Effect of food composition on vitamin K absorption in human volunteers

Abstract

The human vitamin K requirement is not known precisely, but the minimal requirement is often assumed to be between 0.5 and 1 x g/kg body weight. In the present study we addressed the question to what extent circulating vitamin K concentrations are influenced by the form in which the vitamer is consumed.The experimental group consisted of five healthy volunteers who received phylloquinone after an overnight fast. On the first day of three successive weeks the participants consumed 1 mg (22 pmol) phylloquinone, either in the form of a pharmaceutical preparation (Konakion"), or in the form of spinach + butter, or as spinach without added fat. Circulating phylloquinone levels after spinach with and without butter were substantially lower (75-and 24.3-fold respectively) than those after taking the pharmaceutical concentrate. Moreover, the absorption of phylloquinone from the vegetables was 1.5 times slower than from Konakion. In a second experiment in the same five volunteers it was shown that relatively high amounts of menaquinone-4 enter the circulation after the consumption of butter enriched with this vitamer. It is concluded that the bioavailability of membrane-bound phylloquinone is extremely poor and may depend on other food components, notably fat. The bioavailability of dietary vitamin K (phylloquinone + menaquinones) is lower than generally assumed, and depends on the form in which the vitamin is ingested. These new insights may lead to a revision of the recommended daily intake for vitamin K.

Dietary acid–base balance and intake of bone-related nutrients in Cambridge teenagers

“…is better absorbed than that from vegetables (Gijsbers et al, 1996;Booth et al, 1999). A wide range of acid-base balance values were found using both the Remer and Frassetto methods, that is, NAE ind and protein/potassium ratio, respectively.…”

Effect of vitamin K intake on the stability of oral anticoagulant treatment: dose-response relationships in healthy subjects

“…47 However, bioavailability of vitamin K 1 from spinach is only about 5% to 15% of that from pure vitamin preparations. 48,40 This low and variable absorption of vitamin K from vegetables needs to be taken into account when interpreting their likely affect on the INR.…”

A stable isotope method for the simultaneous measurement of vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) kinetics and absorption

“…There have been several studies to measure relative availability from measurements of the area under the plasma response curve following oral doses from a variety of sources, including some designated as standards such as Konakion (Gijsbers et al, 1996;Booth et al, 1999;Garber et al, 1999;Booth et al, 2002), but the results are difficult to compare because a variety of doses, ranging from those typical of a high daily intake but fed in a single meal, to quantities at least an order of magnitude higher, have been used and experimental duration has varied from hours to days. It is possible, however, to make a general conclusion that for some meal types vitamin K 1 absorption is very poor, and that absorption of vitamin K 1 from vegetables is lower than absorption from a standard form (Gijsbers et al, 1996;Garber et al, 1999;Schurgers and Vermeer, 2000;Booth et al, 2002).…”

“…It is possible, however, to make a general conclusion that for some meal types vitamin K 1 absorption is very poor, and that absorption of vitamin K 1 from vegetables is lower than absorption from a standard form (Gijsbers et al, 1996;Garber et al, 1999;Schurgers and Vermeer, 2000;Booth et al, 2002).…”