Vitamin K

Vitamin K and How It Relates to the Body

In 1935, Dr. Dam won the Nobel Peace Prize for discovering that Vitamin K was significant in preventing severe hemorrhage in animals. It was subsequently, called koagulation, and “Vitamin K” for short.

The English form, coagulation, refers to blood clotting in the body, and without the right amount of vitamin K in the body, blood clotting will not occur. Without proper blood clotting, a simple cut could lead to massive bleeding and eventually death.

The average healthy body takes in vitamin K from a number of green leafy vegetables, such as kale, spinach, broccoli, etc. While, unlike many other vitamins, vitamin K is processed with hardly any trace in the body, there is a small amount left behind and this amount is sufficient for typical blood clotting response. Moreover, vitamin K is integral to bone development, and is used to bind calcium in bone protein synthesis. The body cannot promote bone health without vitamin K.

Vitamin K Benefits

There are a number of benefits to having vitamin K in the body, aside from its main functions described above. More specifically, how do these physiological processes work to bring benefit to the body and what are they?

• Prevents Osteoporosis: One of the most compelling benefits of Vitamin K supplementation is that by binding bone proteins, it prevents bone deterioration and thus, prevents Osteoporosis.
• Heart Health: By providing the body with adequate blood regulation in coagulation, Vitamin K prevents artery calcification for a healthy heart.
• Brain Health: Studies have also conclusively shown that maintaining enough Vitamin K in the body at all times promotes proper synthesis of brain and nervous system fats, and protects the nerves from damage in any form. This protective process is vital to proper communication between the body and brain, as well as protecting processes for learning and memory.
• Blood Sugar Regulation: Studies have shown that Vitamin K may also play a vital role in blood sugar regulation for those with Diabetes or related conditions.

Vitamin K Deficiency

It is uncommon for the average healthy individual to be deficient in vitamin K, as we all receive enough vitamin K from digestive processes and average diet intake. This said, there are a number of condition related groups who would benefit from vitamin K supplementation. These are those with:

• Auto immune deficiency conditions that prevent proper blood clotting in the body
• Liver, digestive, or related conditions that include: colitis, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, bowel syndromes, pancreatic illness, and gallbladder infections
• Sustained symptoms of deficiency that include: bruising, nosebleeds, bleeding gums, extremely heavy menstruation, blood in urine/stool, etc

Infants are also very susceptible to vitamin K deficiency, as they are born with no intestinal bacteria, blood clotting has not developed, breast milk does not contain enough vitamin K, and vitamin K recyclical use is not yet established. Most often, newborns will be given a vitamin K shot after birth to avoid any hemorrhage issues.

Just because you have one or many of the previous conditions and/or symptoms does not mean that you are necessarily a perfect candidate for Vitamin K supplementation; and so, consultation with your physician should set the precedent for use.

Vitamin K Dosage

Standard Vitamin K dosage is 80mg for men and 70mg for women.

Vitamin K Side Effects/ Interactions

There are no known side effects of Vitamin K supplementation in its natural form. In its synthetic form, however, and in high doses, pregnant women and infants can show signs of toxicity. Symptoms include, but are not limited to, the following: ineffectiveness of anticoagulant drugs, jaundice, brain damage, red blood cell hemolysis, etc.

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