Low Vitamin K Levels Associated With Greater Risk of Death in Older Adults

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found older adults with low vitamin K levels are more likely to die within 13 years compared with those with adequate levels, reports Pharmacy Times . Included in the meta-analysis were nearly 4,000 Americans between 54 and 76 years old. One-third of participants were non-white. Over about 13 years of follow-ups, researchers compared the risk of heart disease and mortality risk among participants across the categories. Those with the lowest vitamin K levels had a 19 percent higher mortality risk compared with those with adequate vitamin K levels, but no significant association was observed between heart disease and vitamin K levels. "Similar to when a rubber band dries out and loses its elasticity, when veins and arteries are calcified, blood pumps less efficiently, causing a variety of complications," said Tufts Medical Center's Daniel Weiner. "That is why measuring risk of death, in a study such as this, may better capture the spectrum of events associated with worsening vascular health."