Association Between Vitamin K and the Metabolic Syndrome: A 10-Year Follow-Up Study in Adults
Veerle Dam The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 2015 Volume 100, Issue 6
The Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of metabolic abnormalities and is associated with increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Phylloquinone, menaquinones, and vitamin K status are associated with several components of MetS, but the association with MetS has hardly been studied to date.
Objective:
This study aimed to examine whether the intake and/or status of vitamin K is associated with MetS and its components.
Design:
This study comprised two cohorts, one of 402 women and one of 400 men (age 40–80 y). At followup 625 participants were still alive and willing to participate. Data were analyzed both cross sectionally and longitudinally with Poisson and linear regression adjusted for multiple confounders. Baseline phylloquinone/menaquinone intakes were measured with a validated food frequency questionnaire and vitamin K status with serum desphospho-uncarborxylated matrix-Gla protein level.
Results:
At baseline 270 (34.5%) participants had MetS and 171 (35.7%) at followup. Cross sectionally, high menaquinones intakes were associated (Ptrend = .08) with a lower prevalence of MetS with a prevalence ratio (PR) of 0.74 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.54–1.03) for the highest vs the lowest tertile. At followup, the highest tertiles of menaquinones intake (PR = 0.62; 95% CI, 0.40–0.95) and vitamin K status (PR = 0.57; 95% CI, 0.38–0.87) were associated (Ptrend = .01) with a lower occurrence of MetS. These associations were mainly driven by relations with lower triacylglycerol concentrations for menaquinones and lower waist circumference for vitamin K status. Phylloquinone intake was not associated with MetS prevalence.
Conclusions:
This study shows that a high intake of menaquinones and high vitamin K status are associated with a lower occurrence of MetS.