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Vitamin K1 intake and coronary calcification
Todd C Villines1, Christos Hatzigeorgiou, Irwin M Feuerstein
1Department of Medicine, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.
Coronary Artery Disease
|April 9, 2005
Summary
Dietary intake of vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) does not appear to be linked to premature coronary artery calcification in adults. Further research is needed on other vitamin K forms and vascular calcification.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Health
- Nutritional Science
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Matrix Gla-protein (MGP) inhibits vascular calcification and requires vitamin K for carboxylation.
- Animal studies suggest low vitamin K intake accelerates vascular calcification via MGP.
- Hypothesis: Low dietary vitamin K intake may increase human vascular calcification risk by reducing MGP activity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between dietary vitamin K1 intake and premature coronary artery calcification (CAC).
- To evaluate if current vitamin K recommendations are sufficient for MGP-mediated vascular calcification inhibition.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 807 asymptomatic US Army personnel (39-45 years old).
- Vitamin K1 intake assessed using the Block Dietary Questionnaire.
- Coronary artery calcification (CAC) identified via electron-beam computed tomography (EBCT).
Main Results:
- No significant correlation was found between CAC score and vitamin K1 intake (r = 0.132, P = 0.106).
- Multivariate analysis, adjusted for cardiac risk factors, showed no association between dietary vitamin K1 intake and CAC.
Conclusions:
- Dietary vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) intake is apparently unrelated to premature coronary calcification in this screening population.
- Further research is warranted on the role of other vitamin K forms, such as menaquinones, in vascular calcification.