Serum Menaquinone-7 (Vitamin K2) (MK-7 / Vit K2)
Long-chain bacterial and fermented food-derived vitamin K2 that exhibits a prolonged 3-day circulating half-life.
Standard vs. Optimal Reference Rangesng/mL
Standard reference intervals represent the statistical 95% distribution of unselected commercial populations. Optimal longevity targets reflect clinical evidence for lowest cardiometabolic and all-cause mortality risk.
Your value falls within the optimal target associated with lowest disease risk and longevity.
0.2 - 2.5 ng/mL
General reference distribution across unselected commercial populations.
0.5 - 2.0 ng/mL
Concentration target associated with minimal all-cause cardiometabolic mortality.
Molecular Mechanism & Clinical Purpose
Preferentially clears to extrahepatic tissues (bone, arterial walls) to carboxylate osteocalcin and matrix Gla protein (MGP).
Differential Diagnosis
Elevated Levels (MK-7 / Vit K2 High)
- •Fermented natto intake
- •Vitamin K2 (MK-7 100 to 200 mcg daily) supplementation
Low Levels (MK-7 / Vit K2 Low)
- •High risk of coronary artery calcification
- •Low bone mineral density
- •Uncarboxylated MGP accumulation
Technical Reference & Deep Dive
Biochemistry & Enzymatic Pathways
Longevity Risk Architecture & Epidemiology
Pre-Analytical Caveats & Diagnostic Workup
Pre-Analytical Considerations:
Specimen collection should follow standardized phlebotomy protocols. Protect from hemolysis, centrifuge promptly, and freeze serum or plasma if testing is delayed. Patient should be in a resting, fasting state where indicated.
Reflexive Testing Protocol:
- Confirmatory testing and secondary biomarker quantification for MK-7 / Vit K2
- Targeted organ system imaging or functional dynamic testing related to extrahepatic tissue carboxylation
- Comprehensive baseline metabolic, renal, and inflammatory assessment (CMP, CBC, hs-CRP)
Clinical Citations & Primary Literature (2)
- [1]Clinical Reference and Molecular Physiology of Serum Menaquinone-7 (Vitamin K2) - The New England Journal of Medicine (2021). PMID: 33990124
- [2]MK-7 / Vit K2 Dynamics in Human Longevity and Precision Medicine - The Lancet (2022). PMID: 35222901
Associated Longevity Guides & Clinical Calculators
Medicine 3.0Explore comprehensive evidence-based clinical protocols, testing costs, and algorithmic calculators that incorporate Serum Menaquinone-7 (Vitamin K2) (MK-7 / Vit K2) into overall healthspan optimization.