Gnosis by Lesaffre has highlighted a review paper, recently published in Children, that documents vitamin K2s role in various physiological processes and its safe history of use. The paper argues children express the greatest need for K2 supplementation. 

The paper, "The Impact of Vitamin K2 (Menaquinones) in Childrens Health and Disease: A Review of the Literature ", presents data highlighting the differences between vitamins K1 and K2, as well as K2 as menaquinone-4 (MK-4) and as MK-7; factors contributing to the prevalence of K deficiency; and how child populations can benefit from correcting this deficiency. 

Dr Katarzyna Maresz, President of the International Science and Health Foundation, and co-author to this paper said: "Vitamin K2 activates K-dependent proteins that support many biological functions, including bone mineralisation, the inhibition of vascular stiffness, the improvement of endothelial function, the maintenance of strong teeth, brain development, joint health, and optimal body weight. 

"Due to the transformation of food habits in developed countries over the last five decades, vitamin K and, specifically, vitamin K2 intakes among parents and their offspring have decreased significantly, resulting in serious health implications. The therapeutics used in paediatric practice (antibiotics and glucocorticoids) are also to blame for this situation." 

Dr Maresz teamed with a nutritionist colleague at Jagiellonian University Medical College to complete the review, in which they discussed if K2 as MK-7 supplementation is worth considering for expectant mothers. "The lack of adverse effects of MK-7 makes it the ideal choice for supplementation by pregnant and nursing women and children, both healthy and suffering from various malabsorptions and health disorders, such as dyslipidemia, diabetes, thalassemia major (TM), cystic fibrosis (CF), inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), and chronic liver diseases," the authors said. 

"As we continue our pursuit of a K2-specific Recommended Daily Intake (RDI), this review serves as a substantial argument," says Dr Hogne Vik, CMO with Gnosis by Lesaffre. "Particularly as it illustrates the overwhelming impact K2 deficiency has on child populations, and it illustrates how parents deficiencies feed into the state of their childrens health. We have stressed for more than a decade the impact that Vitamin K2 can have on childrens health. As thrilling as it was to see the first child-specific formulas featuring MenaQ7 K2 hit the market a few years ago, we have so much more to do to improve the health of our children.”