With October 20th being World Osteoporosis Day, Gnosis by Lesaffre is eager to share evidence highlighting the profound impact Vitamin K2 as MK-7 has as an essential bone-support nutrient, including a newly published review highlighting the importance of pairing K2 with Vitamin D for calcium metabolism and bone health.
The Global Osteo-Picture
Osteoporosis is characterized by diminished bone mineralization and strength, resulting in a heightened susceptibility to fractures, which can be deadly. According to The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), the global prevalence of osteoporosis is estimated to be up to 20%, and approximately 37 million fragility fractures occur annually in individuals over 55 years, the equivalent of 70 fractures per minute. By 2050, underscores the IOF, the worldwide incidence of hip fracture is projected to increase by 310% in men and 240% in women, compared to rates in 1990.
While IOF recommends exercise and a healthy diet and lifestyle to protect bone health, it still overlooks the clinically proven bone-protective benefits of Vitamin K2. As Gnosis shared in October 2023, even a minor increase in bone density, which Vitamin K2 has been shown to deliver, can significantly reduce fractures.
K2’s Body of Bone-Support Evidence
In 2013, researchers published a groundbreaking study demonstrating that healthy post-menopausal women who consumed K2 (as MenaQ7® K2 as MK-7) at 180 mcg daily for three years exhibited remarkable bone integrity benefits. Notably, they showed reduced age-related declines in bone mineral content and density at critical areas like the lumbar spine and femoral neck, essential for reducing fracture risk, maintaining mobility, and improving overall quality of life. 1
Many K2 studies followed, leading to several key meta-analyses in the last four years that substantiated the importance of its role in supporting bone health.
For example, a systematic review by Ma et al. (2022)2 and a parallel meta-analysis by Zhou et al. (2022)3 found distinct bone-support benefits through supplementation with vitamin K2. Specifically, those in the K2 group showed improvements in lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) and reduced fracture incidence. These studies also shed light on vitamin K2’s ability to elevate extrahepatic vitamin K status, a crucial factor contributing to healthy bone mineralization and strength.
K2 Works Well with Others
K2 is a friendly vitamin – it works well to potentiate the bone-protective effects of calcium and vitamin D while simultaneously providing its own bone-support merits. A meta-analysis by Kuang et al (2020)4 highlighted the valuable contributions to bone health by supplementing with K2 in combination with vitamin D. The authors concluded, “The combination of vitamin K and D can significantly increase the total BMD and significantly decrease undercarboxylated osteocalcin, and a more favorable effect is expected when vitamin K2 is used.”
In their systematic review of RCTs involving 1,346 subjects, Hu et al (2021)5 found that the combination of vitamin K and calcium significantly improved lumbar spine bone mineral density and reduced levels of undercarboxylated osteocalcin, suggesting that supplementing with both vitamin K and calcium could be an effective approach to enhancing bone health and potentially reducing the risk of osteoporosis, as this combination exerted a positive effect on the lumbar BMD and reduction of undercarboxylated osteocalcin levels.
The most recent evidence is a review published in July 2024 by Nutrients that discusses the roles of vitamin K and K-dependent proteins, and the combined action of vitamins K and D for bone health maintenance. 6 The review consolidates evidence from various studies, including clinical trials, observational studies, and meta-analyses (many of the ones detailed here), and notes the synergistic benefits when K2 is combined with D, and that when combined, K2 enhances bone mineral density more effectively than either vitamin alone.
The authors conclude: “This synergy is particularly beneficial for individuals at risk of osteoporosis, offering a comprehensive approach to bone health … Current treatments for osteoporosis, like bisphosphonates, remain necessary, but combining them with K2 and D3 could enhance prevention. Research on long-term effects and optimal supplementation strategies is crucial as osteoporosis rates rise globally.”
“The growing body of evidence showing that supplementation with Vitamin K2 as MK-7 protects healthy bone structure is compelling, and MenaQ7 MK-7 has been the source material in pioneering research in this area,” says Jean-François Jeanne, Substantiation Team Leader at Gnosis. “Particularly as World Osteoporosis Day approaches, Gnosis is committed to delivering this message to brand developers, practitioners, retailers, and consumers—that vitamin K2 completes the triumvirate of bone health (with calcium and vitamin D). Further, we are actively supporting more bone research, with recent efforts focused on reducing the side effects of bisphosphonates.”