2024-05-31 14:00:00  Author | Wencheng WANG | Latest academic developments

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(Note: MK-7 is a specific form within the vitamin K2 family. Vitamin K2 is a collective term for a series of compounds, with other common subtypes including MK-4 (menaquinone-4). The term "vitamin K2 supplements" in general parlance typically refers to either MK-7 or MK-4.)

Postmenopausal women exhibit significantly elevated blood pressure, increased vascular stiffness, greater intima-media thickness, and enlarged carotid artery diameter. These physiological changes collectively indicate a substantially heightened risk of cardiovascular disease in this population.

On February 27, 2025, de Vries et al. published a study titled "Effects of One-Year Menaquinone-7 Supplementation on Vascular Stiffness and Blood Pressure in Post-Menopausal Women" in the journal Nutrients. The clinical conclusions of the study demonstrate that a daily supplementation of 180 µg of MK-7 for one year can significantly improve vascular stiffness and blood pressure in postmenopausal women.1

I.Study Methodology

This was a high-level, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical intervention trial. A total of 165 postmenopausal women with plasma desphospho-uncarboxylated matrix Gla protein (dp-ucMGP) levels > 400 pmol/L were randomly assigned to two groups: the MK-7 group (n = 82), which received a daily dose of 180 µg MK-7, and the control group (n = 83), which received a matching placebo, for a duration of one year.

II.Study Results (Compared to the Control Group):

.Plasma dp-ucMGP Levels: Significantly decreased in the MK-7 group (p < 0.01), accompanied by a significant increase in vitamin K2 status.

.Vascular Stiffness (Young's Modulus): The control group showed an increase of +49.1% ± 77.4%, whereas the MK-7 group showed an increase of only +9.4% ± 67.1% (p = 0.035), indicating a significant improvement in the vascular stiffness index in the MK-7 group.

.Postmenopausal Women with High Vascular Stiffness Index: Demonstrated reduced brachial blood pressure (-3.0% ± 9.0%; p = 0.007), reduced carotid blood pressure (-4.49% ± 11.0%; p = 0.008), and a decrease in the distensibility coefficient (-12.7% ± 32.6%; p = 0.012).

III. Study Conclusions:

This study corroborates the findings of two previous studies by Knapen et al. and Vermeer et al., which demonstrated that MK-7 supplementation improves vascular wall stiffness in postmenopausal women . A daily supplementation of 180 µg MK-7 for one year can significantly improve vascular stiffness, the distensibility coefficient, and blood pressure in postmenopausal women.2.3

Editor's Note:

This study further confirms that a one-year daily supplementation of 180 µg MK-7 can improve vascular wall stiffness, the distensibility coefficient, and blood pressure in postmenopausal women. Furthermore, long-term MK-7 supplementation in middle-aged and elderly individuals may yield additional health benefits. Therefore, we recommend MK-7 supplementation to promote overall health.

[Literature Source]

[1] de Vries, F.; Bittner, R.; Maresz, K.; Machuron, F.; Gåserød, O.; Jeanne, J.-F.; Schurgers, L.J. Effects of One-Year Menaquinone-7 Supplementation on Vascular Stiffness and Blood Pressure in Post-Menopausal Women. Nutrients 2025, 17, 815. https://doi.org/10.3390/ nu17050815

[2] Knapen, M.H.; Braam, L.A.; Drummen, N.E.; Bekers, O.; Hoeks, A.P.; Vermeer, C. Menaquinone-7 supplementation improves arterial stiffness in healthy postmenopausal women. A double-blind randomised clinical trial. Thromb. Haemost. 2015, 113,1135–1144.

[3] Vermeer, C.; Hogne, V. Effect of Menaquinone-7 (vitamin K2) on vascular elasticity in healthy subjects: Results from a one-year study. Vasc. Dis. Ther. 2020, 5, 1–4.