SynthesisJournal of orthopaedic surgery and research2021
The combined effect of vitamin K and calcium on bone mineral density in humans: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Synthesis in Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 27 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effects of macro- and micronutrient intake on bone mineral density, osteoporotic fracture risk, inflammation, and functional rehabilitation outcomes in orthopedic patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Pooled it
- The effect of non-pharmacological interventions on bone health among patients with low bone mass: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2025Pooled it
- The effect of vitamin K2 supplementation on bone turnover biochemical markers in postmenopausal osteoporosis patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2025Pooled it
- [Exercise therapy and basic treatment for osteoporosis].Orthopadie (Heidelberg, Germany) · 2023Guideline
- Clinical efficacy of denosumab, teriparatide, and oral bisphosphonates in the prevention of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2023Pooled it
- Efficacy and safety of vitamin K2 for postmenopausal women with osteoporosis at a long-term follow-up: meta-analysis and systematic review.Journal of bone and mineral metabolism · 2022Pooled it
- Efficacy of vitamin K2 in the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Frontiers in public health · 2022Pooled it
- Adjuvant pharmacological strategies for the musculoskeletal system during long-term space missions.British journal of clinical pharmacology · 2026Review
- Cow's Milk Positively Impacts Bone Formation by Regulating the Osteocalcin Pathway Compared to Transgenic and Non-Transgenic Soy-Based Beverages in BALB/c Mice.Molecular nutrition & food research · 2026Article
- Supplements for bone health.Archives of endocrinology and metabolism · 2025Review
- Nutritional Support of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.Nutrients · 2025Review
- Attributable Risk and Consequences of Bone Mineral Density Deficits in Childhood Cancer Survivors.JAMA network open · 2025Article
- Review
- Roles of vitamin K‑dependent protein in biomineralization (Review).International journal of molecular medicine · 2024Review
- Role of vitamins beyond vitamin DInternational journal of molecular medicine · 2024Review
- Association between serum uncarboxylated osteocalcin levels and nutritional intake in Japanese female athletes.Physical activity and nutrition · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundWith the increasing incidence of osteoporosis, vitamin K and calcium have been linked to bone mineral density (BMD) and undercarboxylated osteocalcin (UcOC) in many studies, but the results of studies of the combined effect of vitamin K and calcium on BMD and UcOC in humans have been inconsistent. We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials to assess the effect of this combination treatment on BMD and UcOC in humans.
methodsA search for articles was conducted using PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library database up to March 2021 (no language restrictions). We also reviewed the reference lists of the relevant publications and reviews to locate additional publications. The standard mean difference (SMD) was used as the primary measure of effect size. Our main endpoints were lumbar BMD, femoral neck BMD, hip BMD, total femoral BMD, and UcOC from baseline to end point. We performed subgroup analysis, heterogeneity testing, and assessment of publication bias.
resultsA total of 1346 patients from 10 randomized controlled trials were included in the meta-analysis. The forest plot analysis revealed that vitamin K combined with calcium was associated with a higher lumbar spine BMD compared to controls. The SMD was 0.20 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.07 to 0.32]. Vitamin K and calcium supplementation led to a significant decrease in UcOC (SMD: - 1.71, 95% CI: - 2.45 to - 0.96). Subgroup analysis showed that vitamin K2 and vitamin K1 had SMDs of 0.30 (95% CI: 0.10 to 0.51) and SMDs of 0.14 (95% CI: - 0.02 to 0.29), and calcium dosages of ≤ 1000 mg/d or > 1000 mg/d had SMDs of 0.19 (95% CI: 0.05 to 0.32) and 0.26 (95% CI: - 0.04 to 0.55).
conclusionThe combination of vitamin K and calcium has a positive effect on lumbar BMD and decreases the level of UcOC. Registration: The protocol for this meta-analysis was registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42021251825).
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What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.