Vitamin K, also called phylloquinone, is a fat-soluble nutrient that is essential for your health and prevention of disease. Consuming a well-balanced diet can provide sufficient amounts of vitamin K, but although you can store fat-soluble vitamins in your liver and fat cells for use at a later time, vitamin K is not stored for very long. Consult your doctor or nutritionist about your health and dietary requirements for vitamin K.
What Foods Contain Vitamin K?
Vitamin K is found in dark green leafy vegetables, such as kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, spinach, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and romaine lettuce. These vegetables are among the most nutrient-dense foods, containing vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Vitamin K also is found in soybean oil, olive oil, cottonseed oil, canola oil and cow and chicken liver. Bacteria in your intestines also might produce vitamin K.
What is the Function of Vitamin K?
Vitamin K is vital for normal blood clotting to stop bleeding, but blood clots can block the flow of blood and increase your risk of heart attack or stroke. Vitamin K also helps to promote bone health by assisting a protein called osteocalcin, which is involved in the mineralization of bone. A vitamin K-dependent protein called Gas6 plays a role in cell growth in various parts of your body, including your lungs, nerves, heart, kidneys, stomach and cartilage.
What Are the Effects of Vitamin K Deficiency?
Ask your doctor about how to prevent a vitamin K deficiency, especially if you are pregnant or breast feeding. A dietary deficiency of vitamin K can lead to impaired blood clotting. A laboratory test that measures your blood levels of vitamin K can confirm a deficiency. Vitamin K deficiency is characterized by easy bruising and bleeding, including bleeding gums, nosebleeds, menstruation and blood in your urine and stool. Infants also can experience bleeding within their skulls. Vitamin K deficiency is rare in adults, particularly because it is widespread in foods and can be stored in your body. However, newborn infants are at risk of vitamin K deficiency because their intestines do not yet contain bacteria to produce the nutrient, and breast milk contains very small quantities. Pediatricians often recommend an injection of vitamin K in newborns to prevent a deficiency.
What Drugs Interact With Vitamin K?
Ask your doctor or pharmacist about your diet when taking warfarin or other blood-thinner medications. Physicians often prescribe anticoagulants, a type of blood thinner, to patients who experience blood clots to prevent heart attacks and stroke. Vitamin K can interfere with the effectiveness of the drugs. If you take anticoagulants such as warfarin, you will need to reduce your intake of dark green vegetables and other foods and beverages that contain vitamin K. Drinking cranberry juice and alcohol can increase the effect of warfarin and cause bleeding.
References
- Colorado State University; Fat-Soluble Vitamins; 2010
- United States Department of Agriculture; National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference; 2010
- Eat Right America; Full List of Andi Scores; 2010
- Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University; Vitamin K; Booth, S.L.; May 2008
- MayoClinic.com; Warfarin Diet: What Foods Should I Avoid?; Sheps, S.G.; May 13 2010
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