Vitamin K7 Improves Blood Vessel Health in Postmenopausal Women

by | Apr 19, 2016 | 2015, Cardiovascular Health, Vitamin K, Women's Health

Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. New study suggests that long-term use of Vitamin K7 (menaquinone 7) beneficially affects cardiovascular health.

A hallmark characteristic of cardiovascular disease is declining blood vessel health. Ways to measure blood vessel health “may provide important prognostic information” in helping monitor the progression of cardiovascular disease (1). This includes measurements of arterial wall thickness, the ability of blood vessels to relax and contract, and also the Stiffness Index (2), which measures the overall elastic properties of blood vessels.

Now a new study (3) suggests that vitamin K7, also known as Menaquinone-7, found abundantly in fermented foods like natto (4), may benefit arterial health. The study involved 244 postmenopausal women between the ages of 55 and 64. They were given either 180 micrograms per day of vitamin K7* (120 women) or placebo (124 women) for three years. Blood samples were drawn every year until the end of the study.

After three years, several aspects of arterial health improved significantly with vitamin K7, including an 11.1% decrease in the Stiffness Index (13.6 to 12.1) compared to a 2.9% decrease in the placebo group (14.2 to 13.8, p < 0.05). In addition, those in the vitamin K7 group saw a 32% decrease in a protein called dp-ucMGP (511 to 348) compared to a 22% increase in the placebo group (538 to 656, p < 0.0001). A decrease in dp-ucMGP levels is important because increased levels are associated with arterial calcification and increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease (5, 6, 7).

Finally, the researchers observed “borderline significance” (p = 0.087) with “the gold standard” of predicting cardiovascular health, a measurement called carotid artery pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) (8). Specifically, those in the vitamin K7 group saw a 4.1% decrease in cfPWV (9.8 to 9.4) compared to a 1.1% decrease in the placebo group (9.75 to 9.65).

For the researchers, “This is the first study showing that long-term use of vitamin K7 supplements beneficially affects cardiovascular health, thus confirming the population- based studies showing an association between MK intake and coronary heart disease or cardiovascular mortality.”

  • 100 mcg is the normal dose per day of vitamin K sold in health stores.

Source: Knapen, M. H., et al. “Menaquinone-7 supplementation improves arterial stiffness in healthy postmenopausal women. A double-blind randomised clinical trial.” Thromb Haemost 113.5 (2015): 1135-44.

© Schattauer 2015

Posted March 9, 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:

  1. Laurent S, Cockcroft J, Van Bortel L, et al. Expert consensus document on arterial stiffness: methodological issues and clinical applications. Eur Heart J 2006; 27: 2588–2605
  2. Hayashi K, Handa H, Nagasawa S, et al. Stiffness and elastic behavior of human intracranial and extracranial arteries. J Biomech 1980;13: 175–184
  3. Knapen MH. Menaquinone-7 supplementation improves arterial stiffness in healthy postmenopausal women: double-blind randomised clinical trial. Thromb Haemost 2015 Feb 19;113(5). [Epub ahead of print]
  4. Shearer MJ, Newman P. Metabolism and cell biology of vitamin K. Thromb Haemost 2008; 100: 530–547.
  5. Mayer O, Jr., Seidlerova J, Bruthans J, et al. Desphospho-uncarboxylated matrix Gla-protein is associated with mortality risk in patients with chronic stable vascular disease. Atherosclerosis 2014; 235: 162–168.
  6. Liabeuf S, Olivier B, Vemeer C, et al. Vascular calcification in patients with type 2 diabetes: the involvement of matrix Gla protein. Cardiovasc Diabetol 2014; 13:85.
  7. Dalmeijer GW, van der Schouw YT, Vermeer C, et al. Circulating matrix Gla protein is associated with coronary artery calcification and vitamin K status in healthy women. J Nutr Biochem 2013; 24: 624–628
  8. Koivistoinen T, Virtanen M, Hutri-Kahonen N, et al. Arterial pulse wave velocity in relation to carotid intima-media thickness, brachial flow-mediated dilation and carotid artery distensibility: the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study and the Health 2000 Survey. Atherosclerosis 2012; 220: 387–393.