title: Steady-state vitamin K2 (menaquinone-7) plasma concentrations after intake of dairy products and soft gel capsules.
abstract: In a previous human intervention study, we observed an improved vitamin K status after 8 weeks of intake of a yogurt that was fortified with vitamin K2 (as menaquinone-7, MK-7) and enriched with vitamins C and D3, magnesium and polyunsaturated fatty acids. It was hypothesized that the added nutrients contributed to this improvement. Here we report on a study in which we compared the fasting plasma concentrations of MK-7 from (a) yogurt enriched with MK-7, vitamins D3 and C, magnesium, n-3 poly unsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) and fish oil (yogurt Kplus), (b) yogurt fortified with MK-7 only (yogurt K) and (c) soft gel capsules containing only MK-7.
  
  
  
  For 42 days, healthy men and postmenopausal women between 45 and 65 years of age daily consumed either yogurt K, yogurt Kplus or capsules. Circulating MK-7, 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) and markers for vitamin K status (uncarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC) and desphospho-uncarboxylated matrix Gla-protein (dp-ucMGP)) were assessed. Plasma MK-7 was also measured during the washout period of 2 weeks. MK-7 and dp-ucMGP were measured in citrated plasma, and 25(OH)D3 and ucOC were measured in the serum.
  
  
  
  The increase in plasma MK-7 with the yogurt Kplus product was more pronounced than the increase in MK-7 with the capsules. Circulating dp-ucMGP and ucOC were significantly lowered after consumption of the yogurt products and the MK-7 capsules, reflecting vitamin K status improvement. No significant differences in fasting plasma concentrations of various biomarkers between the yogurts were found.
  
  
  
  Dairy matrix and nutrient composition may affect MK-7 delivery and improvement of vitamin K status. Yogurt fortified with MK-7 is a suitable matrix to improve the nutritional status of the fat-soluble vitamins.
authors.affiliation: R&D Group VitaK, Biopartner Center Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M H J
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Knapen
authors.affiliation: R&D Group VitaK, Biopartner Center Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: L A J L M
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Braam
authors.affiliation: R&D Group VitaK, Biopartner Center Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Teunissen
authors.affiliation: R&D Group VitaK, Biopartner Center Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Van't Hoofd
authors.affiliation: FrieslandCampina, Amersfoort, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: R M L
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Zwijsen
authors.affiliation: FrieslandCampina, Amersfoort, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: E G H M
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: van den Heuvel
authors.affiliation: R&D Group VitaK, Biopartner Center Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vermeer
mesh_terms: D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D001682:Biological Availability; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood; D002214:Capsules; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000494:pharmacology; D003611:Dairy Products; D004032:Diet; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000097:blood; D005215:Fasting; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000097:blood; D017698:Postmenopause; D012016:Reference Values; D024482:Vitamin K 2 / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D015014:Yogurt; D000097568:Matrix Gla Protein
chemical_list: D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D002214:Capsules; D002762:Cholecalciferol; D004041:Dietary Fats; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D008274:Magnesium; D018977:Micronutrients; D015675:Osteocalcin; D024482:Vitamin K 2; D000097568:Matrix Gla Protein; C062629:menaquinone 7