MK-7 and Its Effects on Bone Quality and Strength.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review without systematic search or meta-analysis
PubMed 32244313 · doi:10.3390/nu12040965
What was done
This narrative review synthesized evidence on the pharmacokinetic properties and biological activities of vitamin K homologs—specifically vitamin K1, menaquinone-4 (MK-4), and menaquinone-7 (MK-7)—focusing on their capacity to induce post-translational γ-carboxylation of extrahepatic vitamin K-dependent proteins such as osteocalcin and matrix Gla protein.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical values, effect sizes, or statistical metrics. It describes qualitatively that MK-7 has superior bioavailability and a longer half-life compared to other homologs, promotes extrahepatic protein γ-carboxylation at standard recommended daily intake levels, and supports bone mineral density, collagen production, and bone strength.
Why it matters
It highlights that different vitamin K homologs possess distinct bioactivities, suggesting that dietary recommendations should consider compound-specific potencies rather than treating all vitamin K forms equivalently.
Limits
The abstract describes a narrative review with no systematic search criteria, quality appraisal, or pooled human trial data. No sample sizes, quantitative results, or clinical fracture endpoints are reported.
Cited by
- supports Vitamin K2 MK-4 has a half-life of only four hours.