Vitamin K2 is protective in an Alzheimer's Disease model.

[NHE]

Vitamin K2 protects against aluminium chloride-mediated neurodegeneration
Inflammopharmacology. 2023 Jul 21.

Recent studies have shown that, coupled with other environmental factors, aluminium exposure may lead to neurodegeneration resulting in cognitive impairment resembling Alzheimer's disease. Menaquinone, a form of vitamin K2, aids in maintaining healthy bones and avoids coronary calcification. It also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Here, we study the neuroprotective effects of vitamin K2 (MK-7) using the animal model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aluminium chloride (AlCl3; 100 mg/kg for 3 weeks orally) was administered to Swiss albino mice to induce neurodegeneration and Vitamin K2 (100 g/kg for 3 weeks orally) was applied as treatment. This was followed by behavioural studies to determine memory changes. The behavioural observations correlated with proinflammatory, oxidative, and brain histopathological changes in AlCl3-treated animals with or without vitamin K2 treatment. AlCl3 administration led to memory decline which was partially restored in Vitamin K2 treated animals. Myeloperoxidase levels in the brain increased due to AlCl3-mediated inflammation, which Vitamin K2 prevented. The acetylcholine esterase and oxidative stress markers induced by AlCl3 were reversed by Vitamin K2. Also, Vitamin K2 helps to restore hippocampal BDNF levels and reduced the amyloid β accumulation in AlCl3-administered animals. Additionally, Vitamin K2 protected the hippocampal neurons against AlCl3-mediated damage as observed in histopathological studies. We conclude that Vitamin K2 could partially reverse AlCl3-mediated cognitive decline. It increases acetylcholine and BDNF levels while reducing oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and β-amyloid deposition, thus protecting the hippocampal neurons from AlCl3-mediated damage.

[NHE]

Vitamin K2 is also effective in reversing age related decline.

Vitamin K2 (Menaquinone-7) Reverses Age-Related Structural and Cognitive Deterioration in Naturally Aging Rats
Antioxidants (Basel). 2022 Mar 8;11(3):514.

Aging is a naturally occurring process inevitably affecting each living human. The brain is adversely affected by aging with increased risks of developing various neurological disorders. Thus, it is essential to investigate practical approaches that can counteract the impact of aging on the brain. Vitamin K2 (Vit. K2) is a naturally occurring vitamin with reported valuable therapeutic effects. The current study highlights the role of Vit. K2 administration in counteracting age-related changes in the brain using naturally aging rats. Three-month-old rats were assigned to two groups: an ageing control group receiving a drug vehicle and an ageing group orally gavaged with Vit. K2 (30 mg/kg, once daily 5 days per week). Treatment was continued for 17 months. Ten three-month-old rats were used as the adult control. Vit. K2 improved functional performance, reduced social anxiety, depressive-like behavior, and enhanced memory performance with concomitant preservation of hippocampal and cerebral cortex tyrosine hydroxylase expression. —> Biochemically, Vit. K2 administration restored oxidative-anti-oxidative homeostasis in the brain. Vit. K2 modulated inflammatory signaling, as evidenced by suppression in the brain of NLRP3, caspase-1, Il-1β, TNFα, IL-6, and CD68 expression. Concomitantly, histopathological examination revealed consistent hippocampal and cerebral cortex improvement. Thus, it can be inferred that Vit K2 can slow down age-related changes in the brain associated with modulation of NLRP3/caspase-1/Nrf-2 signaling.

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[NHE]

This review paper explains the role of Vitamin K2 in protecting against Alzheimer's Disease.

Molecular Pathways and Roles for Vitamin K2-7 as a Health-Beneficial Nutraceutical: Challenges and Opportunities
Front Pharmacol. 2022 Jun 14;13:896920.

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Figure 5: Role of vitamin K2-7 in Alzheimer’s disease. Vitamin K2-7 facilitates carboxylation of glutamate (Glu) residue present on growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6) to γ-carboxyglutamate (Gla) leading to its activation, activated Gas6 binds to AXL receptor tyrosine kinase (AXL RTK) and initiates phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B/BCL-2-associated death promoter protein (PI3K/AKT/BAD) signaling, BAD has an inhibitory effect on Caspase 3, this abrogates apoptosis and provides protection by K2-7 against β-amyloid (Aβ)-induced cytotoxicity. In cytosol, reactive oxygen species (ROS) activates Janus kinase-Signal transducer and activator of transcription protein (JAK-STAT) pathway resulting in transcription of BCL-2-associated X protein (BAX), BAX causes release of cytochrome c from mitochondria, cytochrome c leads to activation of Caspase 3 that results in apoptosis; vitamin K2-7 abrogates apoptosis by inhibiting Caspase 3.

[NHE]

I used to take K2 several years ago. I stopped for for some reason which I don’t remember. However, after reading these papers I decided to start taking it again. Here’s the K2 I’m using. The dosage is 100 ug/capsule which is physiologically active according to the above review paper.

[NHE]

I used to take K2 several years ago. I stopped for for some reason which I don’t remember. However, after reading these papers I decided to start taking it again. Here’s the K2 I’m using. The dosage is 100 ug/capsule which is physiologically active according to the above review paper.

That was almost two months ago. One thing I’ve noticed is that my blood pressure is lower.

[ElliotB]

Vitamin K has many other health benefit too. It can also be beneficial for stroke prevention, the prevention of cardiovascular disease and even help ease morning sickness. It can also protect cognitive (mental) ability.

Vitamin K is a vitamin most don't take, and likely have not even heard of it. It is definitely an important one to consider.