Abstract

Purpose: Vitamin K may inhibit vascular calcification, a common attribute of atherosclerotic vascular diseases (ASVDs). We examined associations between dietary vitamin K1 intakes and both subclinical atherosclerosis and ASVD events, including hospitalisations and mortality, in older women.

Methods: 1,436 community-dwelling women (mean ± SD age 75.1 ± 2.7 years) were included. Vitamin K1 intakes were calculated from a validated food frequency questionnaire at baseline (1998), utilising a region-matched vitamin K food database. Common carotid artery intima–media thickness (CCA-IMT), a measure of subclinical atherosclerosis, was measured in 2001 (n = 1,090). Differences in CCA-IMT by quartiles (Q) of vitamin K1 intake were examined using multivariate analysis of variance. Associations between vitamin K1 intakes and ASVD outcomes (hospitalisations and/or deaths), obtained from linked health records over 14.5 years, were analysed using restricted cubic splines within multivariable-adjusted Cox-proportional hazard models.

Results: Women with higher vitamin K1 intakes had a 5.6% lower mean CCA-IMT (Q4 [median 119 µg/day] compared to Q1 [median 49 µg/day], p < 0.001). Over 14.5 years, 620 (43.1%), 497 (34.6%) and 301 (20.9%) ASVD events, hospitalisations, and deaths were recorded, respectively. In multivariable-adjusted models, the highest vitamin K1 intakes (Q4, compared to Q1), were associated with lower relative hazards for ASVD events (HR 0.71 95%CI 0.55–0.92) and ASVD mortality (HR 0.57 95%CI 0.40–0.83), but not ASVD hospitalisations (HR 0.83 95%CI 0.63–1.11).

Conclusion: Vitamin K1 intakes of ~ 120 µg/day appear to be beneficial in lowering risk for subclinical and clinical ASVD in older women. These quantities can be attained by consuming vitamin K1 rich foods, such as leafy green vegetables.

Keywords

Coronary heart disease, Nutrition, Phylloquinone, Stroke, Vascular calcification

Document Type

Journal Article

Date of Publication

6-1-2025

Volume

64

Issue

4

Publication Title

European Journal of Nutrition

Publisher

Springer

School

Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute / School of Medical and Health Sciences

RAS ID

78832

Funding Information

The Perth Longitudinal Study of Ageing in Women (PLSAW) was funded by Heathway, the Western Australian Health Promotion Foundation and by project grants 254627, 303169 and 572604 from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia. MS is supported by a Royal Perth Hospital Career Advancement Fellowship (CAF 130/2020) and an Emerging Leader Fellowship from the Future Health Research and Innovation Fund, Department of Health (Western Australia). JRL is supported by a National Heart Foundation of Australia Future Leader Fellowship (ID: 102817 & 107323). LCB is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia Emerging Leadership Investigator Grant (ID: 1172987) and a National Heart Foundation of Australia Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship (ID: 102498). LZ is supported by an Emerging Leader Fellowship and an Innovation Fellowship from the Western Australian Future Health and Innovation Fund, Department of Health Western Australia. NPB is funded by a National Health and Medical Research Council Early Career Fellowship (Grant number APP1159914), Australia.

Funding received from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)

254627, 303169, 572604, 1172987, APP1159914

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Comments

Dupuy, M., Zhong, L., Radavelli-Bagatini, S., Via, J. D., Zhu, K., Blekkenhorst, L. C., ... & Sim, M. (2025). Higher vitamin K1 intakes are associated with lower subclinical atherosclerosis and lower risk for atherosclerotic vascular disease-related outcomes in older women. European Journal of Nutrition, 64. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-025-03686-x

Recommended Citation

Dupuy, M., Zhong, L., Radavelli-Bagatini, S., Via, J. D., Zhu, K., Blekkenhorst, L. C., ... & Sim, M. (2025). Higher vitamin K1 intakes are associated with lower subclinical atherosclerosis and lower risk for atherosclerotic vascular disease-related outcomes in older women. European Journal of Nutrition, 64. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-025-03686-x

Download

Share

 
COinS
 

Link to publisher version (DOI)

10.1007/s00394-025-03686-x