• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.299-306
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• 1997

Vitamin K takes part in both blood coagulation and bone metabolism via the carboxylation of glutamate residues. This study was performed to examine the relationship between dietary phylloquinone intake and bone mineral denisty(BMD) among postmenopausal Korean women (n=70, age=56). The bone mineral density of the lumbar spine and femoral neck were measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry(DEXA). Daily intakes of phylloquinone and calcium were assessed using a food frequency questionnarie. As a results, body weigh, height and body mass index were not correlated with BMD. However, the number of years since monopause and daily intakes of calcium were significantly correlated with BMD. Although daily intakes of phylloquinone were not correlated with BMD, women with relatively high BMD consumed more phylloquinone than those with lower BMD. The average daily phylloquinone and calcium intakes of the 70 postmenopausal women were 725.8ug/day, ten times more than the American RDA and 406.7mg/day, 1/2 of the American RDA for those nutrients, respectively. The major food sources for phylloquinone were seaweed, spinach and kale, whereas the food sources of calcium were milk, sardines, and yogrut. Further studies are needed to clarify the effects of dietary phyloquinone on its serum levels and BMD.