title: Vitamin K and osteoporosis: Myth or reality?
abstract: Vitamin K is a liposoluble vitamin. The predominant dietary form, phylloquinone or vitamin K1, is found in plants and green vegetables; whereas menaquinone, or vitamin K2, is endogenously synthesized by intestinal bacteria and includes several subtypes that differ in side chain length. Aside from its established role in blood clotting, several studies now support a critical function of vitamin K in improving bone health. Vitamin K is in fact required for osteocalcin carboxylation that in turn regulates bone mineral accretion; it seems to promote the transition of osteoblasts to osteocytes and also limits the process of osteoclastogenesis. Several observational and interventional studies have examined the relationship between vitamin K and bone metabolism, but findings are conflicting and unclear. This systematic review aims to investigate the impact of vitamin K (plasma levels, dietary intake, and oral supplementation) on bone health with a particular interest in bone remodeling, mineral density and fragility fractures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, 00128 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palermo
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, 00128 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: d.tuccinardi@unicampus.it.
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tuccinardi
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Polo Pontino, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: D'Onofrio
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Medical Physiopathology and Endocrinology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Mikiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, 00128 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Daria
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maggi
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, 00128 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Rita
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Maurizi
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, 00128 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Greto
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Polo Pontino, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Buzzetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, 00128 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Napoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, 00128 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pozzilli
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, 00128 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manfrini
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000209:etiology*; D014812:Vitamin K / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D014812:Vitamin K
keywords: BMD; Fracture; Osteoporosis; Vitamin K1; Vitamin K2