Vitamins D and K increase survival
Vitamins D and K extend life
This is the first study to test for a link between levels of vitamins D and K and life expectancy in the general population. A total of 4,742 men and women, average age 53, enrolled in this 14-year study during which doctors measured blood levels of vitamins D and K, and tracked all causes of death.
Twenty percent of study participants were low in both vitamins D and K, and were 22 percent more likely to have died from any cause compared to 7 percent for participants with high levels of vitamins D and K. Those who were low in both vitamins were also more likely to have heart and circulatory events.
Doctors considered levels of vitamin D below 20 nanograms per milliliter of blood (ng/ml), or 50 nanomoles per liter (nmol/L), to be low. Because doctors can’t measure vitamin K directly, they used matrix Gla protein—which is high when vitamin K levels are low; and which doctors flagged as high when above 361 picomoles per liter.
More vitamin K2?
Doctors can’t directly measure vitamin K in the body, and instead use matrix Gla protein—levels of which are high when vitamin K is low— as a marker for vitamin K. In this study, doctors evaluated vitamin K by measuring matrix Gla protein levels in 491 men and women, aged 19 to 71.
They found a direct link: as levels of matrix Gla protein increased, participants were more likely to have arterial stiffness, high blood pressure, obesity, and a history of heart and circulatory events.
Reference: European Journal of Nutrition; 2020, s00394-020-02352-8
JANUARY 2021
Your Good News!®
We’re dedicated to discovering the benefits of good nutrition and healthy lifestyle, and hope this issue of Natural Insights for Well Being® informs and inspires you to take an active role in your health. Please ask us to assist you with any natural products you would like to know more about.
These articles provide nutritional information only and do not replace professional medical advice.