Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that has two main forms. Vitamin K1 is found in foods such as potatoes, green leafy vegetables and liver, while bacteria in the intestinal tract manufacture vitamin K2. Research indicates that vitamin K is essential for overall health, since it plays a role in numerous functions in the body including blood coagulation and bone health.
Blood Coagulation
The liver uses vitamin K in the manufacturing of proteins critical for proper blood clotting, which prevents excessive bleeding when a blood vessel is damaged. Blood clots can have life threatening consequences such as heart attack and stroke.
Reduces the Risk of Hip Fractures
Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School studied the relationship between vitamin K status and the risk of hip fracture in women. The report, which was published in the January 1999 issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," revealed that women with sufficient vitamin K intakes were less likely to suffer from hip fractures compared to those with the lowest vitamin K intakes.
Reduces Type-2 Diabetes Risk
Scientists from the University Medical Center Utrecht in the Netherlands studied the relationship vitamin K consumption and the risk of type-2 diabetes. At the end of the study, which was published in the June 2010 issue of the journal "Diabetes Care," scientists concluded that increasing vitamin K intake was associated with reducing the risk of type-2 diabetes.
Improves Bone Health
Vitamin K might play a critical role in bone health, according to a study published in the March 2008 issue of the "British Journal of Nutrition," which indicated that improving vitamin K status in children was correlated with an improvement in bone mineral density and bone mass.
References
- Linus Pauling Institute: Vitamin K
- PubMed: Vitamin K intake and hip fractures in women: a prospective study; Feskanich D, et al.
- "Diabetes Care": Dietary phylloquinone and menaquinones intake and risk of type 2 diabetes; Joline WJ Beulens, Ph.D., et al.
- Nutra Ingredients: Vitamin K linked to stronger bones for adolescents
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