Interestingly, the study found people with lower total cholesterol and iron had a decreased chance of living to 100 years old. Additionally, people with higher levels of glucose and inflammation, and those with biomarkers related to poor liver and kidney function, had a decreased chance of becoming a centenarian, which is consistent with previous research.

The findings linking low total cholesterol levels to a shorter life are in stark contrast with current clinical guidelines that generally recommend lowering total cholesterol levels.

While cholesterol has long been vilified as being linked with heart disease, more recent research, including this study, is starting to change our perspectives on the role of cholesterol in health and disease. Cholesterol serves many important functions in the body, is an integral part of cell membranes, and is highly concentrated in the brain. It is required to produce vitamin D, hormones, and bile acids. Cholesterol is produced by the liver and naturally increases as we age. This study highlights the need for more research to better understand the role of cholesterol for our health and longevity.

Low Vitamin K Levels Related to Poor Lung Function

A team of researchers from Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark recently published a study² linking low vitamin K levels to poor lung function. The 2023 study looked at more than 4,000 men and women (aged 24-77 years) who underwent health examinations, including breathing tests, self-rated assessments of lung function, and a blood vitamin K test. The vitamin K test looked specifically at Matrix Gla protein (MGP) in plasma. This protein depends on vitamin K for activation and if high levels of the inactive form (dephosphorylated-uncarboxylated MGP or dp-ucMGP) are detected in the blood, this reflects low vitamin K status.

Results revealed that the lower the vitamin K status (reflected by higher inactive MGP or dp-ucMGP) of the subjects, the greater the likelihood of abnormal lung function, specifically the ability to expire air from the lungs during breathing tests. Additionally, those with lower vitamin K levels were more likely to report wheezing, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

While additional studies are needed to confirm this link, the researchers concluded that vitamin K status may play a role in the development of respiratory diseases and lung health. One theory is that when optimal amounts of vitamin K are present, adequate MGP is activated and may go on to help maintain the elasticity of the lungs by helping prevent calcification of lung tissue.

References

1. Murata, Shunsuke, et al. “Blood Biomarker Profiles and Exceptional Longevity: Comparison of Centenarians and Non-Centenarians in a 35-Year Follow-up of the Swedish AMORIS Cohort.” GeroScience, 19 Sept. 2023, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-023-00936-w.
2. The association of vitamin K status with lung function and disease in a general population Torkil Jespersen, Freja Bach Kampmann, Thomas Meinertz Dantoft, Niklas Rye Jørgensen, Line Lund Kårhus, Flemming Madsen, Allan Linneberg, Sanne Marie Thysen ERJ Open Research Sep 2023, 9 (5) 00208-2023; DOI: 10.1183/23120541.00208-2023