At the 13th International Nutrition and Diagnostics Conference (INDC 2013) Olomouc, Czech Republic, August 26-29, 2013, Dr. Katarzyna Maresz, President of the International Science and Health Foundation (ISHF) presented a poster demonstrating that a novel property of vitamin K2 as MK-7 (MenaQ7 Crystals) prevents inflammation by inhibiting pro-inflammatory markers produced by white blood cells (monocytes).

Dr. Maresz, the lead author on the study, said, “I am pleased to announce that the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC publishing), which founded the award for the best poster presented at the INDC 2013, conferred the award to our poster on the novel findings on anti-inflammatory properties of vitamin K2. In addition, the paper from the study is prepared for publication.”

Study co-author Vladimir Badmaev MD, PhD, added, “Cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis are major age-related health conditions characterized by chronic inflammation. The nutritional insufficiency of vitamin K2, particularly menaquinone-7, emerges as one of the underlying causes of progressive deterioration of cardiovascular and bone health. Our study may provide an additional explanation on the role of inflammation and preventing inflammation with vitamin K2 as an important mechanism of this re-emerging vitamin in sustaining health and preventing disease.” 

The data yielded from this study has revealed another, compelling mechanism of action of vitamin K2 menaquinone-7 (MK-7), further illuminating its necessary role in human health and the need for populations to regularly consume this vitamin.

“The novel finding in our study, supplements our three-year clinical study showing MK-7’s ability to slow down cardiovascular aging and osteoporosis, and it should further serve as the catalyst to create the urgency of daily consumption of MK-7,” said Hogne Vik, CEO in NattoPharma. “We know that in Western populations, most people do not obtain enough due to modern diet. Our food is increasingly deficient in vitamin K2 in particular, and up to 98% of the general healthy population may be vitamin K2 insufficient with long-term detrimental impact on bone and cardiovascular health. MenaQ7 Crystals based on a new and proprietary multistep process of crystallization of fermentation-derived K2, provides up to 98% pure all-trans, stable and bioavailable source of vitamin MK-7.”