What You Need To Know About Vitamin K

Vitamin K was named by the person who discovered it, Henrik Dam from Denmark. Itt is named for its function, coagulation, using the Dutch spelling, "koagulation." Vitamin K's primary role inside your body is to provide the means for your blood to clot. Proteins that cause your blood to clot rely on vitamin K to do their job. Vitamin K also serves other proteins necessary for the formation of bone.

Recommended Intakes

Vitamin K intakes vary by age, according to the National Institutes of Health. An infant up to 6 months of age needs about 2.0 mcg of vitamin K. A baby 7 to 12 months old should increase to 2.5 mcg. Kids ages 1 to 3 need 30 mcg per day, ages 4 to 8 need 55 mcg per day and ages 9 to 13 need 60 mcg per day. Juveniles 14 to 18 years old need to eat 75 mg per day. Adults over 18 should increase intake to 90 mcg per day.

Toxicity and Deficiency

According to the National Institutes of Health, it is very rare for a person to experience a vitamin K deficiency. The most common cause of a deficiency occurs when there is a problem with a person's nutrient absorption. Signs and symptoms of a deficiency include susceptibility to bleeding and bruising. Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning that your body does store it. However, toxicity is rare. Signs of vitamin K toxicity is a condition known hemolytic anemia, in which your red blood cell count is reduced.

Sources

Dietary vitamin K is found mostly in plant-based foods. Leafy green vegetables are your best source of vitamin K. These kinds of food include kale, spinach, collard greens, brussel sprouts and broccoli. Vegetable oils like canola and soybean oil also supply a decent amount of vitamin K.

Interactions With Medications

People that are taking warfarin need to be aware of how the medication interacts with vitamin K and what their vitamin K intake is or should be. The medication warfarin is used to prevent blood from clotting, useful for those at high risk for suffering from a heart attack or stroke. This medication works by inhibiting vitamin K's interaction with blood clotting proteins. According to the National Institutes of Health, people on warfarin should limit intake of high vitamin K foods to one serving per day and moderate vitamin K foods to three servings per day. The best thing to do is not drastically change your diet and speak with your doctor is you have any concerns.