AOR™ Sponsors Osteoporosis Research

AOR™ is sponsoring a study that is examining the efficacy of vitamin K for the prevention of osteoporotic fractures: "Vitamin K, VKORC1 Polymorphisms, and Osteoporotic Fractures." This is a randomized pilot study conducted in St. Louis, Missouri looking into the effectiveness of Vitamin K2 for the prevention of osteoporotic fractures in high-risk populations. The study will use vitamin K2 (menatetrenone) supplied by AOR™ and will focus on two specific groups: (1) osteoporotic women at high risk of fractures and (2) patients at risk for vitamin K malabsorption.

Previous studies have shown that vitamin K is directly involved in bone metabolism. In bone cultures, vitamin K inhibits bone resorption, prevents osteoclast formation and increases mineralization. In steroid-treated animals, vitamin K prevents bone loss. Furthermore, lower vitamin K levels have been reported in patients with bone fractures. Preliminary comparative studies have shown that antiresorptive drugs such as etidronate and menatetrenone (vitamin K2) may have similar abilities at reducing vertebral fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Additionally, treatment with menatetrenone has fewer side effects than bisphosphonate drugs currently used for the treatment of osteoporosis.

For more information about menatetrenone see: Peak K2.