P.L. Thomas & Co.

April 27, 2006
Natural vitamin K2 touts cardiovascular, bone benefits

PL Thomas & Co. Inc. has launched Natural Vitamin K2 as a newly-available proprietary extract under the trademark MenaQ7. Natural Vitamin K2 helps keep calcium in the bones and out of the arteries, providing significant potential health benefits, according to the company.

MenaQ7 provides Natural Vitamin K2 as an extract of natto, a fermented soy food from Japan. Natto is particularly rich in the highly bio-available form of vitamin K2 called menaquinone-7 (MK-7). Studies of Natto consumption in Japan have linked menaquinone-7 to greater bone health and reduction in risk factors.

Natural Vitamin K2 also may provide significant benefit to cardiovascular health due to its roles in calcium utilization and promoting matrix Gla-protein, a potent inhibitor of vascular calcification. For example, in a study published in The Journal of Nutrition with over 4,000 participants, those with the highest natural K2 consumption had a 50% reduction in risk of cardiovascular events.

"We are excited to introduce this ingredient exclusively in North America," said Paul Flowerman, president of P.L. Thomas & Co. "MenaQ7 provides K2 as menaquinone-7 with significant potential for health benefits. Also, the natural form of K2 is much more bio-available and has a longer half-life than the synthetic K2, called menatetrenone-4, that is currently available in the market."

PL Thomas entered into an exclusive agreement with NattoPharma, UK, to distribute Natural Vitamin K2, which is produced in Japan.