Plant-Based Nutrition and Evolving Medical Paradigms with Dr. Ted Barnett

Anything one does to reduce visceral fat plays a major role in preventing the calcification of arteries.

The matrix Gla protein (MGP) plays a crucial role in protecting soft arteries from calcification in both mice and humans. Here's a summary of how MGP works and how internal fat disrupts the process:

1. MGP is a protein found in humans and mice that inhibits the calcification of arteries by binding to calcium and preventing it from depositing in the arterial walls.

2. MGP requires vitamin K for activation. Vitamin K helps MGP undergo a process called carboxylation, which enables it to function properly.

3. Internal fat, also known as visceral fat, produces substances called myokines. Myokines are proteins secreted by fat cells that can disrupt the normal functioning of MGP.

4. These myokines interfere with the carboxylation process of MGP, making it less effective at preventing calcium from accumulating in the arterial walls.

5. A study conducted on mice proved the importance of MGP in protecting arteries from calcification. Researchers knocked out the gene responsible for producing MGP in mice.

6. The mice lacking MGP developed extensive calcification in their arteries, demonstrating that MGP is essential for maintaining healthy, flexible arteries.

7. While the study was conducted on mice, MGP is also present in humans and plays the same critical role in preventing arterial calcification.

In summary, MGP is a vital protein found in both mice and humans that helps prevent the calcification of soft arteries. However, myokines produced by internal fat can disrupt MGP's function, leading to an increased risk of arterial calcification. The study on mice with the MGP gene knocked out confirmed the crucial role of MGP in maintaining healthy arteries, and this finding is applicable to humans as well.