What to watch with VKORC1 and Sport?

VKORC1 encodes vitamin K epoxide reductase, crucial for recycling vitamin K. Variants (e.g., rs9923231) strongly affect warfarin sensitivity, but their role in sports is less clear. Vitamin K is important for bone health via osteocalcin activation, and for blood clotting. Some speculate that VKORC1 variants might influence bone density or recovery from fractures, but evidence is limited to observational studies and not directly applicable to athletic performance. No high-quality trials show that VKORC1 genotype predicts injury risk or training response. If you are not on anticoagulants, the impact is likely small. For athletes, focus on adequate vitamin K intake (green leafy vegetables) and overall bone health. Genetic testing for VKORC1 in sports is not currently evidence-based. Evidence grade: mechanistic/unclear.