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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #227930
Title: An Update On The Role Of Vitamin K In Skeletal Health

Author
item SHEA, M KYLA - JM USDA HNRCA @ TUFTS
item Booth, Sarah

Submitted to: Nutrition Reviews
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/18/2008
Publication Date: 10/1/2008
Citation: Shea, M., Booth, S.L. 2008. An Update On The Role Of Vitamin K In Skeletal Health. Nutrition Reviews. 66:549-557.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A protective role for vitamin K in bone health has been suggested based on its role as an enzymatic co-factor. 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 K1) supplementation and bone loss at the hip in 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 K2), when given at pharmacological doses, appears to protect against fracture risk and bone loss at the spine. However there are emerging data that suggest that the efficacy of vitamin K supplementation on bone loss is inconclusive.