The prescription medication risedronate, available as the brand Actonel, is primarily used to prevent and treat osteoporosis, a disorder involving the thinning and weakening of bones. Osteoporosis is most common in women after menopause. Vitamin K is a nutrient essential for blood clotting and cell growth. It also has a role in bone mineralization for normal growth and development. Consult your doctor before adding vitamin K supplements to your health regimen.
Actonel
Actonel is classified as a bisphosphonate medication; these drugs increase bone density by preventing the breakdown of bone. Actonel may be helpful for women after menopause and for men who have developed osteoporosis. Taking a certain type of corticosteroid medication also may cause osteoporosis, and Actonel can keep bones strong for these patients as well. In addition, doctors prescribe Actonel for treating Paget's disease of bone, a disorder that causes soft and weak bones.
Vitamin K
You can obtain vitamin K by eating leafy dark green vegetables, broccoli and brussels sprouts, or by taking a multivitamin or a vitamin K supplement. Taken for medicinal purposes, vitamin K can reverse the dangerous effects of ingesting too much warfarin, a drug that reduces blood clotting ability by inhibiting the action of vitamin K. Research results are conflicting on the effectiveness of taking vitamin K supplements to increase bone strength and decrease fracture risk in people with osteoporosis, according to MedlinePlus, a website of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Research
Although MedlinePlus mentions mixed research results, an article published in the October 2007 issue of "Nutrition in Clinical Practice" states that studies consistently indicate the positive effects of vitamin K on bone mineral density, and that vitamin K reduces the risk of fractures. Research published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in May 2000 evaluated vitamin K effects in a large group of elderly men and women participating in a study known as the Framingham Heart Study. Low vitamin K intake was linked to an increased incidence of hip fractures but not to low bone mineral density.
Usage
Vitamin K doesn't interact with Actonel, according to Drugs.com. You should be able to take both safely, but ask your doctor first. No toxicity has been linked to high doses of vitamin K-1 or K-2, but avoid taking a form called vitamin K-3, recommends the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. The amount of vitamin K associated with a lower risk of hip fracture in the Framingham Heart Study was about 250 micrograms per day. You can obtain a sufficient amount of vitamin K by eating at least 1 cup of dark green leafy vegetables per day and taking a multivitamin, which typically contains 10 to 25 micrograms of vitamin K, according to the Linus Pauling Institute.
References
- PubMed Health: Risedronate
- Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University: Vitamin K
- MedlinePlus: Vitamin K
- "Nutrition in Clinical Practice"; Bone Health and Osteoporosis -- The Role of Vitamin K and Potential Antagonism by Anticoagulants; D.A. Pearson; October 2007
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Dietary Vitamin K Intakes are Associated with Hip Fracture but not with Bone Mineral Density in Elderly Men and Women; S.L. Booth et al.; May 2000
- Drugs.com: Risedronate Drug Interactions
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