The press release explains that Matrix Gla-Protein (MGP) is involved in the prevention of arterial calcification, but the protein is activated by vitamin K. Two 3-year studies in the general population have found that increased vitamin K intake may decrease arterial stiffening, but the difference between treatment and placebo only became significant in the third year of treatment. The current trial investigated whether an effect of vitamin K supplementation could be demonstrated within one year in a group of vitamin K-insufficient subjects.
The placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial was performed on 243 subjects 40-70 years old, characterized by circulating concentrations of the inactive form of MGP—dp-ucMGP—above the median of the general population. Treatment was either 180 µg/day of vitamin K2 as MK-7, as the branded ingredient MenaQ7, or a placebo.
Related: Paper Establishes Need For Vitamin K2-Specific RDI Vitamin K2 Linked to Lower Risk of Coronary Heart Disease, Study Shows Study: Vitamin K Safe, Cost-Effective Treatment for Vascular Micro-Calcification
In the test group, MK-7 induced a significant decrease of both dp-ucMGP and arterial stiffness. The authors of the study wrote: “High vitamin K intake decreased age-related vascular stiffening. The effects were most obvious in women with poor vitamin K status, and were statistically significant after one year of treatment.”“This study continues to build the rock-solid argument that MenaQ7 Vitamin K2 – not K1 or other unstudied Vitamin K2 ingredients – delivers important cardiovascular support,” says Hogne Vik, NattoPharma Chief Medical Officer, in the press release. “In this study, the participants taking MenaQ7 maintained arterial flexibility and the stiffness did not increase, whereas placebo group became stiffer and less flexible.”
Vik continues: “These results mirror what we have seen in epidemiological studies, where populations who consume a lot of dietary Vitamin K2 have healthier hearts and more flexible arteries, as well as our groundbreaking three-year study in healthy postmenopausal women. Vitamin K2 is indeed a vital cardiovascular support nutrient, and MenaQ7 is the only K2 as MK-7 clinically proven to do so.”
