Does menaquinone-7 supplementation decrease vascular calcification in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease?
menaquinone-7, a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (Am J Clin Nutr 2019, PMID 31387121) — after 6 months, TBR tended to increase in the MK-7 group compared with placebo (0.25; P = 0.06), though not significantly. Follow-up ran 6 months. Further research is needed to interpret 18F-NaF PET activity.
Source: Am J Clin Nutr 2019, PMID 31387121 ↗ · Research map · How Magellan grades evidence · evidence confidence: high
Am J Clin Nutr · 2019 · PMID 31387121 · DOI 10.1093/ajcn/nqz147
Menaquinone-7 supplementation did not reduce vascular calcification in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and may have slightly increased active calcification.
The question
Does menaquinone-7 supplementation decrease vascular calcification in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease?
What they tested
Menaquinone-7 supplementation, compared to placebo, will decrease vascular calcification in people with type 2 diabetes and known cardiovascular disease.
How they did it
This was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Participants with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease were assigned to receive either 360 µg/d menaquinone-7 (MK-7) or placebo for 6 months. Femoral arterial calcification was measured at baseline and 6 months using 18F-NaF PET scans (target-to-background ratios, TBRs) for active calcification and conventional CT scans for calcification mass. Dephosphorylated-uncarboxylated matrix Gla protein (dp-ucMGP) concentrations were also measured.
What they found
35 patients were assigned to the MK-7 group (33 completed) and 33 to the placebo group (27 completed). After 6 months, TBR tended to increase in the MK-7 group compared with placebo (0.25; P = 0.06), though not significantly. Log-transformed CT calcification mass did not increase in the intervention group compared with placebo (0.50; P = 0.18). MK-7 supplementation significantly reduced dp-ucMGP compared with placebo (-205.6 pmol/L). No adverse events were reported.
What it means
Menaquinone-7 supplementation tended to increase active calcification as measured by 18F-NaF PET activity, but had no effect on conventional CT calcification. Further research is needed to interpret 18F-NaF PET activity.
Limitations
The study found a non-significant trend towards increased active calcification with MK-7, and the interpretation of 18F-NaF PET activity requires further investigation.
The paper at a glance
| Title | The effect of menaquinone-7 supplementation on vascular calcification in patients with diabetes: a randomized controlled trial |
|---|---|
| Journal | Am J Clin Nutr |
| Year | 2019 |
| PMID | 31387121 ↗ |
| DOI | 10.1093/ajcn/nqz147 ↗ |
| Topic | Metabolic health, glucose & body composition |
Read the source: PubMed record (authors, abstract, full citation) ↗ · Publisher via doi.org ↗
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Vitamin K2 (MK-7)
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…
Vitamin K2 (menaquinone) is a fat-soluble vitamin obtained from fermented foods such as natto and some…
Research describes the compound or intervention studied. It is not a claim about any specific product.
Molecules & mechanisms in this paper
Each of these is named in the paper’s own words above. Open the monograph for the full mechanism and its other citations.
Cite this page
These citations point at this summary. To cite the original paper with its full author list, use the PubMed record or doi.org.
Magellan Longevity. (2026). Does menaquinone-7 supplementation decrease vascular calcification in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease? [Plain-English summary of Am J Clin Nutr 2019, PMID 31387121, DOI 10.1093/ajcn/nqz147]. Magellan Longevity. https://magellanlongevity.com/study/d31387121.html@misc{magellan_d31387121,
title = {Does menaquinone-7 supplementation decrease vascular calcification in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease?},
author = {{Magellan Longevity}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://magellanlongevity.com/study/d31387121.html}},
note = {Plain-English summary of PubMed PMID 31387121; DOI 10.1093/ajcn/nqz147; Am J Clin Nutr 2019. Reviewed by Gabriel Radu, DO},
urldate = {2026-08-11}
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