Vitamin K2 May Prevent Liver Cancer

Category: Conditions of the Circulatory System , Diet and Nutrition , Dietary Supplements

A controlled trial published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (2004;292(3):358-361) demonstrated that women treated with vitamin K2 had a reduced rate of development of HCC than those taking a placebo. HCC is the most common type of liver cancer and is primarily linked to infection with hepatitis B and/or C virus.

Researchers enrolled 43 women who were admitted to a university hospital with viral hepatic cirrhosis. The women were randomly assigned to two groups: one receiving 45mg per day of vitamin K2 and the other received placebo. During the course of the trial follow-up, only 2 of the 21 patients receiving vitamin K therapy developed HCC, while 9 of the 19 women not taking vitamin K2 were diagnosed with HCC. The authors explain that vitamin K plays a role in controlling cell growth and therefore may delay or prevent the onset of liver cancer.

Further studies using larger patient samples are required to confirm these results. At this point it appears vitamin K2 is a promising anti-carcinogenic agent in women with viral cirrhosis. Vitamin K2 is also known as menaquinone. It is produced in the intestines by bacterial action. Vitamin K1, or phylloquinone, is the type of vitamin K found in food.

Posted by Kristopher Foster on July 24, 2013 11:00 AM