NattoPharma announced the publication of a new study on its proprietary MenaQ7brand of natural vitamin K2 standardized to MK-7 content. The company initiated the three-year clinical intervention study on the effects of MenaQ7 on bone health and it is now available online in the journal Osteoporosis International as an Online First Article (DOI 10.1007/s00198-013-2325-6). 
 
The MenaQ7 supplementation group significantly increased the circulating active Osteocalcin (cOC), a well-established biomarker for bone and vitamin K status. The inactive protein, ucOC, in the MenaQ7 group, decreased with 51% +/- 21 % as compared to the placebo group (+4 % +/- 49%). This is pointing to the positive MenaQ7 bone effect. After three years of supplementation, improvements in both bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) were statistically significant in the MenaQ7 group. Moreover bone strength (BS) was statistically improved, demonstrating therapeutic benefits for the MenaQ7 group as compared to the placebo group. 
 
“These demonstrated improvements in clinical outcomes are extremely important”, said Dr. Cees Vermeer, principal investigator for the study at VitaK laboratory at Maastricht University. “Despite reports on small or insignificant effects on bone health after clinical interventional studies on vitamin K2 — lasting up to one year — we have documented that MenaQ7 supplementation over three years prevents bone loss in postmenopausal women, confirming that bone health benefits of vitamin K2 is best demonstrated over longer periods than previously thought. The dose of 180 mcg of MenaQ7 per day significantly decreases age-related loss in bone mass and thereby exerts improvements in bone strength.” 
 
Hogne Vik, CEO of NattoPharma, commented, “The results from the three-year human study on MenaQ7show for the first time in history that daily intake of 180 micrograms MenaQ7 may help postmenopausal women to prevent bone loss, and therefore may drastically delay development of osteoporosis.” 
 
Frode M. Bohan, chairman of the NattoPharma board, promised, “NattoPharma will actively use the findings together with our customers and partners to improve our commercial platform, commercializing MenaQ7in the supplement and functional food markets throughout the world.” 
 
In total 244 women were included in the study and randomly assigned to either a non-treatment group receiving placebo capsules (n=124) or a treatment group receiving capsules containing 180 mcg MenaQ7 (n=120). One capsule was taken daily during a period of 36 months. Participants came to the research site every year (0, 1, 2 and 3 years) for measurements of body weight and height, blood sampling and DXA measurements. The compliance was 91.4% of the randomized participants staying in the study until its completion. 
 
For more information: www.nattopharma.com