Vitamin K1 and Reduced Diabetes Risk?

Academic researchers from Spain have new data supporting a potential link between dietary vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) and type 2 diabetes risk, according to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Because previous research on vitamin K1 suggests that the vitamin may support glucose metabolism and insulin resistance, the researchers decided to analyze dietary vitamin K1 intake in large populations over time. A cross-sectional analysis of 1925 adults from the Prevention with the Mediterranean Diet trial and longitudinal analysis of 1069 elderly subjects free of diabetes at baseline (and followed for a median of 5 years) were performed to assess any relationship between vitamin K1 intake and the development of type 2 diabetes. Vitamin K1 intake was assessed using food frequency questionnaires.

After adjusting for potential cofounders, the team observed a 17% lower risk for each additional 100 nanograms of vitamin K1 consumed each day. And subjects who increased their intake during the follow-up period stood to lower their risk of incidental diabetes by 51% compared to subjects who decreased or did not change their intake status.