Vitamin K2 in multiple sclerosis patients (Lasemi et al.)

Austrian researchers recognize that Vitamin K2 is essential for a number of physiological functions, although the full spectrum of activity has not yet been elucidated. But due to its role in protection of mitochondrial damage, they examined how K2 could be relevant in preventing disease progress in multiple sclerosis (MS) in a new paper published in Wiener klinische Wochenschrift  (The Central European Journal of Medicine).

Researchers measured K2 serum levels by the double antibody sandwich Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) technique in MS patients and age and sex matched controls, both under vitamin D supplementation, and related it to disease characteristics and treatment.

Overall, 45 MS patients (31 females and 39 of the relapsing-remitting type) and 29 healthy controls (19 females) were included in the analysis. The MS patients

had vastly lower Vitamin K2 blood levels than controls (235± 100ng/ml vs. 812± 154ng/ml, respectively). Female patients had significantly lower K2 levels than males and a decrease with age by approximately 10% per decade was found. The VK2 levels were lower with increasing numbers of attacks per year and were higher in patients with optic nerve lesions. No consistent relationship with medications was detected.

The substantially lower levels of Vitamin K2 in MS patients could be due to depletion, lower production in the gut, diminished absorption or, less likely, reduced intake of precursor vitamin K1. The role of K2 in MS development and progress deserves further study.

Reference:

Lasemi R et al. “Vitamin K2 in multiple sclerosis patients.” Wien Klin Wochenschr. 2018 Mar 2. doi: 10.1007/s00508-018-1328-x. [Epub ahead of print]

 

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