Steady-state vitamin K2 (menaquinone-7) plasma concentrations after intake of dairy products and soft gel capsules.

BACKGROUND: In a previous human intervention study, we observed an improved vitamin K status after 8 weeks of intake of a yogurt that was fortified with vitamin K2 (as menaquinone-7, MK-7) and enriched with vitamins C and D3, magnesium and polyunsaturated fatty acids. It was hypothesized that the added nutrients contributed to this improvement. Here we report on a study in which we compared the fasting plasma concentrations of MK-7 from (a) yogurt enriched with MK-7, vitamins D3 and C, magnesium, n-3 poly unsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) and fish oil (yogurt Kplus), (b) yogurt fortified with MK-7 only (yogurt K) and (c) soft gel capsules containing only MK-7. SUBJECTS/METHODS: For 42 days, healthy men and postmenopausal women between 45 and 65 years of age daily consumed either yogurt K, yogurt Kplus or capsules. Circulating MK-7, 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) and markers for vitamin K status (uncarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC) and desphospho-uncarboxylated matrix Gla-protein (dp-ucMGP)) were assessed. Plasma MK-7 was also measured during the washout period of 2 weeks. MK-7 and dp-ucMGP were measured in citrated plasma, and 25(OH)D3 and ucOC were measured in the serum. RESULTS: The increase in plasma MK-7 with the yogurt Kplus product was more pronounced than the increase in MK-7 with the capsules. Circulating dp-ucMGP and ucOC were significantly lowered after consumption of the yogurt products and the MK-7 capsules, reflecting vitamin K status improvement. No significant differences in fasting plasma concentrations of various biomarkers between the yogurts were found. CONCLUSIONS: Dairy matrix and nutrient composition may affect MK-7 delivery and improvement of vitamin K status. Yogurt fortified with MK-7 is a suitable matrix to improve the nutritional status of the fat-soluble vitamins.

Vitamin K Status Is not Associated with Cognitive Decline in Middle Aged Adults.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine the association between dephospho-uncarboxylated matrix Gla protein (dp-ucMGP), an indicator of vitamin K status, and cognitive decline, and the modifying role of 25(OH)D. DESIGN: Longitudinal study with six years follow-up. SETTING: Community based. PARTICIPANTS: 599 participants of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (aged 55-65 years). MEASUREMENTS: Information processing speed and a composite Z-score by combining three domains of cognition reflecting general cognitive functioning. RESULTS: Generalized estimating equations (GEE) showed no significant associations between dp-ucMGP and decline in general cognitive functioning. Vitamin D modified the association between dp-ucMGP and speed of information processing (p<0.05). In the group with a 25(OH)D concentration > 50 nmol/l, the highest tertile of dp-ucMGP (>406 pmol/l), which corresponds to lower vitamin K levels, was associated with 1.5 higher score on information processing speed (p=0.023) as compared to the lowest tertile of dp-ucMGP. CONCLUSION: In contrast to our hypothesis, a suboptimal vitamin K was not associated with cognitive decline in middle-aged adults.

Cross-sectional study on different characteristics of physical activity as determinants of vitamin D status; inadequate in half of the population.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Physical activity (PA) may have an impact on vitamin D status. The aim of the present study is to assess the contribution of different characteristics of PA (duration, intensity as estimated by energy expenditure, location) to vitamin D status. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The study was conducted in 1255 community-dwelling older men and women of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA). Cross-sectional relationships between PA and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations were examined. RESULTS: Total PA, both indoor and outdoor PA, expressed in kcal/d was positively associated with 25(OH)D in women (P<0.05) but not in men. The total time spent on these activities was not associated. As compared with the lowest tertile, both men and women in the highest tertile of cycling activity (≈ 6.4 min/d or 34.7 kcal/d) had a ≥ 6 nmol/l higher 25(OH)D (P<0.05). For men and women in the highest tertile of gardening (≥ 8.6 min/d or 87.6 kcal/d), these levels were 14.2 nmol/l (P<0.001) and 5.8 nmol/l 25(OH)D (P<0.05), respectively. Walking showed no association. CONCLUSIONS: Daily time spent on total PA is often included when studying the association between sum of PA and 25(OH)D, while our study showed that energy expenditure might be a better unit. Individual types of outdoor PA with a high intensity, such as gardening and cycling, were associated with 25(OH)D.

Short-term digestive tolerance of different doses of NUTRIOSE FB, a food dextrin, in adult men.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the tolerance of increasing dosages of an incompletely hydrolysed and/or incompletely absorbed food dextrin coming from wheat starch, NUTRIOSE FB, at daily levels of 10 and 15 g up to 60 and 80 g, respectively. DESIGN: A randomized, double-blind, multiple dose, placebo-controlled, combined crossover and parallel trial. SETTING: The metabolic ward of TNO Nutrition and Food Research. SUBJECTS: A total of 20 healthy men (age 31.7 +/- 9.1 y; BMI 24.5 +/- 2.9 kg/m2). INTERVENTION: One group of 10 subjects consumed on top of their diet 10, 30 and 60 g of NUTRIOSE FB or maltodextrin (placebo) daily. The other group of 10 subjects consumed 15, 45 and 80 g daily. Each dose was consumed for 7 days. RESULTS: Compared with placebo, flatulence occurred more frequently over the last 6 days on 30, 60 or 80 g/day of NUTRIOSE FB (P < 0.05). During the last 24 h, that is, days 6-7, of 60 and 80 g/day of NUTRIOSE FB, the frequency of flatulence was even higher (P < 0.05). During the last 24 h on a daily dose of 60 g NUTRIOSE FB, the frequency of defecation decreased (P < 0.05). Bloating occurred more often during the last 24 h on 80 g/day of NUTRIOSE FB (P < 0.05). None of the doses of NUTRIOSE FB resulted in diarrhoea. Compared to baseline levels, breath H2 excretion, which was only measured after a week with 10 and 15 g of NUTRIOSE FB daily, increased (P < 0.05). However, no difference in area under the curve was found. CONCLUSIONS: NUTRIOSE FB is a fermentable carbohydrate and is well tolerated up to a dose of 45 g daily. Higher daily dosages (60 and 80 g) may result in flatulence, but does not result in diarrhoea. SPONSORSHIP: TNO Nutrition and Food Research was assigned by Roquette Frères to perform the study.

Bioavailability of selenium from fish, yeast and selenate: a comparative study in humans using stable isotopes.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the bioavailability of selenium from cooked and raw fish in humans by estimating and comparing apparent absorption and retention of selenium in biosynthetically labelled fish with labelled selenate and biosynthetically labelled selenium in brewers yeast. DESIGN: The intervention study was a parallel, randomised, reference substance controlled design carried out at two different centres in Europe. SETTING: The human study was carried out at the Institute of Food Research, Norwich, UK and at TNO Nutrition and Food Research, Zeist, The Netherlands. SUBJECTS: In all, 35 male volunteers aged 18-50 y were recruited; 17 subjects were studied in Norwich (UK) and 18 in Zeist (Netherlands). All of the recruited subjects completed the study. INTERVENTIONS: Biosynthetically labelled trout fish (processed by two different methods), biosynthetically labelled brewers yeast and isotopically labelled selenate were used to estimate selenium apparent absorption and retention by quantitative analysis of stable isotope labels recovered in faeces and urine. Subjects consumed the labelled foods in four meals over two consecutive days and absorption was measured by the luminal disappearance method over 10 days. Urinary clearance of isotopic labels was measured over 7 days to enable retention to be calculated. RESULTS: Apparent absorption of selenium from fish was similar to selenate and there was no difference between the two processing methods used. However, retention of fish selenium was significantly higher than selenate (P<0.001). Apparent absorption and retention of yeast selenium was significantly different (P<0.001) from both fish selenium and selenate. CONCLUSION: Fish selenium is a highly bioavailable source of dietary selenium. Cooking did not affect selenium apparent absorption or retention from fish. Selenium from yeast is less bioavailable.