Increased dietary vitamin K intake is associated with less severe subjective memory complaint among older adults

Increased dietary intake of vitamin K, a fat-soluble nutrient involved in brain health and function, has been associated with better cognitive performance in older adults. Our objective was to determine whether the dietary vitamin K intake was associated with the presence and severity of subjective memory complaint among older adults.

Observational, cross-sectional cohort study.

One hundred sixty older adults taking no vitamin K antagonist were included. The daily dietary vitamin K intake was assessed using a 50-item food frequency questionnaire. The subjective memory complaint was assessed at the same time using the Memory Complaint Questionnaire (MAC-Q; score 0-30, best). Serious subjective memory complaint was defined as MAC-Q score ≤15. Age, gender, body mass index, education level, number of comorbidities, history of stroke, objective cognitive disorders, functional autonomy, mood, serum concentrations of vitamin B12, TSH, albumin, and estimated glomerular filtration rate were used as potential confounders.

Compared to participants without serious subjective memory complaint, those with serious subjective memory complaint (n=110) had a lower mean dietary vitamin K intake (298.0±191.8μg/day versus 393.8±215.2μg/day, P=0.005). Increased log dietary vitamin K intake was positively associated with the MAC-Q score used as a quantitative variable (fully adjusted β=0.79, P=0.031), and inversely with serious subjective memory complaint (fully adjusted OR=0.34, P=0.017).

Increased dietary vitamin K intake was associated with fewer and less severe subjective memory complaint in older adults taking no vitamin K antagonists. These findings provide epidemiological data supporting future vitamin K replacement trials.