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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #215092
Title: Vitamin K Intake and Atherosclerosis

Author
item ERKKILA, ARJA - UNIVERSITY OF KUOPIO
item Booth, Sarah

Submitted to: Current Opinion in Lipidology
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/4/2007
Publication Date: 1/1/2008
Citation: Erkkila, A.T., Booth, S.L. 2008. Vitamin K Intake and Atherosclerosis. Current Opinion in Lipidology. 19:39-42.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: It has been hypothesized that insufficient intake of vitamin K may increase soft tissue calcification due to impaired gamma-carboxylation of the vitamin K-dependent protein, matrix gamma-carboxyglutamic acid (MGP). The evidence to support this putative role of vitamin K intake in atherosclerosis is reviewed. In animal models, multiple forms of vitamin K have been shown to reverse the arterial calcification created by vitamin K antagonists. However, the human data are less consistent. Phylloquinone, the primary dietary form, has not consistently been associated with the risk of cardiovascular diseases. High menaquinone intake may be associated with lower risk of coronary heart disease mortality, but need to be confirmed.The role of vitamin K in calcification remains controversial. Although biologically plausible, results from the human studies have not consistently supported this hypothesis.