Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 19, 2026
Improving Strength, Power, Muscle Aerobic Capacity, and Glucose Tolerance through Short-term Progressive Strength Training Among Elderly People
Published on: July 5, 2017
The Effects of Vitamin K2 on Recovery from Muscle-Damaging Resistance Exercise in Young and Older Adults: The
Hannah Lithgow1,2, Lynsey Johnston3, Frederick Ho4
1School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health, University of Glasgow.
Purpose:
Vitamin K2 supplementation has emerged as a strategy to enhance recovery and modulate postexercise physiological responses. This study aimed to assess the effects of vitamin K2 on recovery from muscle-damaging exercise in young and older adults.
Methods:
Healthy young (18-40 yr) and older (65+ yr) adults were randomly assigned to either vitamin K2 (menaquinone-7, MK-7, 240 μg/d) or placebo (cellulose) for 12 wk in this double-blind randomized controlled trial. Before and after supplementation, knee extensor maximal torque, functional ability, muscle soreness, and systemic blood markers of muscle damage and inflammation were measured before (0 h) and 3, 24, 48, and 72-h postexercise. Data were analyzed using regression and mixed models.
Results:
Seventy-one participants (35 young and 36 older) completed the study, with 12 wk of vitamin K2 supplementation increasing circulating MK-7 levels (P-value <0.001). There were no supplement × time effects for any variables. Significant supplement × time × older age interaction effects were noted for electromechanical delay (EMD) (P-value = 0.03), electromyography root mean square (RMS) (P-value = 0.01), interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentrations (P-value <0.001), and creatine kinase (CK) levels (P-value = 0.02). In older adults, after 12 wk, EMD appeared lower at all time points and RMS higher postexercise in the vitamin K2 group. No clear pattern in IL-6 or CK was observed, but at 72-h postexercise CK was lower in older adults in the vitamin K2 group.
Conclusions:
Vitamin K2 supplementation had no effect on muscle strength, physical function, muscle soreness, or inflammatory responses in the recovery period after a bout of resistance exercise. Effects of supplementation were observed on EMD, RMS, IL-6, and CK by age and warrant further investigation.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Muscle Recovery and Fatigue
01:25Role of Vitamins in Maintaining Bone Health
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is involved in the process of bone remodeling. Retinoic acid, the active metabolite of Vitamin A, has nuclear receptors in osteoblasts and osteoclasts, which are involved in bone remodeling.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 acts as a cofactor during the formation of osteoblast-related proteins, such as osteocalcin. Vitamin B12 plays a role...
01:27Exercise and Muscle Performance
Endurance exercises
Endurance exercises involve running, swimming, or cycling, which require repetitive movements with low force output. When a person engages in endurance exercise, a few noticeable changes occur in their skeletal muscles. For instance, the number of capillaries...
01:20Exercise and Cardiovascular Response
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...
01:19The Effect of Aging on Tissues
01:29Bone Disorders
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...