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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #328268

Research Project: Vitamin K: Food Composition, Bioavailability and Human Health

Location: Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging

Title: The role of vitamin K in chronic aging diseases: inflammation, cardiovascular disease and osteoarthritis

Author
item HARSHMAN, STEPHANIE - Tufts University
item SHEA, KYLA - Tufts University

Submitted to: Current Nutrition Reports
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/4/2016
Publication Date: 6/1/2016
Citation: Harshman, S.G., Shea, K. 2016. The role of vitamin K in chronic aging diseases: inflammation, cardiovascular disease and osteoarthritis. Current Nutrition Reports. 5:90-98.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Vitamin K is an enzyme cofactor required for the carboxylation of vitamin K dependent proteins, several of which have been implicated in diseases of aging. Inflammation is recognized as a crucial component of many chronic aging diseases, and evidence suggests vitamin K has an anti-inflammatory action that is independent of its role as an enzyme cofactor. Vitamin K-dependent proteins and inflammation have been implicated in cardiovascular disease and osteoarthritis, which are leading causes of disability and mortality in older adults. The purpose of this review is to summarize observational studies and randomized trials focused on vitamin K status and inflammation, cardiovascular disease, and osteoarthritis. Although mechanistic evidence suggests a protective role for vitamin K in these age related conditions, the benefit of vitamin K supplementation is controversial because observational data are equivocal and the number of randomized trials is few.