The clotting of blood, also called coagulation, is a vital physiological process that stops bleeding when a blood vessel is cut or injured. The process of coagulation is a complex one that involves blood cell fragments called platelets and several proteins and vitamins, referred to as clotting factors. The proper nutrition helps ensure that your blood contains enough of these clotting factors to clot normally.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is important for blood clotting because it allows your body to synthesize four of the several clotting factors in your blood, according to “Nutrition and You” by Joan Salge Blake, a registered dietitian and clinical associate professor at Boston University. Without adequate amounts of vitamin K, your body would not be able to create all of its clotting factors and even a small cut would lead to excessive and uncontrollable bleeding.
Considerations
Normally, your body dissolves a blood clot after it has served its purpose. In some cases, however, blood clots form unnaturally or are not dissolved properly. These types of blood clots, which are medically referred to as thrombi, can block blood flow through your blood vessels and lead to heart attack, stroke and death. One of the major risk factors of a thrombus is obesity being overweight. Women who are overweight and have high blood pressure are especially at risk, according to MayoClinic.com.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E acts as an anti-coagulant, which means it prevents blood platelets from coming together abnormally and forming dangerous blood clots. Vitamin E also helps change the stickiness of the cells in the lining of your blood vessels and lymph vessels, according to “Nutrition and You.” This helps prevent platelets from sticking to the walls of these vessels and blocking blood flow.
Balanced Diet
If you are overweight or have high blood pressure, the proper nutrition can help you lose weight, decrease your blood pressure and lower your risk of abnormal blood clotting. Work with a dietitian to determine your calorie needs and develop a meal plan that helps you stay within these needs. Reduce your intake of saturated fats, trans fats and sugars, which are nutrient-dense foods that significantly contribute to weight gain.
Pay attention to your sodium intake as well. Too much sodium increases the volume of your blood, which increases your blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, keep your sodium intake below 1,500 milligrams per day. If you are a healthy individual, sodium intake should not exceed 2,300 milligrams. Keep in mind that the lower your sodium intake, the better for you.
References
- American Society of Hematology: Blood Clots
- "Nutrition and You"; Joan Salge Blake; 2008
- MayoClinic.com; Pulmonary Embolism; September 2009
