A new study from the Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal is helping clarify how vitamin K contributes to bone health, revealing a more detailed understanding of how the body maintains bone strength.
Researchers found that vitamin K plays a key role in balancing the activity between two types of bone cells: osteoclasts, which break down old bone tissue, and osteoblasts, which build new bone. This balance is essential for maintaining healthy, strong bones.
“Vitamin K is involved in the communication between these cells,” said professor Mathieu Ferron. “It affects proteins in osteoblasts that ultimately influence osteoclasts.”
Vitamin K, a nutrient obtained through diet, is best known for its role in blood clotting. Previous studies have suggested that deficiencies may increase fracture risk, particularly in higher-risk groups such as postmenopausal women, though the biological mechanism was not well understood.
Some research has also shown that vitamin K supplements may reduce fracture risk without significantly increasing bone density — a finding that puzzled scientists.
In laboratory experiments using genetically modified mice, the Montreal team discovered that altering a specific enzyme in bone-forming cells changed how these cells “communicate” with bone-resorbing cells. Additional tests showed that the protein influenced the number of osteoclasts produced, increasing bone breakdown when present.
Excessive bone resorption is a key factor in osteoporosis, a condition in which bone loss outpaces bone formation.
Researchers say the findings help explain how vitamin K affects bone cells and may one day lead to more targeted treatments for bone disease. The study was published in the journal Bone Research.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews