Ask the typical pupil to name foods that are rich in vitamin K, or what the functions of the vitamin are for that matter, and he is likely to tell you he’s never heard of it before.
Don’t blame the pupil, because this category of vitamins hardly gets a mention in health talks. You may hear of vitamins A, B, C, D, and E, but definitely not vitamin K. It is even more so because it is not typically used as a dietary supplement.
But then, this is not to say this vitamin is low-rated or unimportant. Rather, a deficiency in it can spell doom, health-wise, for anybody, as the body needs it immensely to get going.
Vitamin K is known as the “clotting vitamin” because without it, blood would not clot; and there’s the tendency to bleed to death from any injury!
“Such bleeding may begin as oozing from the gums or nose,” experts at the University of Maryland Medical Centre confirm.
“That is why this vitamin is named after the German word for blood clotting — koagulation,”.
In fact, scientists say for blood to clot properly, it needs at least 12 proteins; and four of these clotting factors require vitamin K for their activity.
The K vitamins come in two groups — K 1 and K 2. “Vitamin K 1 is derived mainly from leafy vegetables, avocado, cucumber, cabbage, green apples, limes, okra, carrots, beans and soybeans, and “The same chlorophyll that gives plants their green colour also provides vitamin K.”
Vitamin K 2 comes mainly from animal products such as meats, cheeses, and eggs.
It has been note that age and sex generally determine the quantity of vitamins an individual needs on a daily basis; and that pregnant women, nursing mothers, the sick and those just recovering from any illness need special vitamin dosages under the supervision of a competent physician.
That last bit is important because those who have been placed on a course of antibiotics, aspirin, antacids and blood thinners can have their vitamin K levels severely depleted, especially when you consider that the vitamin is also made by the bacteria that line the gastrointestinal tract — apart from deriving it from foods.
Scientific studies suggest that this vitamin helps maintain strong bones in the elderly, while it also provides the body the ability to repair itself and heal wounds.
And while it is rare for adults to be deficient in this all-important vitamin, physicians say its deficiency is very common among newborns because vitamin K “does not efficiently cross the placenta into a foetus, while it takes several weeks to build up dietary stores in newborns.”
Again, the University of Maryland scientists note that babies are born without any bacteria in their intestines, “and they do not get enough vitamin K from breast milk to tide them over until their bodies are able to make it.”
“That’s why there’s the need to give single-dose injection of vitamin K to an infant suspected of its deficiency, especially to prevent the possibility of bleeding, particularly in the brain,” a paediatrician, Dr. Abel Osaretin, advises.
Scientists say newborns at greatest risk for vitamin K deficiency are those born prematurely or those whose mother had to take seizure medications during pregnancy. “Mothers on seizure medications are often given oral vitamin K for two weeks before delivery,” the Maryland scientists note.
Scientist also posit that those who are severely malnourished and those who drink alcohol heavily are very likely to be deficient in vitamin K.
“Those who suffer from end-stage liver damage or disease as a result of alcohol abuse; those who have cystic fibrosis, or inflammatory bowel diseases, or those who have recently had abdominal surgeries are prone to vitamin K deficiency,” the physician explains.
Physician, therefore, urges those who drink excessively to stop it; while she also advises malnourished persons to review their dietary habits, with the sole aim of closing the gap.
To reduce the possibility of developing heart disease, researchers say higher dietary intake of vitamin K2 “is associated with a lower risk of coronary calcification — a risk that occurs when the inner lining of the coronary arteries develops a layer of plaque.”
The vitamin is also credited with the ability to lower the risk of death caused by coronary heart disease.
In terms of reducing the cholesterol levels in the body, especially among those who are undergoing dialysis and who may have high cholesterol, researchers contend that the vitamin has a big, positive role to play.
Experts also say Vitamin K works with the other dietary nutrients that are important for bone health. These include calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium, all of which ensure that our skeleton stays strong. They warn that a deficiency in any of these vital nutrients can lead to health problems that cannot be fully tackled by focusing on any of the other nutrients.
In addition, scientists say we need this vitamin side-by-side with calcium to build bone. “People who have higher levels of vitamin K have greater bone density, while low levels of vitamin K have been found in those with osteoporosis,” researchers say.
They argue that there is increasing evidence that vitamin K improves bone health and reduces risk of bone fractures, particularly in post-menopausal women who are at risk for osteoporosis.
So, eat more greens and meats, without overindulging on the latter
Don’t blame the pupil, because this category of vitamins hardly gets a mention in health talks. You may hear of vitamins A, B, C, D, and E, but definitely not vitamin K. It is even more so because it is not typically used as a dietary supplement.
But then, this is not to say this vitamin is low-rated or unimportant. Rather, a deficiency in it can spell doom, health-wise, for anybody, as the body needs it immensely to get going.
Vitamin K is known as the “clotting vitamin” because without it, blood would not clot; and there’s the tendency to bleed to death from any injury!
“Such bleeding may begin as oozing from the gums or nose,” experts at the University of Maryland Medical Centre confirm.
“That is why this vitamin is named after the German word for blood clotting — koagulation,”.
In fact, scientists say for blood to clot properly, it needs at least 12 proteins; and four of these clotting factors require vitamin K for their activity.
The K vitamins come in two groups — K 1 and K 2. “Vitamin K 1 is derived mainly from leafy vegetables, avocado, cucumber, cabbage, green apples, limes, okra, carrots, beans and soybeans, and “The same chlorophyll that gives plants their green colour also provides vitamin K.”
Vitamin K 2 comes mainly from animal products such as meats, cheeses, and eggs.
It has been note that age and sex generally determine the quantity of vitamins an individual needs on a daily basis; and that pregnant women, nursing mothers, the sick and those just recovering from any illness need special vitamin dosages under the supervision of a competent physician.
That last bit is important because those who have been placed on a course of antibiotics, aspirin, antacids and blood thinners can have their vitamin K levels severely depleted, especially when you consider that the vitamin is also made by the bacteria that line the gastrointestinal tract — apart from deriving it from foods.
Scientific studies suggest that this vitamin helps maintain strong bones in the elderly, while it also provides the body the ability to repair itself and heal wounds.
And while it is rare for adults to be deficient in this all-important vitamin, physicians say its deficiency is very common among newborns because vitamin K “does not efficiently cross the placenta into a foetus, while it takes several weeks to build up dietary stores in newborns.”
Again, the University of Maryland scientists note that babies are born without any bacteria in their intestines, “and they do not get enough vitamin K from breast milk to tide them over until their bodies are able to make it.”
“That’s why there’s the need to give single-dose injection of vitamin K to an infant suspected of its deficiency, especially to prevent the possibility of bleeding, particularly in the brain,” a paediatrician, Dr. Abel Osaretin, advises.
Scientists say newborns at greatest risk for vitamin K deficiency are those born prematurely or those whose mother had to take seizure medications during pregnancy. “Mothers on seizure medications are often given oral vitamin K for two weeks before delivery,” the Maryland scientists note.
Scientist also posit that those who are severely malnourished and those who drink alcohol heavily are very likely to be deficient in vitamin K.
“Those who suffer from end-stage liver damage or disease as a result of alcohol abuse; those who have cystic fibrosis, or inflammatory bowel diseases, or those who have recently had abdominal surgeries are prone to vitamin K deficiency,” the physician explains.
Physician, therefore, urges those who drink excessively to stop it; while she also advises malnourished persons to review their dietary habits, with the sole aim of closing the gap.
To reduce the possibility of developing heart disease, researchers say higher dietary intake of vitamin K2 “is associated with a lower risk of coronary calcification — a risk that occurs when the inner lining of the coronary arteries develops a layer of plaque.”
The vitamin is also credited with the ability to lower the risk of death caused by coronary heart disease.
In terms of reducing the cholesterol levels in the body, especially among those who are undergoing dialysis and who may have high cholesterol, researchers contend that the vitamin has a big, positive role to play.
Experts also say Vitamin K works with the other dietary nutrients that are important for bone health. These include calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium, all of which ensure that our skeleton stays strong. They warn that a deficiency in any of these vital nutrients can lead to health problems that cannot be fully tackled by focusing on any of the other nutrients.
In addition, scientists say we need this vitamin side-by-side with calcium to build bone. “People who have higher levels of vitamin K have greater bone density, while low levels of vitamin K have been found in those with osteoporosis,” researchers say.
They argue that there is increasing evidence that vitamin K improves bone health and reduces risk of bone fractures, particularly in post-menopausal women who are at risk for osteoporosis.
So, eat more greens and meats, without overindulging on the latter
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