This systematic review suggests that supplementation with phytonadione and menaquinone-4 reduces bone loss .
In the case of the latter , there is a strong effect on incident fractures among Japanese patients
BACKGROUND Observational and some experimental data suggest that low intake of vitamin K may be associated with an increased risk of fracture .
OBJECTIVE To assess whether oral vitamin K ( phytonadione and menaquinone ) supplementation can reduce  bone loss  and prevent fractures .
Menaquinone-4 in breast milk is derived from dietary phylloquinone.
The effect of  maternal phylloquinone supplementation  on vitamin K in breast milk was studied to establish : ( 1 ) if phylloquinone is the source of menaquinone-4 in breast milk ; ( 2 ) the dose-effect relationship between intake and obtainable levels . Four groups of lactating mothers with a full-term healthy infant participated and took oral phylloquinone supplements of 0.0 ( n 8) , 0.8 ( n 8) , 2.0 ( n 8) , and 4.0 ( n 7 ) mg/d for 12d , starting at day 4 post-partum . Milk sample s were collected on days 4 , 8 , 16 , and 19 . Blood sample s were collected on days 4 and 16 .  Vitamin K and vitamin E concentrations , the latter for reason of comparison , were assayed . Phylloquinone and menaquinone-4 were present in all milk sample s : 5.84 ( SD 2.31 ) and 2.98 ( SD 1.51 ) nmol/l ( n 31 ) respectively , in colostrum ( day 4 sample ) . A strong correlation between the vitamers was found ( r 0.78 , P<0.001 ) . Breast-milk phylloquinone levels were raised in a dose-dependent manner : 4- , 12- , and 30-fold on day 16 for the 08 , 2.0 , and 4.0 mg group respectively . In addition , menaquinone-4 levels were higher : 2.5- ( P<0.05 ) and 7-fold ( P<0.001 ) in the 2.0 and 4.0 mg groups respectively . Plasma of supplemented subjects contained 3- , 5- , and 10-fold higher phylloquinone levels on day 16 . Detectable menaquinone-4 was found in ten of thirty-one day 4 plasma sample s. All day 16 plasma sample s of the 4 mg supplemented group contained the vitamin . There was no correlation between the K-vitamers in plasma . Vitamin E and phylloquinone appear to differ in their distribution in breast milk , milk : plasma concentration ratios were < or = 1 and 3 - 5 for vitamin E and phylloquinone respectively . The milk : plasma concentration ratio of menaquinone-4 was > 10 . In conclusion , dietary phylloquinone is a source of menaquinone-4 in breast milk . Phylloquinone supplementation to lactating mothers may be of benefit to the newborn infant , since both phylloquinone and menaquinone-4 are raised by supplementation
This systematic review suggests that supplementation with phytonadione and menaquinone-4 reduces bone loss .
In the case of the latter , there is a strong effect on incident fractures among Japanese patients
BACKGROUND Observational and some experimental data suggest that low intake of vitamin K may be associated with an increased risk of fracture .
OBJECTIVE To assess whether oral vitamin K ( phytonadione and menaquinone ) supplementation can reduce  bone loss  and prevent fractures .