Vitamin K are a group of fat loving vitamins that are needed for the translation of certain proteins required for blood coagulation. The body can store fat soluble vitamins in the fatty tissue for future use which also means that is very is a risk of toxicity when an individual takes too much.
There are two naturally occurring forms of vitamin K – K1 which is synthesized from plants and K2 which is synthesized from bacteria. At this time the only known biological role of vitamin K is as a factor for an enzyme that is catalyzes amino acids specifically critical in the role of calcium regulations.
Vitamin K can be found in cabbage, cauliflower, spinach and other green leafy vegetables as well as cereals and soybeans. The best way to get the daily requirements of this essential vitamins is to eat a well-balanced diet that contains a variety of foods.
Vitamin K2 is normally produced by bacteria in the large intestines and is rarely deficient unless the intestines are heavily damaged. Vitamin K deficiency can happen after long-term treatment with antibiotics and those who are suffering from it will usually have bruising over their skin.
Vitamin K and vitamin K containing foods, will interfere with the chemical interactions of certain blood thinners which are required treatment for individuals who are at risk for forming clots that can block the flow of blood in the arteries to the heart, brain or lungs. If you are taking warfarin (a blood thinner) ask your primary care physician how much vitamin K containing foods you can consume before it may interfere with the drugs. (1)
Vitamin K also plays a role in in the synthesis of bone formation by osteoblasts (bone forming cells). The synthesis requires vitamin D, calcium and vitamin K in order to work at its optimal level. Results of animal studies suggest that certain proteins prevent the calcification of soft tissue and cartilage while facilitating normal bone growth and development. Children with inherited protein deficiency suffer from complications related to increased blood clotting as well as decrease bone density – all related to specific metabolism of vitamin K.
Individuals who have a vitamin K deficiency will have clinical signs such as impaired blood clotting. The increased blood clotting time will often be demonstrated through laboratory testing, but symptoms will include easy bruising or bleeding such as nosebleeds, bleeding gums, blood in the urine, blood in the stool or extremely heavy menstrual bleeding.
Many of today\’s popular rodent killers induce severe bleeding by inducing a vitamin K deficiency. A derivative of warfarin (blood thinner) leads to a vitamin K deficiency. Unfortunately, some of the newer types of rodents killer have such long half-lives that a single feeding on poisoned baits will not only kill the rodents but any other dog or cat that subsequently eats them.
While vitamin K deficiency in adults is highly uncommon, newborns who are exclusively breast-fed are at an increased risk of deficiency. This is because human milk is relatively low in vitamin K. Newborn infants also have low vitamin K reserves because it is not easily transported across the placental barrier and infant intestines are not yet colonized with the bacteria that synthesizes the vitamin K.
In the early 1990s there were two studies published that suggested a possible association between vitamin K injections in newborns in the development of childhood leukemia. However, two large retrospective studies in both the United States and Sweden which reviewed the medical records of over 1.3 million children found no evidence of this relationship. However, the results of two other studies of premature infants suggested that the standard dose of vitamin K for full term infants would be too high for these premature infants. (2,3)
In another study published late 2009 Researchers from Children\’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute suggested that using optimal diet and taking a vitamin K supplement would prevent age-related conditions such as bone fragility, arterial and kidney calcification, cardiovascular disease and possibly cancer. These findings came from data of hundreds of published articles dating as far back as the 1970s. The review was designed to test a theory that provides a new basis for determining the optimum intake of individual vitamins and minerals and has major implications for preventative medicine. (4)
The scientist proposed a triage theory in 2006 to explain his observations about why diseases associated with aging, such as cancer or heart disease and dementia, maybe unintended consequences of mechanisms developed to protect the body against episodic vitamin and mineral shortages. If this is eventually proved correct it will change the way in which vitamin daily allowances are determined because modest deficiencies in the human body are quite common. The theory suggests a new scientifically based and consistent strategy for establishing intake standards.
Researchers know that the average intake of vitamin K in the United States and the United Kingdom are even less than currently recommended, which are based on levels to ensure adequate coagulation and not optimal health. The vitamin K analysis is the first in a series of studies to be conducted testing the premise of the triage theory.
(1) Drugs.com: Warfarin
(2) Linus Pauling Institute: Vitamin K
(3) Pediatrics: Controversies Concerning Vitmain K and the Newborn
(4) Children\’s Hospital and Research Center Oakland: He\’s like everyone to know Popeye was right