Gram Research analysis of a 2026 study of 2,195 adults found that higher blood levels of vitamin K were linked to lower odds of central obesity and diabetes once blood triglycerides were accounted for. Without that adjustment, the link looked different, so the study cannot prove that vitamin K itself causes these effects.
A new Gram Research analysis of a large study from Denmark looked at how vitamin K in the blood relates to heart health risks. The study included 2,195 adults with an average age of 68. At first, higher vitamin K levels seemed linked to high blood triglycerides, a type of blood fat. Once researchers accounted for triglycerides, the picture changed. Higher levels of two forms of vitamin K were linked to lower odds of central obesity (extra fat around the belly) and diabetes. Another marker of low functional vitamin K was linked to higher body fat, even after accounting for triglycerides. Because the study only took a snapshot at one point in time, it cannot prove that vitamin K causes these effects. It does show that blood fat levels should be considered when studying vitamin K.
Key Statistics
A 2026 cross-sectional study of 2,195 adults with an average age of 68, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, found that vitamin K patterns changed direction once blood triglycerides were accounted for.
In the 2026 Inter99 cohort analysis, each doubling of total menaquinone vitamin K levels was linked to 67% lower odds of diabetes after adjusting for triglycerides.
The same study found that a marker of poor vitamin K use, dp-ucMGP, was linked to 2.81 times higher odds of central obesity even after accounting for triglycerides.
The Quick Take
- What they studied: Researchers wanted to know whether vitamin K levels in the blood are linked to heart disease risk factors such as body fat, blood sugar problems, and blood fats, and whether blood fats distort those links.
- Who participated: The study used data from 2,195 adults in a population-based health study. Their average age was 68, and about 48% were women. Blood samples were taken after an overnight fast.
- Key finding: Before accounting for blood fats, higher vitamin K was linked to higher triglycerides. After accounting for triglycerides, higher levels of two vitamin K forms were linked to lower odds of central obesity and diabetes. For example, each doubling of total vitamin K form levels was linked to 67% lower odds of diabetes.
- What it means for you: Vitamin K is a nutrient found in leafy greens and some fermented foods. This study does not show that eating more of it or taking supplements will improve your weight or blood sugar. Talk with your doctor before changing your vitamin K intake, especially if you take blood thinners.
The Research Details
This study looked at a group of adults from an existing long-running health project called the Inter99 cohort. Researchers collected fasting blood samples from each participant and measured several forms of vitamin K. They measured phylloquinone, which mostly comes from leafy green vegetables, and several forms of menaquinones, which are made by gut bacteria or found in some animal and fermented foods. They also measured a marker called dp-ucMGP, which shows whether the body is using vitamin K well.
The researchers then compared these vitamin K measures with several heart health risk factors. These included body weight measures, waist size, blood sugar problems, and blood triglycerides. They used statistical models that accounted for other factors such as age and sex, and they ran the analysis both with and without adjusting for triglycerides.
This type of study is called cross-sectional. It is like taking a single photo of a group rather than filming them over time. It is useful for spotting patterns, but it cannot show which factor came first or why a pattern exists.
Vitamin K is fat-soluble, which means it travels in the blood along with fats. Because of this, high blood fats could make it look like vitamin K is linked to certain health problems when the real connection is something else. By checking for blood triglycerides, the researchers tried to separate the effect of vitamin K from the effect of blood fats. This is a key step for producing more reliable results.
Using a large group of participants also helps. A bigger sample makes it more likely that the patterns are real and not due to chance. Measuring both general vitamin K levels and the body’s own use of vitamin K gives a more complete picture than a single test alone.
The study has several strengths. It includes 2,195 people from a population-based cohort, which makes the findings more representative than a small clinical sample. Researchers measured multiple vitamin K forms and accounted for blood triglycerides, which is a thoughtful design choice. The paper was published in the European Journal of Nutrition, a peer-reviewed journal.
However, the design limits how strongly the results can be interpreted. Because the study captured data at a single point in time, it cannot show cause and effect. Some confidence ranges are wide, especially for menaquinone results, which means the true effect could be smaller or larger than the numbers suggest. Readers should treat the findings as useful clues that need confirmation in future studies.
What the Results Show
Both phylloquinone and total menaquinones were positively linked to hypertriglyceridemia, which means high blood triglycerides. Higher levels of these vitamin K forms were associated with 91% higher odds of high triglycerides for phylloquinone, and far higher odds for total menaquinones. At first glance, vitamin K did not clearly track with measures of body fat or diabetes.
The picture shifted once triglycerides were included in the analysis. After adjusting for triglycerides, higher phylloquinone and total menaquinone levels were associated with lower odds of central obesity and diabetes. For phylloquinone, each doubling was linked to 14% lower odds of central obesity and 19% lower odds of diabetes. For total menaquinones, each doubling was linked to 39% lower odds of central obesity and 67% lower odds of diabetes. These findings suggest that blood fat levels can hide or distort the apparent link between vitamin K and body health.
The marker of functional vitamin K status, dp-ucMGP, told a different story. Higher dp-ucMGP was linked to higher triglycerides, and after adjusting for triglycerides it remained linked to central obesity and general obesity. This suggests that when the body is not using vitamin K well, body fat may be higher, regardless of blood fat levels.
The study found that blood triglycerides played a central role in how vitamin K levels appeared. This matters for anyone interpreting vitamin K blood tests, because a result can look misleading without accounting for fat levels. The dp-ucMGP finding is also notable because it reflects how well vitamin K is working inside the body, not just how much is circulating. Together, these results point to the idea that vitamin K status is complex and should be measured in more than one way.
Earlier research on vitamin K and heart health has produced mixed results, which the authors describe as equivocal. Some studies link higher vitamin K intake with better heart outcomes, while others find little or no effect. This study adds to the discussion by showing that accounting for triglycerides can change the direction of the apparent association. It supports the view that vitamin K research needs careful adjustment for blood fats.
The most important limitation is the cross-sectional design. The study shows associations at one moment in time, so it cannot prove that vitamin K lowers obesity or diabetes risk. It is also possible that people with less body fat or better blood sugar control have different vitamin K patterns for reasons unrelated to vitamin K itself.
Other limitations include the wide confidence ranges for some menaquinone results, which signal uncertainty. The participants were mostly older adults, so the findings may not apply equally to younger people. Diet was not the main focus, so the study cannot say which foods produced the observed vitamin K levels. Finally, some adjustments for other health factors may not have fully captured every influence on the results.
The Bottom Line
Research shows that blood triglycerides strongly affect how vitamin K levels appear in studies, so future research and clinical interpretation should account for them. Based on this single cross-sectional study, there is low confidence that increasing vitamin K intake would reduce obesity or diabetes risk. Eating vitamin K-rich foods such as leafy greens is generally part of a healthy diet, but this study does not justify supplements for weight or blood sugar control.
People interested in nutrition science, health researchers, and clinicians who interpret vitamin K blood tests should pay attention to these findings. Adults concerned about body fat or diabetes risk may find the results interesting, but they should not make changes based on this study alone. People taking warfarin or other blood thinners should speak with a doctor before changing vitamin K intake, since vitamin K affects blood clotting.
This study does not offer a timeline for benefits because it did not test any intervention. Research that tests changes in vitamin K intake over months or years would be needed to see whether any effect on body weight or blood sugar is real. Until then, expectations should remain modest, and changes should focus on overall healthy eating habits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does vitamin K help prevent diabetes and belly fat?
A 2026 study of 2,195 adults found that higher vitamin K levels were linked to lower odds of diabetes and central obesity after blood triglycerides were accounted for. Because the study looked at one point in time, it cannot prove vitamin K prevents these conditions.
Why do blood triglycerides affect vitamin K study results?
Vitamin K is fat-soluble, so it travels in the blood with fats. Researchers found that higher triglycerides made vitamin K look linked to high-fat problems, but adjusting for triglycerides reversed several of those associations, showing why this adjustment matters.
What foods are high in vitamin K?
Leafy green vegetables such as kale, spinach, and broccoli are rich in phylloquinone, the main dietary form of vitamin K. Fermented foods like natto contain menaquinones. Eating a variety of these foods is part of a balanced diet.
Should I take vitamin K supplements to lose weight?
This study does not support taking vitamin K supplements for weight loss. It only showed associations in 2,195 adults at one point in time. Anyone taking blood thinners should consult a doctor before changing vitamin K intake.
Want to Apply This Research?
- Log your weekly servings of vitamin K-rich foods, such as cooked spinach, kale, broccoli, and natto, and record your waist circumference once a month. Also note any blood test results for triglycerides and fasting blood sugar, so the two can be viewed together.
- Add one serving of a leafy green vegetable to at least five meals per week, and track how often you eat it. Pair this with a habit that supports healthy triglycerides, such as limiting sugary drinks and choosing whole grains. Always check with a healthcare provider before making big dietary changes, especially if you take blood thinners.
- Track vitamin K food servings, waist measurements, and blood test results every three to six months. Review trends over at least a year, and bring the data to your doctor during checkups. Look for patterns between triglyceride levels and waist size, since the study suggests blood fats are an important piece of the puzzle.
This article summarizes a single cross-sectional study that shows associations, not cause and effect. It is for general information only and is not medical advice. Vitamin K affects blood clotting, so people taking warfarin or other blood thinners should speak with a doctor before changing their vitamin K intake or starting supplements. Consult a qualified healthcare provider about your individual health needs.
This research translation is published by Gram Research, the science division of Gram, an AI-powered nutrition tracking app.