Vitamin K is a primary agent in helping your blood to clot, a process called coagulation. It also plays a role in bone mineralization, which affects your risk for osteoporosis, or brittle bones. The recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, of vitamin K for adult males is 120 mcg; for females, it's 90 mcg. Olive, soybean and canola oils, along with leafy green vegetables, are good sources of vitamin K. Some drugs and supplements, including ginkgo biloba, may interact poorly with vitamin K.
Ginkgo Biloba
Ginkgo biloba is a botanical derived from the leaves of the ginkgo biloba tree and has long been in use by traditional medicine practitioners to improve blood circulation. According to MedlinePlus, taking ginkgo leaf extract orally helps reduce leg pain, called intermittent claudication, caused by peripheral vascular disease; it also may alleviate the symptoms of Alzheimer's, Raynaud's syndrome, one type of glaucoma and premenstrual syndrome.
Ginkgo Biloba & Vitamin K Interactions
The active ingredients in ginkgo are flavonoids and terpenoids, both with antioxidant properties. The flavonoids are especially helpful in protecting the cardiovascular system from the damage of cell metabolism by-products and environmental toxins. The terpenoids, including ginkgolides, dilate your blood vessels and cause the platelets in your blood to be less sticky, allowing improved flow of blood through your vessels. Because of this property, if you are deficient in vitamin K, or if you are taking blood-thinning medications, you need to talk to your doctor about taking this supplement, which could lead to excessive bleeding.
Vitamin K Deficiency Symptoms
If you bruise easily or have frequent nosebleeds, bleeding gums or blood in your stool or urine, you may be deficient in vitamin K. Because you only need a small amount of vitamin K in your diet, most healthy people aren't likely to be deficient in this vitamin. People with certain chronic health conditions, such as diabetes, renal failure and malabsorption syndromes, are more prone to a deficiency. To determine if you have a vitamin K deficiency, your doctor would order a blood test called a prothrombin time or PT. This test determines the rate at which your blood coagulates.
Ginkgo Biloba Side Effects & Interactions
While unusual, headaches, dizziness, heart palpitations, stomach problems and skin reactions are potential side effects of taking ginkgo. The tree pollen and fruit pulp are both known to cause allergic reactions. Talk to your doctor before combining ginkgo with aspirin, warfarin or other blood-thinning agents or with antihypertensives or anticonvulsants. Look for a supplement with the ginkgo extract standardized to 24 percent flavones and 6 percent terpene lactones at a dosage of 120 to 720 mg, which Drugs.com reports is the standard used in clinical trials. Always purchase supplements from a trusted manufacturer, and always tell your health care provider about this or any other supplement you are taking.
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