Add K2 to vitamin D, urge experts following latest COVID-19 inflammation investigation

18 Jan 2022 --- An investigation of hospitalized COVID-19 patients has revealed that vitamin D and K status impacts inflammation induced by the disease.

“The findings add a new layer to previous research on the important interaction between the vitamins D and K, particularly in focusing on inflammation level and lung function,” Dr. Trygve Bergeland, vice president of Science at Kappa Bioscience, tells NutritionInsight.

The vitamin K2 manufacturer Kappa Bioscience sponsored the trial, held at Canisius-Wilhelmina Hospital, Netherlands.

Bergeland adds that it has been known for some years that vitamin D induces the expression of inactive vitamin K-dependent proteins in the body and that supplementation of vitamin D alone can lead to vitamin K deficiency.

“The focus within the scientific community has mostly been around bone and cardiovascular health. However, this has started to center around immune health.”

“Based on our current data and previous work, I strongly suggest that vitamin K2 should be added to D supplementation, particularly against the background of the ongoing pandemic,” Dr. Rob Janssen, pulmonologist and translational researcher at the Canisius-Wilhelmina Hospital, Netherlands, also tells NutritionInsight.

Examining the role of interleukin
Pathology during COVID-19 infection is partly rooted in an overactive inflammatory response with an essential role for interleukin (IL6). Both vitamins D and K have been suggested as potential modulators of this process.

“IL-6 is a key cytokine in COVID-19, and IL-6 correlated much stronger with vitamin K than D status.”Dr. Rob Janssen, pulmonologist and translational researcher at the Canisius-Wilhelmina Hospital, Netherlands.

Vitamin D has been demonstrated to downregulate IL-6 before the COVID pandemic, he continues.

“However, vitamin K may also suppress IL-6 production, both indirectly through its activation of the immune inhibitory proteins growth-arrest-specific gene 6 (Gas6) and protein S, or directly by inhibiting phosphorylation of IKKα/β that is required for activation of nuclear factor (NF)κB.”

Assessing vitamin K status and inflammation
The research group assessed vitamin D and K status by measuring circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and desphospho-uncarboxylated Matrix Gla-Protein (dp-ucMGP), respectively in 135 hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Comparing good and poor disease outcomes of COVID-19 patients, vitamin 25(OH)D levels were not significantly different. IL-6 levels were considerably higher in patients with poor outcomes compared to patients with a good outcome.

The levels of extrahepatic vitamin K status were associated with IL-6 levels. In contrast, vitamin D levels were only borderline statistically significantly correlated with IL-6. An association was also found between IL-6 and elastic fiber degradation. Contrary to vitamin K status, vitamin D did not correlate with elastic fiber degradation.

An intervention trial in the future may provide insight into whether vitamin K administration, combined with vitamin D, improves the clinical outcome of COVID-19.IL-6 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that plays a key role in developing severe COVID-19.

Vitamin D and vitamin K combination is vital
Commenting on previous advice that supplementation with vitamin D is essential in reducing the risk of COVID-19, Janssen states: “There are many vitamin D proponents from scientists and medical doctors to influencers and eminent politicians, advocating the distribution of vitamin D among the general population to reduce the burden of COVID-19.”

However, administration of vitamin D without K may not be without risk, as vitamin D increases the demand for K, he continues.

“This may cause further vitamin K depletion, which could be harmful in patients with moderate or severe COVID-19 who are without exception already vitamin K deficient.”

Previously, a team of researchers from Bispebjerg Hospital in Denmark discovered a potential connection between vitamin K levels and COVID-19 symptom severity and mortality.

Previous COVID-19 research on Vitamin D and K
Previously, Kappa Bioscience-backed studies found the correlation between vitamin D and vitamin K deficiency and an increase in the risk of COVID-19 infection. The company also backed a study by University Hospitals (UH) in the US that looked into the role of vitamin K2 deficiency in COVID-19 development and severity.

Additionally, COVID-19 mortality may be predicted by vitamin K levels, and the “potential missing link” between lung injury and thromboembolism is vitamin K metabolism, according to Kappa Bioscience-backed studies.

By Nicole Kerr