Celiac disease is a condition that damages the lining of the small intestine due to gluten intolerance. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, oats, rye and barley. Celiac disease tends to run in families. Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps blood clot properly. Patients with celiac disease are more likely to suffer from vitamin K deficiency.
Celiac Disease Effects
The lining of the small intestine contains areas called villi, which help the body absorb nutrients which are important for maintaining a healthy body. When people with celiac disease eat foods containing gluten, the immune system reacts by damaging the villi. This damage affects the body's ability to absorb vitamin K and other nutrients. A person may have low levels of vitamin K, no matter how much vitamin K rich food she eats.
Sources of Vitamin K
The recommended daily dietary intake of vitamin K is 90 mcg, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Patients with celiac disease may require higher intakes of vitamin K to meet the recommended daily intake. Foods rich in vitamin K include cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, soybeans, fortified cereals, beef liver and green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, collard greens, Brussels sprouts and mustard greens.
Vitamin K Supplements
Vitamin K supplements are available in form of tablet and injections. Vitamin K injections are more suitable for patients with celiac disease because they are administered directly into the bloodstream. Vitamin K tablets have to undergo the normal digestion process and may not be fully absorbed if the small intestine is damaged by celiac disease. Patients taking anticoagulants such as warfarin and heparin should consult the doctor before taking OTC vitamin supplements containing vitamin K.
Symptoms of Celiac Disease
Symptoms of celiac disease include abdominal pain, increased intestinal gas, bloating, constipation, decreased appetite, diarrhea, lactose intolerance, nausea, vomiting, fatty foul-smelling stool that floats, unexplained weight loss, hair loss, dental caries, fatigue, bone or joint pain, itchy skin, canker sores, osteoporosis, depression, anxiety, irritability and missed menstrual periods in women, and delayed growth and development in children, according to FamilyDoctor.org.
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