A thrombosis is the clinical name for a blood clot and it is related to your dietary intake of vitamin K. Vitamin K is sometimes referred to as the clotting vitamin, because it is used by your body when you clot your blood. If you are at risk for developing a thrombosis, then you need to keep your dietary intake of vitamin K stable to avoid increasing your risk.
How Vitamin K Clots Your Blood
When you cut your skin, chemicals and hormones are released that trigger the clotting cascade. This series of events involves 13 proteins that together, allow your body to stop the bleeding. Vitamin K is used by your body to make four of these proteins and without adequate vitamin K in your body, you could bleed to death. Therefore, the higher your intake of vitamin K, the more likely your body is to form a clot.
Thrombosis Treatment
Your doctor will prescribe an anticoagulant or anti-platelet medication to help reduce your risk of developing a thrombosis. These medicines are commonly called blood thinners, because they reduce the ability of your body to form clots. When you are on this medication, your doctor will instruct you to limit your intake of foods that are high in vitamin K. If you consume too much, it could counteract the effect of your medication and lead to a blood clot.
Foods High In Vitamin K
To avoid developing a thrombosis, limit your vitamin K intake to the recommended dietary allowance or RDA. The RDA for vitamin K is 90 mcg for adult women and 120 mcg for adult men. Vitamin K is found in foods such as green leafy vegetables, fish, liver, meat, eggs, cereals and dark berries. According to PubMed Health, keep your intake levels the same from day to day to avoid spikes in your blood. Talk with you doctor about how much vitamin K-containing foods you should eat.
Considerations
A thrombosis is a serious health concern that can cause a pulmonary embolism, heart attack or stroke. Therefore it is extremely important that you follow your doctors advice and that you talk with them about your diet. In addition to limit food sources, avoid multivitamins that contain vitamin K. Instead, choose one that does not include vitamin K and be sure to follow the instructions on your medication.
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