Balchem’s vitamin K2 supports muscle recovery post-exercise in aging adults, study finds

A new clinical study suggests that Balchem’s vitamin K2, K2Vital, may support neuromuscular signaling post-exercise in older adults. This pathway supports nerve-muscle communication and helps maintain muscle control. 

The trial examined the effects of supplementation with the company’s vitamin K2, in the form of menaquinone-7 (MK-7), on post-exercise muscle recovery in young and older adults. A subgroup analysis on the group aged over 65 showed age-specific effects. The scientists say this calls for further research in the context of strategies to support healthy aging. 

“We’re proud to have supported this investigation by providing our patented, typically 99.7% all-trans K2 MK-7 ingredient for the study,” says Dominik Mattern, VP of Science, Business Development, and Marketing at Balchem Human Nutrition and Health.

“Vitamin K2 is already well recognized for its established benefits in cardiovascular and bone health, making it a strong foundational nutrient for healthy aging formulations. These findings open the door to further exploration that may expand scientific understanding of how vitamin K2 contributes to healthy aging across multiple areas.”

Muscle recovery

The double-blind, randomized controlled trial included 35 younger (18–40 years) and 36 older adults (over 65). For the research, published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the 71 healthy adults received either 240 μg/day of vitamin K2Vital or a placebo for 12 weeks.

The researchers assessed participants’ muscle strength, soreness, and function, as well as blood tests for biomarkers of muscle damage and inflammation before, and three, 24, 48, and 72 hours after a resistance exercise protocol. They performed these tests both before the intervention period and after 12 weeks. 

We recently sat down with Dominik Mattern from Balchem to explore forces shaping the future of the nutrition industry.Although the full participant group did not result in any significant effects, a subgroup analysis on the older adults showed improved neuromuscular signaling, which helps to maintain muscle control. The researchers did not observe these effects in the placebo group.

Moreover, the researchers found no effect of vitamin K2 MK-7 on muscle strength, physical function, muscle soreness, or inflammatory responses after resistance exercise.

Formulating with vitamin K2

The nutrition industry is increasingly exploring multifunctional solutions and ingredient combinations that improve bioavailability and performance.

For example, Balchem created a “Vital Trio” that combines vitamin K2 with a chelated magnesium bisglycinate and vitamin D. In this concept, vitamin D3 helps absorb calcium and induces the production of vitamin K-dependent proteins. Vitamin K2 then activates these proteins to direct calcium into the bones, while magnesium unlocks the full potential of vitamin D.

In addition, a recent clinical trial found that a daily dose of K2Vital and vitamin D3 improved symptoms of long COVID through their anti-inflammatory properties.