Vitamin K Intake Correlated with Lower Mortality Risk
The Journal of Nutrition reported in March 2014 that dietary vitamin K intake is associated with a reduced risk of mortality in subjects with high cardiovascular risk. Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin and naturally occurs in multiple forms including vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) and vitamin K2 (menaquinone).
The researchers evaluated 7,216 subjects from the PREDIMED study at high cardiovascular disease risk. The subjects completed food frequency questionnaires to evaluate energy and nutrient intake. The investigators calculated dietary vitamin K intake annually. The researchers followed the subjects for an average of 4.8 years to identify number and cause of deaths.
The investigators determined that higher dietary phylloquinone intake was associated with a 46 percent decreased risk of cancer death and a 36 percent decrease in the risk of death from any cause. Compared to subjects who decreased or did not change vitamin K intake, the subjects who increased vitamin K intake during the follow-up period showed a decrease in the risk of cancer death or all-cause mortality.
More specifically, increasing intake of phylloquinone was associated with a 36 percent lower risk of cancer death, a 43 percent decreased risk of death from any cause, and a 48 percent decreased risk of cardiovascular mortality. Increased menaquinone was associated with a 59 percent decreased risk of cancer death and a 45 percent decreased risk of death from any cause, but no association was found with cardiovascular mortality.
The investigators stated, “An increase in dietary intake of vitamin K is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular, cancer or all-cause mortality in a Mediterranean population at high cardiovascular disease risk.”
Reference:
Juanola-Falgarona M, et al. J Nutr. 2014 Mar 19.
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