Natto: MenaQ7 PURE Vitamin K2 shown to Protect Cardiovascular Muscle Damage Against Calcification in New study

OSLO, NORWAY and METUCHEN, NJ (September 3, 2015) – Nutrients, an international,
peer-reviewed journal for studies related to Human Nutrition, has approved for
publication in September 2015 a new study showing the protective effect
inhibiting muscle damage from calcification of Vitamin K2 as MK-7 (menaquinone
-7; MenaQ7® PURE provided by NattoPharma) supplementation on cardiovascular
calcification.
The study, “High-Dose Menaquinone-7 Supplementation Reduces Cardiovascular
Calcification in a Murine Model of Extraosseous Calcification,” is significant
because it adds to the substantial body of evidence demonstrating the
cardiovascular benefits of Vitamin K2 as MK-7, lending further understanding to
the mechanism by which it inhibits calcification damage to cardiovascular
muscle.

“Cardiovascular calcification is prevalent in the aging population and in
patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetes mellitus, giving rise to
substantial morbidity and mortality,” says Dr. Leon Schurgers, associate
professor and senior scientist at the department of biochemistry, the
Cardiovascular Research Institute CARIM of University of Maastricht (The
Netherlands), and lead researcher on the study. “The aim of this study was to
evaluate the impact of high-dose MK-7 supplementation on the development of
cardiovascular calcification and the impact on cardiovascular function in a
murine model of chronic kidney disease characterized by extraosseous
calcification.”

As it is well documented that kidney disease patients frequently suffer
cardiovascular complications like calcification of the aorta and coronary
arteries, the scientists applied an in-vivo rat model system for kidney disease.

The animals were divided into four groups: Two control groups with intact
kidneys and on standard diet with respect to content of Phosphate and Calcium ±
supplementation with 100µg Vitamin K2 as MK-7 (MenaQ7® PURE from NattoPharma)/g;
and two treatment groups where 5/6 of their kidneys were removed (mimicking
kidney patients) receiving a diet with high content of both Phosphate and
Calcium ± supplementation with 100µg MK-7/g.

After 12 weeks, the animals were examined for calcification of the aorta, the
myocardium, and in kidneys, as well as for certain other changes in the tissues.
Using a sensitive technique for arterial calcification (atomic absorption
spectroscopy), this study shows that high-dose MK-7 inhibits calcification in
aorta and in the myocardium – parts of the arterial bed most often affected in
kidney patients. MK-7 also normalized the kidney disease-induced high serum
phosphate level.

Interestingly, a 10-fold increase in matrix Gla protein (MGP) gene expression in
the MK-7 supplemented animals was recorded. According to the authors, this is
the first time that MK-7 has been shown to affect the synthesis of MGP in the
vascular wall – and not only locally in the arterial wall. This indicates an
increased amount of MGP available for activation to inhibit calcification.

The researchers stated that MK-7 supplementation inhibited cardiovascular
calcification and decreased aortic alkaline phosphate tissue concentrations. The
effect of MK-7 was – at least in part – mediated via MGP and subsequent
inhibition of ectopic calcification. Since vitamin K has no reported side
effects, it seems a promising therapeutic agent for CKD patients, the
researchers concluded.

“NattoPharma has enjoyed a long-standing R&D program with the University of
Maastricht and CARIM with the specific goal of understanding and validating the
benefits of Vitamin K2 as MK-7 for human health,” says Hogne Vik, NattoPharma
CEO. “This study is monumental because it shows that our MenaQ7 Vitamin K2
protected smooth muscle cells from calcification. Being able to provide the
researchers with our new nature-identical MenaQ7 PURE to add to our growing body
of clinical validation marks a true milestone for us.”

To view the new study in Nutrients, visit http://www.mdpi.com/2072
-6643/7/8/5318s.

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About MenaQ7®

MenaQ7® is the best documented, commercially available vitamin K2 as MK-7 with
guaranteed actives and stability, clinical substantiation, and international
patents granted and pending. MenaQ7® is available in two varieties: natural
vitamin K2 as MK-7 Crystals and nature-identical synthetic vitamin K2 as MK-7
PURE. For more information on the health benefits of MenaQ7, visit menaq7.com.

About NattoPharma

NattoPharma ASA, based in Norway, is the world’s leader in vitamin K2 research
and development. NattoPharma is the exclusive international supplier of MenaQ7®
Vitamin K2 as MK-7, and has a multi-year research and development program to
substantiate and discover the health benefits of vitamin K2 for applications in
the marketplace for functional food and dietary supplements. With a global
presence, the company established its North American subsidiary, NattoPahrma
USA, Inc., in Meuchen, NJ. For more information, visit nattopharma.com.

For more information, please contact:

Hogne Vik, CEO NattoPharma
Cell phone: +47 97 53 53 26
E-mail: hogne.vik@nattopharma.com

Kate Quackenbush, Director of Communications
NattoPharma USA, Inc.
Phone: 609-643-0749
E-mail: kate.quackenbush@nattopharma.com