Friday, September 23, 2016

Vitamin K: Essential to bones and body systems

While writing my article on Romaine lettuce I became interested in the health benefits of Vitamin K. Vitamins are organic compounds and vital nutrients that cannot be synthesized by the body (although some are synthesized by gut bacteria.) Vitamin K is a group of fat-soluble vitamins found mainly in green leaves and is essential for the blood-clotting process.

The K vitamin group includes phylloquinone ( vitamin K1 ), menaquinone ( vitamin K2 ), and menadione ( vitamin K3 ). It is extremely important that individuals who take blood thinners (anticoagulants such as warfarin) must be careful to keep their vitamin K intake stable.

Researcher has shown that vitamin K is involved in building bone. Low vitamin K levels in the blood is linked to low bone density. The Nurses’ Health Study demonstrates that women who get at least 110 micrograms of vitamin K a day are less likely to break a hip. Research shoes nurses who eat a serving of lettuce or other green, leafy vegetable every day cut hip fracture risk in half compared to those eating one serving a week. The Framingham Heart Study demonstrated correlation between high vitamin K intake and reduced risk of hip fracture for men and women, while women demonstrated increased bone density. Data suggests that only one in four Americans meets the national dietary goal for vitamin K.

Vitamin K is fat-soluble vitamin and is stored in the body’s fat tissue and liver. Generally, a vitamin K deficiency is rare because it is found in leafy green foods and it is synthesized by intestinal bacterial. Taking oral antibiotics can kill off the intestinal bacteria leading to a mild deficiency, typically in those with low K levels already. Excessive bleeding or oozing from the gums or nose is an indication of low K levels.

Heath factors that may lead to vitamin K deficiency include: Gallbladder or biliary disease, Cystic fibrosis, Celiac disease, Crohn's disease, Liver disease, Taking blood thinners, such as warfarin (Coumadin), Long-term hemodialysis and Serious burns.

Because babies are born without any intestinal bacteria and do not get enough vitamin K from breast milk, they receive vitamin K injections to prevent the possibility of bleeding, particularly in the brain. Premature newborns are at greatest risk for vitamin K deficiency. Mothers on seizure medications may develop K deficiency and are often given oral vitamin K for 2 weeks before delivery to protect the baby.

Your body needs vitamin K to use calcium to build bone. Vitamin K creates greater bone density, while low levels of K are found in those with osteoporosis and is associated with a higher risk of osteoarthritis. Optimal levels of vitamin K improves bone health, reduces the risk of bone fractures in postmenopausal women at risk for osteoporosis. Male and female athletes have found that vitamin K helps maintain bone health.

Significant amounts of vitamin K are found in beef liver, green tea, turnip greens, broccoli, kale, spinach, cabbage, asparagus, and dark green lettuce. Chlorophyll the substance that gives plants their green color provides vitamin K. Other foods high in K2 include raw dairy products such as soft cheeses, raw butter, and kefir, and sauerkraut. Only grass fed animals (not grain fed) naturally develop high K2 levels. The K2 content of pasteurized dairy, and products from commercial, confined animal feed lot operations are not high in K2 and should be avoided.

While freezing foods may destroy vitamin K, cooking does not affect it. Water-soluble chlorophyll, a common form of vitamin K, is found over the counter in drug or health food stores and is available in tablet, capsule, and liquid forms. For those whose bodies can’t absorb enough vitamin K, a multivitamin containing vitamin K is recommended rather than an individual K supplement.

At recommended doses vitamin K has few side-effects. However, if there is a potential for medication interactions take dietary supplements under the supervision of a health care provider. People taking warfarin (Coumadin) should not take vitamin K and those in kidney dialysis may have harmful effects from too much vitamin K. Cholesterol-lowering medications reduce how much fat your body absorbs and may also reduce absorption of fat-soluble vitamins including vitamin K.

Dr. Mercola tells us vitamin K is essential to build strong bones, prevent heart disease, and is essential for many other body processes. He refers to vitamin K as the forgotten vitamin because its role and benefits are often overlooked. Vitamin K is an important adjunct to vitamin D. If you are deficient in one, then neither works optimally in your body.

Dr. Cees Vermeer, one of the world's top vitamin K researchers, tells us just like with vitamin D nearly everyone is deficient in vitamin K. Although most of us get enough K from the diet to maintain adequate blood clotting, typically we do not get enough to protect us from many other health problems. Vitamin K deficiency is associated with arterial calcification, cardiovascular disease, varicose veins, brain health problems (including dementia), osteoporosis, tooth decay, prostate cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, leukemia, and infectious diseases such as pneumonia.

Vitamin K2 in concert with vitamin D is known to prevent hardening of the arteries and heart failure. Research suggests it may keep calcium out of your artery linings and other body tissues.
Vitamin K2 is an important nutritional intervention for improving your bone density functioning as the biological "glue" that helps plug calcium and other important minerals into your bone matrix. Japanese research data show that supplemental vitamin K2 produces a 60 percent reduction in vertebral fractures and an 80 percent reduction in hip and other non-vertebral fractures.

A study published in the International Journal of Oncology (September 2003) found that lung cancer patients treated with vitamin K2 displayed a slowed growth rate of cancer cells. In research published in the Alternative Medicine Review (August 2003) involving 30 patients with liver cancer who took oral vitamin K1, data revealed the disease stabilized in six patients; seven patients had a partial response; and seven others had improved liver function. In 2008 a German research group found vitamin K2 provides substantial protection against prostate cancer.

Life Extension magazine (March 2004) reported researchers found that vitamin K beneficial effects include: may help in prevent Alzheimer’s disease, improves insulin sensitivity, 20 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, may help to reduce bruising and antioxidant properties.

















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