Ann Marie Kopitzke

Hampton University, United States

Abstract Title: Meta-analysis: Improving cardiovascular health with increases in vitamin K2 sources across race, ethnicity, and gender

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Dietary deficiencies in essential nutrition are contributing to worsening outcomes for cardiovascular health. A review of the literature indicates that there are deficiencies in the American diet for vitamin K. Further, the diet deficiency is significant across race, ethnicity and gender. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been identified as the leading cause of death for Americans (American Heart Association,2023). Globally, CVD has been increasing as a primary cause of death, with over 20 million deaths in 2021 (World Heart Federation, 2023). Annual costs associated with CVD related deaths (heart failure) amounts to over approximately $346 billion (Luppi & Sanchis-Gomar, 2020). Increases in vitamin K, specifically K2, has been linked to reducing arterial stiffness and vascular calcification (Edith Cowan University, 2021). However, research studies have been mixed for cardiovascular related mortality across race, ethnicity and gender. As vitamin K2 regulates calcium homeostasis, cardiovascular research examining its role may identify approaches to minimizing the effects of aging and poor diets with respect to cardiovascular health. Our research is significant in determining variation in the prevalence of cardiovascular degeneration, consequences of degenerative cardiovascular degeneration, nutritional and medicinal access across racial, ethnic and gender groups in the US. Vitamin K is relatively inexpensive in capsule form and can be obtained nutritionally through increases in dietary sources. Additional clinical research is necessary to determine benefits of comorbidities associated with cardiovascular disease (such as diabetes or other aging related illnesses). Keywords: cardiovascular health, Vitamin K, matrix Gia protein (MGP), race, ethnicity and gender