Vitamin K is important in making sure that everyday knocks and trips do not become serious injuries. It not only helps prevent bleeding but builds stronger bones. Unfortunately, one in four Americans do not get enough vitamin K from the foods they eat. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend daily portions of raw leafy vegetables that are loaded with vitamin K; however, you may benefit from daily supplements if you require certain medication or suffer from digestive disorders.
Blood Clotting
Your body uses vitamin K to make the proteins that are essential in forming blood clots. If you lack vitamin K, your blood vessels are more likely to leak, or hemorrhage. Bleeding gums and nose bleeds are early signs of deficiency and, in the event of an injury, serious bleeding is more likely. Vitamin K is so important that newborn infants are given an injection of vitamin K.
Bone Structure
Harvard School of Public Health report a range of studies that highlight the benefits of vitamin K. Women who get at least 110 mcg of vitamin K daily are 30 percent less likely to break a hip. In another study, nurses who ate a daily serving of lettuce or another green leafy vegetable were half as likely to fracture their hips. Other research shows clear links between high vitamin K intake and high bone density.
Medical Conditions
Some medications can affect how your body absorbs and uses vitamin K. A certain class of antibiotics, called cephalosporins, can affect how much vitamin K you absorb to the extent that after 10 days you may develop a deficiency.
The effectiveness of blood-thinning medications, such as warfarin, is affected by vitamin K. The University of Florida recommends that patients receiving warfarin-type medication take the same amount of vitamin K in their diet each day to help avoid problems.
Treatment for weight loss, such as Orlistat or Olestra, which reduce fat uptake from the digestive system can cause a deficiency. This is because Vitamin K is fat soluble and is absorbed with dietary fats. Olestra containing foods must now be fortified with Vitamin K. (ref 1 possible interactions)
Adequate Intake
Recommended daily intakes are those levels of nutrients that nutritionists agree meet the needs of over 90 percent of healthy adults. Unfortunately, this information is not yet available for vitamin K. Instead Dietary Guidelines for Americans, or DGA, suggest an adequate intake that is a nutrient level that latest research indicates is enough to ensure good health. The amount of vitamin K you need depends upon your age, sex and the number of calories you consume each day. For example, infants only require 30 mcg while adult women need 90 mcg and men 120 mcg.
Food Sources
University of Maryland Medical Center reports that vitamin K is present in all green foods because it forms part of the chlorophyll coloring that makes plants green. Cooking does not damage vitamin K so cooked foods are just as good as raw, but freezing may destroy it. Recommended foods include dark green lettuce, broccoli, spinach and even green tea.
Using Supplements
Because vitamin K can affect certain medical conditions and reduce the effectiveness of some medications, you should check with a health care provider before taking supplements. This is especially important for children and pregnant women. People who suffer vitamin K deficiency because of absorption problems, such as celiac disease or Crohn's disease, are most likely to benefit from supplements. Vitamin K is probably best taken as part of a multivitamin rather than as a separate supplement.
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