Vitamin K2 (MK-7), graded Moderate-evidence on Magellan — MK-7 reliably improves vitamin K-status markers, and one 3-year RCT found modestly better arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women; but the large hard-endpoint trials on aortic-valve calcification and bone density were negative. No numeric effect size is reported for Vitamin K2 (MK-7) in Magellan's graded summary.
Source: Circulation 2022, PMID 35465686 ↗ · Nutraceuticals & Cellular Energizers · How Magellan grades evidence · Study write-up · evidence confidence: low
Vitamin K2 (menaquinone) is a fat-soluble vitamin obtained from fermented foods such as natto and some cheeses and synthesized by gut bacteria; MK-7 (menaquinone-7) is a long-chain menaquinone valued for its high bioavailability and long circulating half-life. It functions as an essential cofactor for the enzyme that γ-carboxylates vitamin K-dependent proteins, including matrix Gla-protein (MGP) in the arterial wall and osteocalcin in bone. In its carboxylated (activated) form, MGP is one of the body's most potent natural inhibitors of vascular calcification, while carboxylated osteocalcin helps incorporate calcium into the bone matrix.
In humans, MK-7 supplementation consistently improves vitamin K-status biomarkers — lowering circulating dephospho-uncarboxylated MGP by about half and markedly reducing undercarboxylated osteocalcin — and one well-run three-year randomized trial in healthy postmenopausal women found modestly improved arterial stiffness, greatest in women with stiff arteries at baseline. The evidence is not uniform: large randomized trials found no effect on aortic-valve calcification progression and no effect on bone mineral density or microarchitecture in postmenopausal women with osteopenia, effects on hard cardiovascular outcomes remain unproven with pivotal trials still underway, and supportive mortality data come from observational cohorts that cannot establish causation. Meta-analyses of randomized trials do support a role for vitamin K2 in postmenopausal osteoporosis outcomes, and a 2025 meta-analysis reports modest improvements in some glycemic and lipid measures, though trial quality and heterogeneity are concerns. This evidence describes the vitamin K2/MK-7 compound and its protein-carboxylation mechanism rather than this specific commercial product.
Peer-reviewed studies on the active compound — citations link to PubMed.
“a cofactor for the carboxylation of proteins involved in inhibition of arterial calcification”
“MK-7 supplementation significantly reduced dp-ucMGP compared with placebo”
“vitamin K supplementation prevented progression of arterial stiffness compared with placebo”
“The findings of this study suggest that supplementation with MK-7 for 2 years may slow calcification in noncalcified plaques of patients with symptomatic CAD. The clinical significance of this finding in terms of plaque stability remains to be determined.”
“In conclusion, long-term use of MK-7 supplements improves arterial stiffness in healthy postmenopausal women, especially in women having a high arterial stiffness.”
“Vitamin K supplements provided a beneficial impact in lowering the rate of arterial stiffness progression in chronic hemodialysis patients with diabetes.”
Research describes the active mechanism and is not a claim about this specific product.
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Yes — its active compound is linked to 20 peer-reviewed studies, summarized and cited above.
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