Kappa Bioscience’s vitamin K2 MK-7 linked to reduced heart disease risk

02 Feb 2024 --- Recent cardiovascular health research demonstrates the considerable potential of vitamin K2 MK-7 as a viable heart health supplement, according to the findings of a peer-reviewed paper. The study confirms the positive effects of vitamin K2 MK-7 and vitamin D intake for impeding the progression of coronary artery calcification (CAC). 

The prescribed vitamin K2 used in the study was from the Kappa Bioscience portfolio, and the results were published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

“We remain at the forefront of cutting-edge research in the field and we are excited to have uncovered findings that are important for the future of our understanding of the heart health space,” says Trygve Bergeland, director of nutrition science at Kappa Bioscience (now a Balchem company).

“These latest discoveries in CAC progression and arterial stiffness signify a step forward for heart health solutions and will most certainly open up new development opportunities. It’s particularly exciting that our K2Vital Delta vitamin K2 MK-7 is projected to be at the heart of innovation.”

CAC progression and arterial health
The paper was based on the Aortic Valve Decalcification Trial (AVADEC study), a clinical trial that investigates the impact of daily vitamin K2 and D supplementation on CAC progression, which is strongly associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular events. 

While no significant effect was observed on the CAC score in the whole group, the current research found that a two-year all-trans vitamin K2 MK-7 and vitamin D intervention in a high CAC risk subgroup analysis significantly slowed down the progression of the CAC score. 

“Scientific observations reveal that vitamin K2 and D supplementation play an important role in heart health, but there is limited research that delves deeper into the mechanism of action behind this benefit,” says Axel Diederichsen, professor at Odense University Hospital, Denmark, and principal investigator of the study. 

“Our research set out to fill this gap in knowledge, with discoveries from the subgroup analyzes offering promising insights into the role of both vitamins in calcification in specific populations.”

Statin users also displayed a significant slowdown in the progression of the CAC score following vitamin K2 and D intervention. Another noteworthy observation was that the number of adverse “events” in patients — including acute myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization and all-cause death — was lower in the group receiving vitamin K2 MK-7 and D supplementation than in the placebo group.

Arterial health evaluated
Vitamin K2 MK-7’s potential to improve arterial health is being assessed alongside the role of CAC progression. A recent 24-week study featuring 375 µg/d K2 MK-7 intake showed a reduction in the rate of arterial stiffness progression in chronic hemodialysis patients with diabetes. 

Another trial observed a healthy progression of arterial stiffness following 360 µg/d K2 MK-7 intake, improving arterial elasticity in vitamin K-deficient kidney transplant recipients after 12 weeks. 

Balchem’s K2Vital Delta ingredient typically provides 99.7% all-trans, fully bioactive vitamin K2 MK-7, identical to the K2 molecule in nature. The ingredient is pure, stable and its processes patented. 

Meanwhile, supplementation with vitamin K2 menaquinone-7 may be more effective in improving vitamin K status than a vitamin K-rich diet for people susceptible to vitamin K deficiency, according to a new study that utilized Kappa Bioscience’s K2 MK-7 solution, K2Vital Delta.

In 2022, Kappa Bioscience introduced “the first” USDA organic-certified all-trans, all-bioactive vitamin K2-MK7 for oil-based health applications on the US market.

By Inga de Jong