Vitamin K2 and coronary calcification
In this investigation
I planned to buy vitamin D. I have not reported taking it or K2. The vitamin K guide keeps that plan separate from my unquantified food menaquinones and explains the earlier bone and valve studies.
VitaK-CAC: a positive imaging result with important nulls
This 2026 trial randomized 180 patients with symptomatic coronary disease and calcium scores of 50–400; 167 had baseline data after postrandomization exclusions. They received 360 µg MK-7 daily or placebo for two years. Coronary calcium-score growth was lower with MK-7 in the primary analysis. However, the proportions with rapid progression, worsening narrowing and plaque-category changes did not differ significantly. Total plaque volume was not measured. The paper’s participant-flow arithmetic is inconsistent. VitaK-CAC original report, original protocol.
These scans did not establish fewer heart attacks, better survival or more stable plaques. The Dutch Heart Foundation funded the trial; a manufacturer supplied tablets, with no funder role reported. An author disclosed related company grants and shares outside this work. The studied patients differ from a young prevention population.
DANCODE: the combination improved its primary scan endpoint
The August 2026 DANCODE report randomized 400 people, analyzing 398, with a median age of 71 and substantial coronary calcification. It tested 720 µg MK-7 plus 25 µg D3 daily, versus placebo for two years. Calcium-score progression was 52 Agatston units lower, 95% CI 24–79. Among 143 with baseline scores below 1,000 and usable angiography, calcified-plaque growth was lower; total plaque-volume progression was similar and noncalcified-plaque differences were nonsignificant. This combination cannot isolate K2’s effect. Original outcome abstract.
The complete outcome methods and disclosures were inaccessible. The original protocol and current registry identify overall calcium progression as primary and clinical events as secondary; they establish plans, rather than actual execution. The protocol disclosed free manufacturer tablets, without establishing the final report’s funding. The abstract does not establish event prevention.
AVADEC: a secondary analysis is not a new randomized trial
A 2023 coronary analysis selected 304 men from the same AVADEC cohort as the guide’s earlier valve trial. MK-7 plus D did not significantly reduce overall coronary calcium progression: 203 versus 254 units, P=.089. A higher-calcium subgroup and a small safety-event comparison were nominally positive amid multiple analyses. Only 86 had usable paired plaque scans; no significant plaque-volume advantage was established. These were hypothesis-generating findings, rather than independent randomized replication or convincing event prevention. Foundations and a regional research council funded the study, with free manufacturer tablets and no funder role reported; an author disclosed a vitamin K safety-panel role. Original secondary report.
What changes for my plan
These results justify updating the research account. They do not establish that automatically adding K2 to my planned vitamin D prevents an event in me.