Vitamin K Supplementation for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: Where Is the Evidence? A Systematic Review of Controlled Trials.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review of randomized controlled trials
PubMed 32977548 · doi:10.3390/nu12102909
What was done
The authors conducted a systematic review searching Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Web of Science Core Collection for controlled trials of vitamin K1 or vitamin K2 supplementation in adults. They identified nine randomized controlled trials assessing surrogate cardiovascular endpoints, including arterial and valve calcification, atherosclerosis, and arterial stiffness. Risk of bias was evaluated using Cochrane Collaboration methodology.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical values or effect sizes. Across the nine identified trials, vitamin K did not consistently prevent the progression of vascular calcification, atherosclerosis, or arterial stiffening, although potential benefit was observed in individuals with baseline calcification. Vitamin K supplementation consistently improved the carboxylation of dephosphorylated matrix Gla protein (MGP), but its translation into reduced vascular calcification was uncertain.
Why it matters
Despite biological plausibility and proven biomarker modulation via MGP carboxylation, current clinical trial evidence does not support vitamin K supplementation as an effective intervention to prevent cardiovascular calcification or arterial stiffening.
Limits
The evidence base is small (nine trials) with substantial clinical and methodological heterogeneity, varied outcome measures, and relatively short follow-up periods. The review evaluated surrogate vascular measures rather than hard clinical cardiovascular events, and the abstract omitted quantitative effect estimates and sample sizes.
Cited by
- partial Vitamin K2 prevents calcium from depositing in soft tissues.