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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #222828
Title: Phylloquinone intake is associated with greater insulin sensitivity and glycemic status in adult men and women

Author
item YOSHIDA, MAKIKO - TUFTS UNIVERSITY
item Booth, Sarah
item MEGIS, JAMES - MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL
item Saltzman, Edward
item Jacques, Paul

Submitted to: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/27/2008
Publication Date: 7/9/2008
Citation: Yoshida, M., Booth, S.L., Megis, J.B., Saltzman, E., Jacques, P. 2008. Phylloquinone intake is associated with greater insulin sensitivity and glycemic status in adult men and women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 88:210-215.

Interpretive Summary: Vitamin K is an important nutrient in blood clotting processes and bone metabolism; however, recent evidence suggests a potential new role of vitamin K in blood sugar control. In 2778 non-diabetic adults, we looked to see if intakes of phylloquinone, the most common form of vitamin K in the North American diet, were associated with efficiency of insulin action and blood sugar levels. We observed that individuals with higher phylloquinone intake had more efficient insulin action and lower blood sugar levels after they received an oral dose of glucose (a simple sugar). However, phylloquinone intake was not related to the efficiency of insulin action and blood sugar levels in a fasting state nor was it related to a marker of a long-term elevated blood sugar. Our findings support a potential beneficial role of phylloquinone in the blood sugar control, and may lead to further areas of research that may help to clarify potential new functions of vitamin K. Future studies should focus on relationships between phylloquinone intakes and the process of type 2 diabetes development as well as biological mechanism behind the associations between phylloquinone and blood sugar control.

Technical Abstract: Limited published evidence suggests that vitamin K may have a beneficial role in glucose homeostasis. No observational data exist on the associations between vitamin K intake and insulin sensitivity. The objective of this study was to examine cross-sectional associations between self-reported phylloquinone (vitamin K1) intake and measures of insulin sensitivity, and with glycemic status in 2778 men and women aged 26-81 y in the Framingham Offspring Study. Dietary and supplemental intakes of phylloquinone were assessed by food frequency questionnaire. Insulin sensitivity was measured by fasting and 2-h post oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) insulin, the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and the insulin sensitivity index (ISI0,120). Glycemic status was assessed by fasting and 2-h post OGTT glucose and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). Analysis of covariance was performed to assess individual associations between vitamin K intake and each marker of insulin sensitivity and glycemic status. Higher phylloquinone intake was associated with greater insulin sensitivity and glycemic status, as measured by 2-h post OGTT insulin and glucose, and ISI0,120, after adjustment for age, sex, waist circumference, lifestyle characteristics and diet qualities (P for trends less than or equal to 0.01), but was not associated with fasting insulin and glucose concentrations, HOMA-IR and HbA1c. In conclusion, higher phylloquinone intake is associated with greater insulin sensitivity and glycemic status, as measured by 2-h OGTT insulin and glucose and ISI0,120 in men and women. Our findings support a potential beneficial role of phylloquinone in glucose homeostasis.