Vitamin K2 may counter induced oxidative stress in vascular smooth muscle cells, ultimately lowering oxidative stress while increasing ATP production, according to a new study. The study was conducted using MenaQ7 Vitamin K2 as MK-7, an ingredient by Gnosis By Lesaffre, and its findings were presented at the second International Electronic Conference on Nutrients (IECN). The global event focused on nutrition support for immunity, infection, inflammation, and oxidative stress.
 
The findings were presented by PhD student Asim Cengiz Akbulut, department of biochemistry, CARIM, Maastricht University, with the support of his supervisor and senior author on the abstract, Leon Schurgers, professor of biochemistry of vascular calcification and vice-chair of biochemistry at CARIM, Maastrict University.
 
Akbulut shared the recent findings, which were taken from a cellular study in which the vitamin K pathway was antagonized by warfarin, inducing oxidative stress in vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs), contributing to pathological phenotype perpetuating vascular calcification and cardiovascular disease.
 
After introducing vitamin K2, the authors measured ATP, oxidative stress, and extracellular vesicles (EV), finding that interference with vitamin K metabolism by warfarin results in increased oxidative stress and EV secretion. Vitamin K2 as MK7 counteracted the intracellular oxidative stress, both under the normal conditions and the warfarin induced conditions, while also increasing ATP production, even in the presence of warfarin.
 
“Our experiments show that in primary human SMCs, MK-7 lowers oxidative stress and EV release and increases ATP production. This pathway points to a non-canonical role of MK-7 in the prevention of vascular calcification, unrelated to its canonical role as cofactor for the posttranslational modification of MGP,” the authors of the study concluded.
 
NattoPharma, which is now known as Gnosis by Lesaffre, began working closely with Maastricht University in 2004 to investigate the benefits of vitamin K2, and these new findings are in line with previous studies which found that vitamin K2 can decrease oxidative stress, as well as the non-canonical role that K2 has in inhibiting inflammatory markers.
 
“We are incredibly encouraged by the results of this study highlighting the potential of Vitamin K2 as MK-7 for healthy aging, as oxidative stress is involved in several age-related conditions, such as increased cardiovascular risk, chronic kidney conditions, and neurodegenerative disorders,” said Hogne Vik, Gnosis by Lesaffre chief medical officer. “This contributes nicely to our already substantial body of research showing MenaQ7 is a cardio-protective nutrient and reaffirms why the medical community is interested in the ongoing study of this important nutrient for the betterment of global health.
 
“Further, evidence showing MenaQ7 increased the production of ATP shines highlights K2 as MK-7 as a potentially essential nutrient for sports nutrition,” Vik said. “While it is preliminary data, we are excited about the next steps of this important research to validate the additional health benefits and applications.”