Low vitamin K2 linked to hardening of arteries

Norwegian supplements firm NattoPharma says that recent data presented at the American Society of Nephrology's Renal Week 2008 in Philadelphia show that low vitamin K2 intake is a risk factor for vascular calcification in both healthy and diseased populations.

The source of the natural nutrient used in the studies was NattoPharma's MenaQ7 vitamin K2 product. A trial involving 53 hemodialysis patients compared to 102 control subjects revealed that hemodialysis patients have a significant amount of the inactive calcification inhibitor Matrix GLA Protein.

Six weeks of vitamin K2 supplementation increased active levels of MGP in a dose dependent manner, suggesting that disturbed calcification inhibitory activity in the vasculature may be improved by dietary vitamin K2 supplementation.