 (2015): 891-895.
Posted May 5, 2015.
Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com.
References:
- “Prediabetes” posted on the CDC website
- “Diabetes: Successes and Opportunities for Population-Based Prevention and Control At A Glance 2011” posted on the CDC website
- Rasekhi H. The effect of vitamin K1 supplementation on sensitivity and insulin resistance via osteocalcin in prediabetic women: a double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2015 Mar 18. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2015.17. [Epub ahead of print]
- Booth SL, Lichtenstein AH, O’Brien-Morse M, McKeown NM, Wood RJ, Saltzman E et al. Effects of a hydrogenated form of vitamin K on bone formation and resorption. Am J Clin Nutr 2001; 74: 783–790
- Lee NK, Sowa H, Hinoi E, Ferron M, Ahn JD, Confavreux C et al. Endocrine regulation of energy metabolism by the skeleton. Cell 2007; 130: 456–469
- Beulens JW, van der AD, Grobbee DE, Sluijs I, Spijkerman AM, van der Schouw YT. Dietary phylloquinone and menaquinones intakes and risk of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 2010; 33: 1699–1705
