Vitamin K And Cognitive Decline
Considering the numerous roles of Vitamin K highlighted in the previous studies, in recent years some authors have started to investigate the potential link between cognitive impairment and vitamin K.
Whether vitamin K deficiency is associated to cognitive decline is still a matter of debate today. From the literature search, we were able to include 7 human studies and all, except one , confirmed an association between vitamin K and cognitive function among older adults .
Which Form Comes Out On Top
When looking for a K2D3 supplement, the options can be overwhelming. There are so many different brands, doses, and even methods of consumption that make it difficult to know what the right choice is.
When considering your next purchase, keep in mind that liquids often have a bad taste and can come with faulty dispensers that prevent you from using the product.
The taste of some K2D3 sprays can also leave something to be desired, and sprays tend to be on the messier side. However, capsules have minimal aftertaste and are easy to use on the go, with no worries of mess or faulty dispensers.
A New Study Conducted On Rats Finds That Vitamin K Could Protect Against Age
Vitamin K comes in two forms: vitamin K1 and vitamin K2. The study, carried out at AlMaarefa University, focussed on vitamin K2 found in animal and fermented foods and how this vitamin may improve cases of dementia.
Dementia is a syndrome associated with an ongoing decline in brain functioning. It can cause symptoms such as memory loss, reduced thinking speed and language problems such as using words incorrectly. Preventive methods for memory decline are important to support the ageing population and ward off dementia.
Vitamin K2 demonstrated a very promising impact in hindering ageing-related behavioural, functional, biochemical and histopathological changes in the senile ageing brain, said Mohamed El-Sherbiny, PhD, of AlMaarefa University in Saudi Arabia, the studys senior author. Vitamin K2 can be proposed to be a promising approach to attenuate age-related disorders and preserve cognitive functions in ageing individuals.
The findings were presented at the American Association for Anatomy annual meeting.
Also Check: Gifts For Women With Alzheimer’s
Here’s Everything You Need To Know About This Bone
Advertiser Disclosure
While vitamin D is well-known, many aren’t aware of its lesser known, yet equally important, counterpart, K2. Vitamin K2 plays an essential role in vitamin D3’s ability to build and maintain healthy bones without it, the effects of vitamin D3 decrease dramatically.
However, most K2D3 products are using the generic form of K2, resulting in a less powerful supplement. So, how can you be sure you’re getting this dynamic duo at its full potential?
We’ll show you what to look for, what to avoid, and most importantly, how to find a K2D3 supplement that helps aid in heart health while providing maximum bone support. On top of that, well reveal our picks for the top 5 K2D3 supplements available on the market today!
Vitamin K Prevents Cell Death: A New Function For A Long
A team of researchers at Tohoku University has reported on a novel function of vitamin K, which is generally known for its importance in blood clotting. The researchers discovered that the fully reduced form of vitamin K acts as an antioxidant efficiently inhibiting ferroptotic cell death. Ferroptosis is a natural form of cell death that is characterized by extensive lipid peroxidation in cellular membranes. In addition, the team identified FSP1 as the warfarin-insensitive enzyme reducing vitamin K, the identity of which had been postulated but remained unknown for more than half a century. Recently, ferroptosis has been implicated as a driver of Alzheimer’s disease and acute organ injuries among many other diseases. The findings suggest that vitamin K treatment might be a new powerful strategy to ameliorate these ferroptosis-related diseases.
Vitamin K is a potent ferroptosis suppressor
Since ferroptosis prevention is considered a highly promising approach for the therapy of many degenerative diseases, new mechanisms and compounds regulating ferroptosis are extensively being explored. To identify these new molecules, a team of researchers led by Dr Eikan Mishima and Dr Marcus Conrad , systematically studied several naturally occurring vitamins, as well as their derivatives. “Surprisingly, we identified that vitamin K, including phylloquinone and menaquinone-4 , are able to efficiently rescue cells and tissues from undergoing ferroptosis” Dr Mishima explained.
You May Like: Does Alzheimer’s Cause Loss Of Appetite
Dementia And Cognitive Impairment
Dementia can be defined as a clinical syndrome of mental capacity characterized by a substantial global decline in cognitive function that is not attributable to altered consciousness it consists of a combination of symptoms attributable to various causes or pathological events . Cognitive impairment is a definition used in this review to indicate alterations in multiple cognitive domains highlightable with standardized tests, as clinically manifest dementia is often preceded by a heterogeneous spectrum of cognitive performances .
It is difficult to find univocal data about the prevalence of cognitive impairment and other forms of dementia some studies show that the global prevalence of dementia varies among different countries, this could be related to a large number of variables including education, mean age, socioeconomic level, lack of a comparable methodology . However, it can certainly be affirmed that the two most common type of dementia in Western countries are Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia . These two forms of dementia are easily mistaken one for another due to their similarities in symptomatology, pathophysiology, and risk factors .
The mechanism underlying Alzheimer’s disease is the deposition of -amyloid peptide and the neurofibrillary tangles of the microtubule binding protein tau. In particular, A peptides are responsible for the massive neuronal death that defines the disease .
Gabbouj S Ryhnen S Marttinen M Wittrahm R Takalo M Kemppainen S Et Al Altered Insulin Signaling In Alzheimers Disease Brain Special Emphasis On Pi3k
In this review, we will discuss the most prominent molecular mechanisms related to the PI3K-Akt pathway in AD and how T2D and altered insulin signaling may affect the pathogenesis of AD.
Guss JD, Taylor E, Rouse Z, Roubert S, Higgins CH, Thomas CJ, et al. The microbial metagenome and bone tissue composition in mice with microbiome-induced reductions in bone strength. Bone. 2019 127:146154.
Herrera-Rivero M, Santarelli F, Brosseron F, Kummer MP, Heneka MT. Dysregulation of TLR5 and TAM ligands in the Alzheimers brain as contributors to disease progression. Mole Neurobiol. 2019 Sep 56:6539-6550.The hypothesis that accumulation of beta-amyloid species in the brain represents a major event in Alzheimers disease pathogenesis still prevails nevertheless, an array of additional pathological processes contributes to clinical presentation and disease progression. We sought to identify novel targets for AD within genes related to amyloid precursor protein processing, innate immune responses, and the catecholamine system. Through a series of bioinformatics analyses, we identified TLR5 and other genes involved in toll-like receptor signaling as potential AD targets. Our results underscore the role of TLR dysregulations in AD, suggesting the presence of an immunosuppressive response during moderate disease stages, and implicate TAM signaling in AD immune dysregulation.
Chauhan A., Chauhan V. Beneficial Effects of Walnuts on Cognition and Brain Health. Nutrients. 2020 12:550.
Recommended Reading: How Can You Tell If Someone Has Dementia Or Alzheimer’s
How Vegetables And Vitamin K Can Keep Your Brain A Decade Younger
Article Summary
– Studies have shown that Vitamin K, and other nutrients present in leafy greens slow the speed at which the brain ages.
– Vitamin K is not well-absorbed through supplementation the best way to add it to your diet is through vegetables high in Vitamin K.
If you havent been eating your veggies, youre going to want to start. New research shows that just eating one or two servings of leafy greens a day can significantly help brain health over time.
In a cognitive study of over 950 older participants, researchers found that individuals whom ate one or two servings of mustard greens, spinach, collards, or kale daily had the same mental ability as individuals 11 years their junior.
In a presentation at the American Society for Nutrition, the head author, Martha Morris, SC.D., stated that Vitamin K, folate, beta-carotene, and lutein were likely the nutrients responsible for the positive effects.
Previous studies have already provided evidence for the beneficial roles of folate in the form of folic acid, but this is the first study linking Vitamin K to healthier cognitive ability.
In addition to helping the blood clot, Vitamin K reduces nerve cell death by protecting nerves from harmful substances in the brain. Furthermore, the gene which often results in Alzheimers also results in a lower metabolic production of Vitamin K in the individual.
This Is Not The First Study To Suggest The Positive Effects Vitamin K Can Have For Brain Health
Previous studies have shown the benefits of vitamin K and its ability to slow cognitive decline in the aging brain, including a 2018 study of 960 older adults published in Neurology. When individuals ate one to two servings of mustard greens, spinach, collards, or kale every day, they had the same cognitive abilities as those who were 11 years younger.
Curious how this works? Science shows that vitamin K reduces nerve cell death “by protecting nerves from harmful substances in the brain,” the Alzheimer’s Organization says. Beyond that, the gene connected to the development of Alzheimer’s disease also contributes to a “lower metabolic production of vitamin K in the individual,” the organization said, and vitamin K2 may have the potential to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease or contribute to prevention, the 2021 study found.
El-Sherbiny also commented on these protective effects, telling Medical News Today, “The aging process is associated with deterioration of brain functions. Vitamin K is a natural fat-soluble vitamin protects the brain from the development of Alzheimer’s.”
You May Like: What’s The Difference Between Dementia And Al
Vitamin K2 Has Potential To Prevent And Slow Alzheimers Disease
Science publication Nutrients recently published a review analysing the mounting evidence that connects vitamin K2 to factors involved in Alzheimers disease. It concluded that Vitamin K2 has the potential to slow the progression of Alzheimers and contribute to its prevention.
In the review, Vitamin K2 Holds Promise for Alzheimers Prevention and Treatment, researchers from the Harvard Extension School and Pacific Northwest University considered the effects of vitamin K2 and its impact on neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, cognition, cardiovascular health, and comorbidities in Alzheimers.
The researchers wrote Our review is the first to consider the physiological roles of vitamin K2 in the context of Alzheimers Disease, and, given the recent shift in Alzheimers research toward nonpharmacological interventions, our findings emphasise the timeliness and need for clinical studies involving vitamin K2.
The number of people in the UK with dementia is predicted to rise up to 35% by 2025 and 146% by 2050.
The US-based National Institutes of Health notes that correcting certain dietary deficiencies can contribute to the prevention or delay of dementia caused by Alzheimers, and that what we eat affects the aging brains ability to think and remember.
WHERE TO GET YOUR VITAMIN K2
Vitamin K May Promote Brain Health
Dr. Jennifer Bramen, a senior research neuroscientist, spoke with MNT on the findings. Dr. Bramen is cautiously optimistic about the results of the study, but believes more research is needed particularly in humans.
There are many forms of vitamin K, and they all have different dietary sources, commented Dr. Bramen. MK-7 is found in fermented vegetables, and there are known benefits of eating these foods.
They are excellent for your gut microbiome, which has a well-established link to cognitive decline, Dr. Bramen continued. I would recommend incorporating these into a diet designed to promote brain health and cognition.
Dr. Bramen works at Pacific Neuroscience Institute at Providence Saint Johns Health Center in Santa Monica, CA.
Also Check: Free Dementia Training Certification Online
Vitamin K2 And Cardiovascular Health
Numerous population studies have reported that atherosclerosis, arterial calcification, and arterial stiffness increase the risk for dementia and cognitive impairment . In a population-based cohort study of 844 patients, the amount of atherosclerotic calcification was directly proportional to cognitive impairment and inversely related to brain tissue volume . Furthermore, a greater volume of calcification, as measured by a computed tomography scan, corresponded to reduced microstructural integrity of white matter. Three years later, a large population study that followed 2364 participants for five years found that atherosclerotic calcification was associated with an increased risk of developing dementia . A cohort study with 1732 participants reported a similar finding and established an association between generalized atherosclerosis and mild cognitive impairment . One study demonstrated that carotid artery calcification was associated with a higher risk of dementia, and a recent cohort study that followed 4988 middle-aged Dutch ImaLife participants over a 10-year period showed that coronary artery calcium severity was associated with cognitive decline . Additionally, aortic stiffness has been associated with an increased risk of dementia .
Vitamin K A Stepping Stone For Anti
Researchers also identified that FSP1 is the enzyme that reduces vitamin K to vitamin K hydroquinone. Because of this, it drives a novel non-canonical vitamin K cycle.
The teams research established a breakthrough in understanding the metabolism in vitamin K. They now understand the molecular mechanism of why vitamin K constitutes the antidote for overdosing of warfarin.
Our results therefore link the two worlds of ferroptosis research and vitamin K biology. They will serve as the stepping stone of the development of novel therapeutic strategies for diseases where ferroptosis has been implicated, explains Dr. Marcus Conrad, from the Institute of Metabolism and Cell Death at Helmholtz Munich. Thus, new aspects of the role of vitamin K throughout the evolution of life are expected to be unveiled.
The study is published in the journal Nature.
You May Like: How Does Alzheimer’s Get Diagnosed
Retracted: Vitamin K Deficiency And Osteopenia In Elderly Women With Alzheimers Disease
- Yoshihiro SatoCorrespondence
- Rehabilitation Medicine, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Hirosaki, JapanInstitute of Brain Science, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan
- Institute of Brain Science, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Hirosaki, JapanVascular Biology, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan
Initial Causes Vitamin K Alzheimers
There are several different causes of memory loss. Some cause this condition in the young, while others may be more gradual. If you notice that your memory is weakening, its important to consult a medical professional. Whether the cause is mental illness, age, or a combination of factors, its important to seek treatment as soon as possible. People with extensive memory loss may have social difficulties and anxiety, which can lead to depression. They may be afraid they are letting their loved ones down, which can lead to anxiety and depression. Vitamin K Alzheimers
Fortunately, there are many causes of memory loss, and many of them are treatable. However, if you are experiencing serious memory problems, you may need medical treatment. If you have been undergoing any type of medication, you should consult with your doctor. Some people have other underlying conditions that may be causing their loss of memory. Alcohol abuse, sleep deprivation, or other mental health conditions can cause memory problems. You should seek out a medical professional if you suspect youre suffering from any of these conditions.
Read Also: Assisted Living Facilities For Alzheimer Patients
> > > 1 Crazy Morning Recipe To Stop Brain Disease
Certain medications can also affect memory. A lack of sleep and an impaired thyroid function can negatively affect memory. Some of these conditions can also lead to a decreased ability to remember events. In addition to these, natural aging can affect brain function, and may lead to a slowdown in memory. Although this symptom does not necessarily mean that youre losing your memory, it could indicate a problem with your cognitive ability. If you are suffering from either, a medical evaluation is necessary to determine if youre suffering from memory loss. Vitamin K Alzheimers
In addition to aging, medications can affect memory. Certain antidepressants, anxiety medications, and sleep disorders can all affect memory. A persons mental health can also contribute to memory problems. In some cases, a persons mental state may be affected by the medication they are taking. Some untreated medical conditions can lead to deterioration of the brain and affect the ability to learn and remember. It is also important to see a medical professional if your symptoms persist even after youve stopped taking certain medications.
Vitamin K Prevents Cell Death In Connection With Alzheimers Disease
– and other types of organ damage
Vitamin K occurs naturally in different forms. The vitamin is primarily known for its role in blood coagulation, but a team of German scientists has found a new type of vitamin K. This form serves as a very particular type of antioxidant that counteracts cell death caused by a process called ferroptosis. Because ferroptosis is involved in the development of Alzheimers disease, acute organ damage, and other diseases, the researchers see a whole new potential for vitamin K in the prevention and mitigation of ferroptosis-related ailments. Earlier studies even suggest that selenium-containing antioxidants also protect against cell death caused by ferroptosis.
- Vitamin K is lipid-soluble and occurs in a variety of different forms via intricate metabolic processes
- Vitamin K is important for blood coagulation and is mainly found in cabbage and green vegetables
- Vitamin K2 counteracts atherosclerosis and osteoporosis through activation of proteins that remove calcium from the blood vessels and embed the mineral in bone tissue, instead
- We are able to synthesize vitamin K2 from vitamin K1, provided or gut flora is in good working order. Vitamin K2 is also found in fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kefir, and soft cheese
Recommended Reading: Does Jack Nicholson Have Dementia
Vitamin K Quick Facts
It is important to take in many different types of vitamins and minerals to maintain health. One vitamin that plays a role in both brain and bone health is vitamin K, which is often found in green leafy vegetables.
Professor Mohamed El-Sherbiny, the senior author of the study, spoke with Medical News Today and explained why vitamin K is important.
The aging process is associated with deterioration of brain functions, said Prof. El-Sherbiny. Vitamin K is a natural fat-soluble vitamin protects the brain from the development of Alzheimers.
Prof. El-Sherbiny is an anatomy professor at AlMaarefa University.
There is a recommended daily amount for vitamin K that varies with age, Prof. El-Sherbiny continued.
Consuming adequate amounts of vegetables and fruits is satisfactory to maintain normal vitamin K levels. However, supplements are also available to substitute for natural sources in case of inability to consume them.