Vitamin K2 and Arterial Calcification: What the Rotterdam Study Found

The Rotterdam Study, a prospective cohort that followed nearly five thousand adults for a median of seven to ten years, found that the highest dietary intake of vitamin K2 was associated with a fifty-seven percent lower risk of dying from coronary heart disease and a fifty-two percent lower risk of severe aortic calcification, compared to the lowest intake group. The Rotterdam Study is one of the largest and longest-running population health cohorts in Europe. Launched in the Netherlands in 1990, it has tracked thousands of adults in the Ommoord district of Rotterdam across decades, measuring diet, lifestyle, genetics, and health outcomes. Among its many publications, a 2004 paper in the Journal of Nutrition by Geleijnse, Vermeer, Witteman, and colleagues produced one of the most discussed findings in cardiovascular nutrition research: among nearly five thousand participants followed for a median of seven to ten years, higher dietary intake of vitamin --- Paper cited: Dietary intake of menaquinone is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease: the Rotterdam Study Authors: Geleijnse JM, Vermeer C, Grobbee DE, Schurgers LJ, Knapen MH, van der Meer IM, Hofman A, Witteman JC Journal: Journal of Nutrition Year: 2004 DOI: 10.1093/jn/134.11.3100 --- Subscribe for one peer-reviewed paper made practical, every Tuesday and Friday. Free guide: How to Read Your Biomarker Panel at 55+ - {{LEAD_MAGNET_URL}} --- EDUCATIONAL CONTENT - NOT MEDICAL ADVICE This video is for general educational and informational purposes only. It summarizes peer-reviewed research. It does NOT constitute: - Medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment - Recommendations to start, stop, or change any medication - Dosing instructions for supplements or interventions - A substitute for consultation with a licensed physician Before applying anything discussed: - Talk to your physician, especially if you take prescription medications (statins, metformin, blood thinners, antihypertensives, GLP-1 agonists, etc.) - Discuss interactions, contraindications, and your individual risk profile - Get baseline biomarkers before changing your regimen if relevant Specific cautions: - Intermittent fasting: not appropriate for people with diabetes (especially Type 1), history of eating disorders, pregnancy, or underweight status without medical supervision. - Strength/Zone-2 training: medical clearance recommended for cardiovascular or joint conditions before initiating new training loads. - Supplements: third-party tested products preferred; verify drug interactions. AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE (FTC compliant): Some links in the description may be affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. We only feature products and tools relevant to the research discussed. AI-ASSISTED PRODUCTION: Voice narration is generated via Edge TTS (Microsoft Neural Voice). Research, scriptwriting, and review are conducted by a human editor before publication. Reviewed: 2026-08-26