When you take medications and supplements, you need to be sure that they do not interfere with each other. Vitamin K is a natural vitamin that is known to interfere with certain blood thinning medications, but it is not known to interfere with aspirin. However, it is always important to discuss with your doctor any new medications or supplements that you plan to take.
Aspirin And Vitamin K
Aspirin is found in prescription and non-prescription forms for the treatment of aches, pains, fever symptoms and is used by some to prevent heart attacks and stroke. MedlinePlus states that aspirin is in a group of medications called salicylates, which work by stopping the production of certain natural substances that lead to the symptoms of fever, pain, swelling and the formation of blood clots. Vitamin K is a major factor in the formation of blood clots in your body, but unless your doctor specifies that you can not consume vitamin K containing foods, you should not experience side effects.
Vitamin K And Blood Clots
Vitamin K is naturally produced by your body's intestinal bacteria and is also found in many natural foods. When your body is injured, it is used in the formation of proteins that are used to form a clot, that stops the bleeding in your body. Without vitamin K, this process is not possible. Although aspirin affects the formation of blood clots, it is not as powerful as anticoagulant drugs such as coumadin. Coumadin or warfarin thins your blood in an effort to decrease your ability to clot your blood. Too much vitamin K, can render this drug useless. If you are on these medications, you must talk with your doctor before you add additional vitamin K through supplements or if you plan on eating foods high in vitamin K content.
Vitamin K And Diet
When it comes to vitamin K in your diet, you want to make sure that you are consuming enough to meet the needs of your body. The current recommended intake of vitamin K is 90 mcg for adult women and 120 mcg for adult males. This amount should come from natural foods sources such as green leafy vegetables, fish, liver, eggs, dark berries and some fortified cereals. If you do not eat a balanced diet, then a multivitamin that does not contain mega amounts above the recommended intake is a good supplement.
Considerations
The bottom line on vitamin K and aspirin is that they are safe together, unless you have a condition that your doctor has placed special guidelines on your intake of vitamin K. These could include conditions such as atrial fibrillation, heart valve surgery or congenital heart defects, because these situations generally require the use of blood thinning medications. In this case, follow the instructions on your medications and talk to your doctor about your vitamin K intake and whether or not you can consume aspirin with your other medications.
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