Phylloquinone supplements and bone turnover markers in postmenopausal women
What it found
Extra phylloquinone raised vitamin K levels in the blood of 31 postmenopausal women but did not change their bone turnover markers over six weeks.
All participants also took a daily vitamin D pill.
What they found
Studies in people
Vitamin K in blood
Taking 500 microg of phylloquinone daily raised blood levels of the vitamin compared with the placebo or the 200 microg dose. The 200 microg dose did not raise blood levels above the placebo.
Osteocalcin forms changed
More phylloquinone led to more fully formed osteocalcin and less partly formed osteocalcin in the blood. This happened in a step-by-step way as the dose went up.
Total osteocalcin rose
The 500 microg daily dose raised total osteocalcin in the blood by about 15 percent compared with the placebo. The 200 microg dose did not change it.
Bone breakdown unchanged
Urine markers that show how fast bone is breaking down stayed the same across all three doses. A blood enzyme linked to bone building was also unchanged.
Urinary Gla unchanged
A urine marker called gamma-carboxyglutamate, which reflects overall vitamin K protein use, did not change with any phylloquinone dose.
What the authors conclude
- They conclude that taking 200 or 500 microg of phylloquinone daily for six weeks improved vitamin K status in postmenopausal women.
- They note that this improvement did not lead to any changes in bone turnover markers.
- They suggest further research is needed to understand how phylloquinone affects bone density and fracture risk.
How it was done
Scientists think normal dietary amounts of phylloquinone keep blood clotting working well but might not be enough for bones. They wanted to see if taking more than usual would change blood markers linked to vitamin K and bone health.
Thirty-one postmenopausal women each took a placebo, 200 microg or 500 microg of phylloquinone daily for three separate six-week periods. Everyone also took 10 microg of vitamin D3 every day throughout the study. The researchers measured vitamin K and bone markers in blood and urine samples at the end of each period.
What it can’t tell you
- This trial lasted only six weeks per dose, so it cannot show what happens to bones over months or years.
- All participants took extra vitamin D throughout the study, so the results apply to women who are also getting that vitamin.
- The women were not given extra calcium, and the authors say the findings may only apply to those with lower calcium intakes.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Denmark
The paper
- Title
- Effect of phylloquinone supplementation on biochemical markers of vitamin K status and bone turnover in postmenopausal women
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Bügel S, Sørensen AD, Hels O, et al (2007). Effect of phylloquinone supplementation on biochemical markers of vitamin K status and bone turnover in postmenopausal women. The British journal of nutrition. doi:10.1017/S000711450715460XFree full textPubMed 17298708DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error