Vitamins D and K are both fat-soluble vitamins that your body needs for proper bone health, but they also are useful in other ways. You might need to take a vitamin D or K supplement for health purposes, particularly if you have certain medical conditions. Before you supplement with these vitamins, talk with your doctor to discuss the proper dosage and possible health dangers.
Descriptions
In addition to supporting healthy bones, vitamin K also helps your blood to form clots and vitamin D supports your immune-system function. Vitamin D regulates the levels of phosphorous and calcium in your blood, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. You can get vitamin D by absorbing it through your skin from sunlight or by drinking fortified milk. Other good sources include cod liver oil, eggs and fatty fish like salmon or tuna. Vitamin K is found in leafy green vegetables and is made by bacteria in your intestines, says the University of Maryland Medical Center. You can get vitamin K from eating beef liver and drinking green tea.
Uses
You might take vitamin D or K supplements to promote healthy bones or to help treat osteoporosis and other bone disorders, says the University of Maryland Medical Center. Vitamin K supplements also might have some benefits for people who have menorrhagia or heavy menstruation and nausea, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. You could need a vitamin K supplement if you take antibiotics for long periods, because these medications can inhibit the bacteria in your intestines that produce vitamin K. Blood-thinning medications like Coumadin also can cause a vitamin K deficiency. On the other hand, vitamin D supplements have many more potential medicinal uses, including helping to treat rickets, cystic fibrosis, Crohn's disease, celiac disease, burns, depression, hypertension, seasonal affective disorder and diabetes, states the University of Michigan Health System. Additionally, vitamin D supplements could help treat amenorrhea, cardiac arrhythmias, migraines, multiple sclerosis, vitiligo and Parkinson's disease, as well as reduce your risks of prostate, colon and breast cancers. Don't take vitamin D or K supplements to treat or prevent any medical condition before talking with your physician.
Dosages
Adults 50 and younger can take 200 IU or 5 mcg of vitamin D each day, while those 51 to 70 can take 400 IU or 10 mcg, says the University of Maryland Medical Center. Because elderly people typically have more limited exposure to sunlight, they might need to take a slightly higher daily dose of vitamin D, such as 600 IU or 15 mcg. You can take vitamin K in the form of chlorophyll supplements or in three other forms: vitamin K1 or phylloquinone, vitamin K2 or menaquinone, or vitamin K3 or menaphthone. Adult men can take 120 mcg of vitamin K daily and adult women can take 90 mcg. Ask your physician about the dose that's right for you before taking extra vitamin D or K.
Deficiencies
Limited exposure to sunlight, especially if you're fair-skinned, can cause a vitamin D deficiency, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center. If you take certain medications like Alli for weight loss, rifampin for tuberculosis, mineral oil, antacids or anti-seizure drugs like Dilantin or Phenobarbital, you might develop vitamin D and K deficiencies and need to take a supplement. Cephalosporin-family antibiotics can cause a vitamin K deficiency, but not a vitamin D deficiency.
Contraindications
Don't take vitamin K if you're taking blood-thinners like Coumadin unless your doctor advises you to do so, warns the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Vitamin D supplements can interfere with cholesterol-lowering statin drugs like Lipitor, calcium channel blockers for treat hypertension, the heart medication digoxin and corticosteroids like prednisone, cautions the University of Maryland Medical Center. Taking vitamin D supplements with estrogen replacement therapy, the tuberculosis drug isoniazid, or the diuretic thiazide can potentially cause your vitamin D levels to become too high. Talk with your healthcare provider about these and other medications you're taking before taking vitamin D or K supplements.
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