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Stakeholder Panel on Dietary
Supplements
Background and Fitness for Purpose for
Vitamin K1 and K2
Inger Reidun F. Aukrust, PhD
Kappa Bioscience
AOAC meeting Dallas, TX
16.September 2016
Background on Vitamin K
“Vitamin K”, the generic name for a family of compounds with a common chemical
structure of 2-methyl-1,4-naphtoquinon, is a fat-soluble vitamin.
Two Primary groups:
▪
Vitamin K1
(phylloquinone, defined as the sum of
cis
and
trans
isomers)
▪
Vitamin K2
(the menaquinone series, MK4 through MK14). MK4 and MK7 are the
most well-studied menaquinones. Defined as all-
trans
K2-MK4 and all-
trans
K2-
MK7.
▪
MK7 is produced synthetically or via a fermentation process
▪
In fermented produced MK7 there will be small amount of MK6.