NattoPharma

Vitamin K2 – the importance of quality and documentation

Vitamin K2 is presently the hottest and most interesting vitamin of this decade. Its function is unique among other vitamins and its beneficial effects on health have clearly been documented. Vitamin K2 has an unequivocal role as a cofactor for the enzyme gammaglutamyl carboxylase, an enzyme which activates specific glutamate amino acids within certain proteins, the so-called ‘Gla-proteins’- especially osteocalcin in bones and matrix-gla protein in vascular smooth muscle cells. In the absence of vitamin K2 uncarboxylated species of Gla-proteins are formed, which are biologically inactive – meaning they are not correctly charged to optimally bind calcium. Lack of sufficient amounts of vitamin K2 strongly influences how the body tackles calcium. Bones get depleted of calcium while arteries and cartilage become calcified.

The relationship between Vitamin K2 and this calcium paradox has become evident through numerous international scientific publications; publications which should be the basis for serious product development and marketing. However, as there is a strong interest in vitamin K, many commercial products with varying quality and documentation are being launched in the marketplace. Many are still not aware of that vitamin K is not only a vitamin, but a group of related molecules with differentiated biological properties. Choosing the wrong vitamin could lead to doubts about the effects of vitamin K2 and frustrations among not only end consumers but also distributors. Realizing that health conditions implying imbalances in calcium deposits in the body affect large groups of people, benefits of vitamin K2 supplementation should not be jeopardized by low quality products or unserious marketing.

What to look for when choosing vitamin K2 product

There are several issues in the marketplace that are important for your choice of vitamin K product. First of all one has to be aware of the various forms and qualities of vitamin K products that appear. Make sure you know the difference between Vitamin K1 and vitamin K2. Vitamin K1 is chemically known as phylloquinone. Hence, Vitamin K1 is only one molecule, not a group of molecules. K1 has a very short half life in humans, meaning that it is quickly excreted. Compared to vitamin K dependent calcium metabolism this property obviously disfavours K1. Vitamin K2 is a group of molecules called menaquinones. The various forms of K2 are differentiated by the number of isoprene units attached to the molecules ring structure. The isoprene tail of the molecule is important for its properties like bioavailability and bio-effect, and close attention should be paid to these properties if you want to have an effective product.

Secondly, regardless whether a vitamin is being used in food supplements or in foods, you have to prove various quality aspects of your product. During 2007 this is no longer only a marketing issue among competitors but legally expressed by national as well as international authorities. In EU this is manifested both in new legislation for fortified food and so in the new "Nutritional and Health Claim Regulations", while FDA recently announced new standards (an 800-page rule) for supplements.

The new legislation intends to protect consumers by increasing requirements for quality and documentation as basis for serious marketing. For companies this implies they need to look for quality products which pass certain requirements for documentation and other quality standards. Serious actors in the market do require extensive technical product information, quality assurances and quality control systems as well as advanced marketing materials.