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Vitamin K2, MenaQ7
Stronger bones and less Atheroscleroses
Vitamin K2 is very important for our body. Research revealed clearly that a very high percentage, at all ages, is short in this important and underestimated vitamin. This can lead to a higher cardiovascular risk and weaker bones, resulting in osteoporoses. Rejuvenal combines vitamin K2 with D3 and many other antioxidants in the PhytoMatrix® as a universal anti aging product. Best is to combine with OmegaMatrix® for optimum anti aging effect. Read all about the latest research on Mena Q7 on the link below!
Vitamin K2
Clin Calcium. 2008 Oct;18(10):1476-82. Ishida Y. Yamaguchi Allied Health College.
Vitamin K2 has been approved for the treatment of osteoporosis in Japan since 1995. Vitamin K2 treatment in osteoporosis has been shown to inhibit the occurrence of new bone fractures and to maintain BMD. The uniqueness of the prevention of bone fractures by vitamin K2 is that there has been no direct evidence of the relationship between increase of BMD and a decrease in the occurrence of bone fractures. A recent systematic review of seven Japanese randomized controlled trials by Cockayne has also shown that supplementation with phytonadione (Vitamin K1) and menaquinone (Vitamin K2) , particularly menaquinone-4, is associated with increased BMD and reduced fracture incidence. To confirm these results, a larger well design RCT using fractures as the primary endpoint is clearly needed.
Vitamin K and thrombosis.
Merli GJ, Fink J. Vitam Horm. 2008;78:265-79.
Professor of Medicine, Director Jefferson Center for Vascular Diseases, Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
Vitamin K was discovered in the 1930s during cholesterol metabolism experiments in chickens. It is a fat-soluble vitamin which occurs naturally in plants as phylloquinone (vitamin K1) and is produced by gram-negative bacteria in the human gastrointestinal tract as menaquinone (vitamin K2). This vitamin was found to be essential for normal functioning of hemostasis.
In addition, a number of clinical conditions in which vitamin K deficiency was found to be the underlying pathophysiologic problem were discovered. These conditions include hemorrhagic disease of the newborn, obstructive jaundice, and malabsorption syndromes. The importance of this vitamin has become more apparent with the discovery of the anticoagulant warfarin which is a vitamin K antagonist. There are millions of patients on this therapy for a variety of thrombogenic conditions such as atrial fibrillation, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and prosthetic cardiac valves.
The wide use of this narrow therapeutic index drug has resulted in significant risk for major bleeding. Vitamin K serves as one of the major reversing agent for patients over-anticoagulated with warfarin. In the past few years, research has focused on new areas of vitamin K metabolism, which include bone and endovascular metabolism; cell growth, regulation, migration, and proliferation; cell survival, apoptosis, phagocytosis, and adhesion. These new areas of research highlight the significance of vitamin K but raise new clinical questions for patients who must be maintained on long-term warfarin therapy.
Genomic approaches to bone and joint diseases. New insights into molecular mechanisms underlying protective effects of vitamin K on bone health]
Kaneki M. Clin Calcium. 2008 Feb;18(2):224-32.
Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Anesthesia & Critical Care.
Vitamin K is a nutrient originally identified as an essential factor for blood coagulation. Accumulated evidence indicates that subclinical non-hemostatic vitamin K deficiency in extrahepatic tissues, particularly in bone, exists widely in the otherwise healthy adult population. Both vitamin K1 and K2 have been shown to exert protective effects against osteoporosis.
The new biological functions of vitamin K in bone are considered to be attributable, at least in part, to promotion of gamma-carboxylation of glutamic acid residues in vitamin K-dependent proteins, which is shared by both vitamins K1 and K2. A recent evidence of significant correlation between polymorphism of gamma-glutamyl carboxylase gene and bone mineral density supports the role of gamma-carboxylation-dependent actions of vitamin K.
In contrast, vitamin K2-specific,gamma-carboxylation-unrelated functions have recently attracted scientific attention. Recent findings of vitamin K2-specific transactivation of steroid and xenobiotic receptor (SXR/PXR) may lead to new research avenue. The impact of genotype of apoE, a major vitamin K transporter, on osteoporosis as well as Alzheimer disease and atherosclerosis, raises a question whether vitamin K is involved in the pathogenesis of these diseases. Molecular bases of coagulation-unrelated pleiotropic actions of vitamin K and its implications in bone health deserve further investigations.
Role of vitamin K and vitamin K-dependent proteins in vascular calcification.
Z Kardiol. 2001;90 Suppl 3:57-63.
Schurgers LJ, Dissel PE, Spronk HM, Soute BA, Dhore CR, Cleutjens JP, Vermeer C.
Department of Biochemistry, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands.
OBJECTIVES: To provide a rational basis for recommended daily allowances (RDA) of dietary phylloquinone (vitamin K1) and menaquinone (vitamin K2) intake that adequately supply extrahepatic (notably vascular) tissue requirements.
BACKGROUND: Vitamin K has a key function in the synthesis of at least two proteins involved in calcium and bone metabolism, namely osteocalcin and matrix Gla-protein (MGP). MGP was shown to be a strong inhibitor of vascular calcification. Present RDA values for vitamin K are based on the hepatic phylloquinone requirement for coagulation factor synthesis. Accumulating data suggest that extrahepatic tissues such as bone and vessel wall require higher dietary intakes and have a preference for menaquinone rather than for phylloquinone.
METHODS: Tissue-specific vitamin K consumption under controlled intake was determined in warfarin-treated rats using the vitamin K-quinone/epoxide ratio as a measure for vitamin K consumption. Immunohistochemical analysis of human vascular material was performed using a monoclonal antibody against MGP. The same antibody was used for quantification of MGP levels in serum.
RESULTS: At least some extrahepatic tissues including the arterial vessel wall have a high preference for accumulating and using menaquinone rather than phylloquinone. Both intima and media sclerosis are associated with high tissue concentrations of MGP, with the most prominent accumulation at the interface between vascular tissue and calcified material. This was consistent with increased concentrations of circulating MGP in subjects with atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus.
CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report demonstrating the association between MGP and vascular calcification. The hypothesis is put forward that undercarboxylation of MGP is a risk factor for vascular calcification and that the present RDA values are too low to ensure full carboxylation of MGP.
Vitamin K2; Update on the role of vitamin K in skeletal health.
Shea MK, Booth SL. Nutr Rev. 2008 Oct;66(10):549-57.Vitamin K Laboratory, USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
A protective role for vitamin K in bone health has been suggested based on its role as an enzymatic cofactor. In observational studies, vitamin K insufficiency is generally associated with lower bone mass and increased hip fracture risk. However, these findings are not supported in randomized controlled trials (RCT) of phylloquinone (vitamin K(1)) supplementation and bone loss at the hip in the elderly. This suggests that increased vegetable and legume intakes may simultaneously improve measures of vitamin K status and skeletal health, even though the mechanisms underlying these improvements may be independent of each other. Menaquinone-4 (vitamin K(2)), when given at pharmacological doses, appears to protect against fracture risk and bone loss at the spine. However, there are emerging data that suggest the efficacy of vitamin K supplementation on bone loss is inconclusive.
Experience of vitamin K2 in Thailand
Bunyaratavej N. Clin Calcium. 2007 Nov;17(11):1752-60.Engineering and Tissue Growth Laboratory (CETGL) Mahidol University, Thailand.
Vitamin K(2) has dual actions, stimulates osteoblastic functions, for synthesis of osteocalcin, osteonectin and other matrix bone proteins, in addition, new finding, in stem cell culture found osteoblast producing gene expression of collagen type 1, the other action, vitamin K(2) contains mild antiresorpion by inducing the osteoclastic apoptosis. Our study found that postmenopausal and elderly women have high risk of vitamin K(2) deficiency, comparing to the normal value of young, reproductive females. The efficacy of vitamin K(2) will be fulfill benefit after 6 months of administration, prolong use will enhance of bone quality that prevent fracture.
