There is growing evidence that vitamin K is good for heart health

Researchers conducted a 23-year survey of data from more than 50,000 people who participated in the Danish diet, cancer and health research

The food we eat contains two types of vitamin K: vitamin K1 is mainly derived from green leafy vegetables and vegetable oils, while vitamin K2 is found in meat, eggs and fermented foods (such as cheese)

The study found that people with the highest intake of vitamin K1 were 21% less likely to be hospitalized for atherosclerosis-related cardiovascular disease

For vitamin K2, the risk of hospitalization was reduced by 14%

The risk of all types of heart disease associated with atherosclerosis is low, especially peripheral arterial disease (34%)

ECU researcher and senior author of the study, Dr.

She said: "Current vitamin K dietary guidelines are generally based only on the amount of vitamin K1 that a person should consume to ensure that their blood can clot

"However, there is increasing evidence that vitamin K intakes higher than current guidelines can further prevent the development of other diseases, such as atherosclerosis

"Although more research is needed to fully understand this process, we believe that vitamin K works by preventing calcium from accumulating in the main arteries in the body and causing vascular calcification

The first author of this study and a researcher at the University of Western Australia, Dr.

"Cardiovascular disease is still the leading cause of death in Australia, and little is known about the importance of the different vitamins found in food and their impact on heart disease, stroke and peripheral arterial disease," said Dr Bellanche

"These findings reveal the potentially important role of vitamin K in this deadly disease and emphasize the importance of a healthy diet in preventing this disease

Next research

Dr.

"The next phase of the research will include the development and improvement of databases on vitamin K2 content in foods

Dr.

In addition, an Australian database on the vitamin K content of Australian foods (such as vegemite and kangaroo) is needed

In order to meet this need, the research collaborator Dr.
Marc Sim (Marc Sim) has just completed the development of the Australian food vitamin K content database, which will be published soon
.

The paper "Vitamin K Intake and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in the Danish Diet Cancer and Health Research" was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association
.
This research is part of the ECU Nutrition Institute
.

The research was a collaboration with researchers from the University of Western Australia, Royal Perth Hospital, Herlev & Gentofte University Hospital in Denmark, and the Danish Cancer Society Research Center
.

The Nutrition Research Institute was established as the ECU Strategic Research Institute in 2020
.
Learn more about their work
.

Journal Reference :

1. Jamie W.
   Bellinge, Frederik Dalgaard, Kevin Murray, Emma Connolly, Lauren C.
   Blekkenhorst, Catherine P.
   Bondonno, Joshua R.
   Lewis, Marc Sim, Kevin D.
   Croft, Gunnar Gislason, Christian Torp‐Pedersen, Anne Tjønneland, Kim Overvad , Jonathan M.
   Hodgson, Carl Schultz, Nicola P.
   Bondonno.
   Vitamin K Intake and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in the Danish Diet Cancer and Health Study .
   Journal of the American Heart Association , 2021; DOI: 10.
   1161/JAHA.
   120.
   020551