Vitamin K2 may improve bone mineral density in postmenopausal women but does not reduce fracture risk says large analysis of data
Vitamin K2 might have a role to play in preventing and treating osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, says an analysis of research published in Osteoporosis International.
In Japan the link between vitamin K2 and osteoporosis is widely accepted, but Western countries have yet to be convinced. So experts analysed data from a total of 19 relevant studies involving 6,759 people.
Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis were found to have improvements in vertebral bone mineral density when taking vitamin K2 (in the medium and long term). But the same wasn’t true for women without osteoporosis.
Vitamin K2 did not reduce the risk of fracture. And the vitamin K2 group seemed to have a higher adverse reaction rate.
The researchers conclude that vitamin K2 plays “a role in the maintenance and improvement of vertebral bone mineral density and the prevention of fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis… However, the effect of vitamin K2 for postmenopausal women without osteoporosis had not been identified. Further high-quality randomised controlled trials with large sample sizes are needed to confirm the role of vitamin K2 in osteoporosis for postmenopausal women.”
A spokesperson from Arthritis Research UK comments:
“Until we know more about the role of vitamin K2, we’d suggest that those people at risk of osteoporosis, such as postmenopausal women, make sure they get plenty of calcium and vitamin D through diet, exposure to sunlight, and weight-bearing exercise.”
A bit about vitamin K…
We’ve known for some time that vitamin K is needed for blood clotting so helps wounds to heal. And now evidence suggests it may also be needed to help build strong bones.
The difference between vitamin K1 and K2 is that the former is rapidly cleared from the blood and eliminated from the body. But vitamin K2 remains active in the body for longer. It is also better absorbed and helps direct calcium to the bones.
Good dietary sources of vitamin K are green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli, vegetable oils and cereals. Small amounts can also be found in dairy products and meat.
The NHS says that taking 1mg or less of vitamin K supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm but taking too much could be harmful, especially for people taking drugs such as warfarin.
Image credit: cyclonebill
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