Vitamin K - It's Not Just Important For Clotting

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The originally-identified form of vitamin K is vitamin K1. โThere are actually 11 forms of vitamin K,โ says Sarah L. Booth, PhD, a professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and director of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA). โVitamin K1 is found in plants. The other 10 forms of vitamin K are collectively known as vitamin K2. One form of vitamin K2 is made in our bodies from vitamin K1. The other nine forms are produced by bacteria, either in the human gut or in foods fermented with the use of bacteria, including cheese, yogurt, and other fermented dairy products.โ Our gut bacteria and fermented foods, therefore, may play an important role in what forms of vitamin K we have in our bodies.
๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐จ๐ & ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐ ๐๐ข๐ก๐ก๐๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก
Vitamin K appears to play a critical role in the regulation of calcium in our bodies. โThere are certain proteins responsible for keeping calcium away from places we donโt want calciumโlike our joints and our arteriesโand these proteins cannot function without vitamin K,โ says Booth. Low vitamin K status, therefore, could potentially increase risk for build-up of calcium in the artery walls (hardening of the arteries) and the calcification of joint tissue that leads to osteoarthritis. โAdequate intake of dietary vitamin K cannot reverse hardening of the arteries, for example, but it is associated with lower risk of the calcification spreading,โ says Booth.
Kyla Shea, PhD, a scientist in the vitamin K lab at the HNRCA, has been studying vitamin K and osteoarthritis. โIn observational studies we and others have found better vitamin K status to be associated with less osteoarthritis and better lower-extremity function and mobility,โ says Shea, โbut we will need clinical trials to know for sure if vitamin K can reduce osteoarthritis development or progression.โ Since osteoarthritis is the leading cause of lower extremity disability in older adults, and this age group is also more likely to have lower vitamin K intakes, Shea points out it is particularly important for older adults to be aware of this possible connection.
There may also be a connection between vitamin K and bone health. โMultiple proteins in bone require vitamin K,โ says Booth, โand some data suggest a fairly strong association between blood markers of vitamin K intake and bone mineral density in older adults. But multiple randomized controlled trials that gave people either vitamin K1 supplements or a placebo found no benefit of K1 supplementation for bone health.โ
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According to Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, DrPH, dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and editor-in-chief of Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter, a growing body of research suggests that vitamin K2 may also protect against type 2 diabetes. โIn small controlled trials, vitamin K2 supplements have improved insulin sensitivity and glucose handling,โ says Mozaffarian, โperhaps through effects on metabolism of osteocalcin, an important hormone. Vitamin K2 may also reduce inflammation by inactivating key pro-inflammatory pathways. In long-term observational studies, foods rich in vitamin K2, such as cheese, are also linked to lower risk of type 2 diabetes.โ This emerging research suggests that vitamin K2 may help prevent type 2 diabetes. โThis potential effect is not yet widely recognized, and I believe future research will focus on vitamin K2 levels in cheese and other fermented foods and their possible benefits for type 2 diabetes,โ says Mozaffarian.
๐ช๐๐๐ง ๐๐ข๐ข๐๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐?
Vitamin K is found naturally in many foods. You can get recommended amounts of vitamin K by eating a variety of foods, including the following:
โข Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, broccoli, and lettuce
โข Vegetable oils
โข Some fruits, such as blueberries and figs
โข Meat, cheese, eggs, and soybeans
๐ช๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฆ ๐ข๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐ ๐๐๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฃ๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ง๐ฆ ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐?
Vitamin K is found in multivitamin/multimineral supplements. Vitamin K is also available in supplements of vitamin K alone or of vitamin K with a few other nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, and/or vitamin D. Common forms of vitamin K in dietary supplements are phylloquinone and phytonadione (also called vitamin K1), menaquinone-4, and menaquinone-7 (also called vitamin K2).
๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ง๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐ข๐จ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐?
Vitamin K deficiency is very rare. Most people in the United States get enough vitamin K from the foods they eat. Also, bacteria in the colon make some vitamin K that the body can absorb. However, certain groups of people may have trouble getting enough vitamin K:
โข Newborns who donโt receive an injection of vitamin K at birth
โข People with conditions (such as cystic fibrosis, celiac disease, ulcerative colitis, and short bowel syndrome) that decrease the amount of vitamin K their body absorbs
โข People who have had bariatric (weight loss) surgery
๐ช๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ฆ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ข๐กโ๐ง ๐๐๐ง ๐๐ก๐ข๐จ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐?
Severe vitamin K deficiency can cause bruising and bleeding problems because the blood will take longer to clot. Vitamin K deficiency might reduce bone strength and increase the risk of getting osteoporosis because the body needs vitamin K for healthy bones.
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Before adding a Vitamin K supplement to your daily routine, consult with your doctor. Odds are you probably donโt need a vitamin K supplement if youโre eating a well balanced diet and are not one of the higher risk people listed above.
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