MEG-3 Omega-3 EPA/DHA Combines with Vitamin K2 Ingredient

06/11/07 Ocean Nutrition Canada Limited (ONC), supplier of MEG-3 brand Omega-3 EPA/DHA food and dietary supplement ingredients, and PL Thomas, NJ, supplier of a MenaQ7 Natural Vitamin K2, have announced a new product development alliance to introduce the MEG-3-MenaQ7 ingredient combination. This is the first offering in North America for this patent-pending combination of heart-healthy ingredients.

The MEG-3 - MenaQ7 supplement will provide 30% EPA and 20% DHA, with 45mcg of natural vitamin K2 as menaquinone-7 (MK-7) per serving.

Robert Orr, President and C.E.O. of Ocean Nutrition Canada, said “We partnered with PLT to create a unique and complementary product.  The many health benefits of EPA and DHA from fish oil are well recognized, and with this new offering, consumers specifically interested in cardiovascular health benefits will also receive natural vitamin K2 as MK-7, which is shown to further promote vascular health.”

Paul Flowerman, President of PL Thomas, added “We are delighted to partner with Ocean Nutrition and we recognize its position as a market leader and innovator providing the highest quality, science based, nutritional products to the nutritional and functional foods marketplaces.  Clearly, choosing to align the MEG-3 brand with MenaQ7 K2 solidifies this commitment.  ”

Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA provide significant health benefits for all ages.  The American Heart Association supports the premise that EPA and DHA are essential to a healthy heart, citing studies that show benefits for healthy arteries and healthy blood composition, supporting cardiovascular wellness.

The benefits of natural vitamin K2 for cardiovascular health are tied to its role activating matrix GLA protein (MGP), the most potent inhibitor of vascular calcification known.  These benefits gained attention by the findings of a study published in the Journal of Nutrition called the “Rotterdam Study” in 2004, involving over 4,800 people over a ten year period.  The study found increased intake of natural vitamin K2 significantly reduced both the incidence of arterial calcification and the risk of CHD mortality by 50% as compared to low dietary vitamin K2 intake.