High dietary menaquinone intake is associated with reduced coronary calcification
Received 16 April 2008; received in revised form 4 July 2008; accepted 7 July 2008. published online 26 August 2008.
Abstract
Background
Dietary vitamin K is thought to decrease risk of cardiovascular disease by reducing coronary calcification, but inconsistent results are reported. This may be due to different effects of vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) and vitamin K2 (menaquinone, MK), but few studies included both.
Methods
We investigated the association of intake of phylloquinone and menaquinone, including its subtypes (MK4–MK10), with coronary calcification in a cross-sectional study among 564 post-menopausal women. Phylloquinone and menaquinone intake was estimated using a food-frequency questionnaire.
Results
Sixty-two percent (n=360) of the women had coronary calcification based on 1.5-mm thick slices. Phylloquinone intake was not associated with coronary calcification with a relative risk (RR) of 1.17 (95%-confidence interval: 0.96–1.42; ptrend=0.11) of the highest versus lowest quartile. Menaquinone intake was associated with decreased coronary calcification with an RR of 0.80 (95%-CI: 0.65–0.98; ptrend=0.03).
Conclusion
This study shows that high dietary menaquinone intake, but probably not phylloquinone, is associated with reduced coronary calcification. Adequate menaquinone intakes could therefore be important to prevent cardiovascular disease.
aJulius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
bDepartment of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
cDepartment of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
dDepartment of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Corresponding author at: Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Room STR 6.131, PO Box 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 88 755 9367; fax: +31 88 755 9028.
ABSTRACT