Health Benefits of Vitamin K Explained

vitamin k benefits — (Source: theconversation)

Vitamin K is a highly beneficial nutrient for the body. It plays a vital role in blood clotting, regulating calcium levels, and bone metabolism.

Hence, apart from the benefits of vitamin k, the article will also look at the uses and sources of vitamin K. Check it out below!

What Are the Health Benefits of Vitamin K?

Listed below are the different benefits of vitamin K!

1. Production of Prothrombin

The body uses vitamin K in the production of prothrombin. Prothrombin is a protein that is required for blood clotting and bone metabolism. Therefore, low levels of vitamin K eventually lead to uncontrolled bleeding as there is poor blood clotting.

2. Develop Healthy Bones

While there is insufficient research to prove that vitamin K is essential for bone health, some studies have indicated it to be the case. Hence, vitamin K may help with the following:

Maintain Strong Bones
Improve Bone Density
Reduced Risk of Fractures

3. Better Cognitive Health in Older Adults

According to a study on "Vitamin K status and cognitive function in healthy older adults", vitamin K was linked with improved episodic memory in older adults. Therefore, vitamin K is required for improved memory in people above the age of 70.

4. Prevent Mineralisation

Mineralisation occurs when minerals build up in arteries. Vitamin K may help prevent mineralisation. As a result, the heart can pump blood through arteries free of deposited minerals, that too more efficiently.

5. Development of Bone Tissue

Vitamin K is also necessary for the development of bone tissue. Consequently, it is needed to produce protein osteocalcin required for healthy bone tissue.

How to Figure out if You Have Vitamin K Deficiency?

Vitamin K deficiency is rare. However, to figure out if you have a deficiency, look out for the signs of it. Listed below are the signs of vitamin K deficiency:

Increased Time for Blood to Clot (known as prothrombin time)
Bleeding
Haemorrhaging
Osteoporosis

Top Food Sources of Vitamin K

So, what are the sources of vitamin K that help combat any deficiency? Check them out below!

Moreover, you must note that this data is given in terms of the amount of vitamin K per 100g of servings.

Fruits

Some of the best fruits that are a source of vitamin K are: [1]

Name of the Fruit	Amount of Vitamin K Per 100g
Prunes (dried plums)	59.5μg
Dried blueberries (sweetened)	59.4μg
Kiwifruit	40.3μg
Fried yellow plantains	31.8μg
Rhubarb	29.3μg
Plantains	28.8μg
Avocados	21μg
California avocados	21μg
Dried pears	20.4μg
Blackberries	19.8μg

Vegetables

The following vegetables are a rich source of vitamin K: 2]

Name of the Vegetable	Amount of Vitamin K Per 100g
Parsley	1640μg
Swiss chard	830μg
Dandelion greens	778.4μg
Cooked mustard greens	592.7μg
Cooked dandelion greens	551.4μg
Garden cress	541.9μg
Cooked spinach	493.6μg
Cooked beet greens	484μg
Spinach	482.9μg
Collards	437.1μg

Nuts and Seeds

These nuts and seeds are excellent natural sources of vitamin K: [3]

Name of Nuts and Seeds	Amount of Vitamin K per 100
Pine nuts (dried)	53.9μg
Dry-roasted cashews	34.7μg
Oil roasted cashews	34.7μg
Cashews (raw)	34.1μg
Hazelnuts	14.2μg
Dry roasted pistachio nuts	13.2μg
Dry-Roasted mixed nuts (salted)	12μg
Roasted chestnuts	7.8μg
Dried pumpkin and squash seeds	7.3μg
Roasted squash and pumpkin seeds (Unsalted)	4.5μg

Oils and Fats

Among the best sources of vitamin K is soybean oil. The other sources of the vitamin are: [4]

Name of Oil and Fats	Amount of Vitamin K per 100 g
Soybean oil	183.9μg
Soybean lecithin	183.9μg
Margarine (unsalted)	93μg
Cashews (raw)	34.1μg
Canola oil	71.3μg
Honey mustard salad dressing	70μg
Thousand island	69.1μg
Coleslaw salad dressing	66.1μg
Olive oil	60.2μg
Sesame seed dressing	56μg
Russian dressing	53.7μg

Grains and Pastas

Get your daily intake of vitamin K from these grain and pasta sources: [5]

Name of the Grains and Pastas	Amount of Vitamin K per 100 g
Spinach egg noodles (cooked)	101.1μg
Whole grain sorghum flou	6.4μg
Oat bran	3.2μg
Roasted buckwheat groats	1.9μg
Rice bran	1.9μg
Cooked pearled barley	0.8μg
Whole wheat pasta	0.6μg
Cooked bulgur	0.5μg
Cooked wild rice	0.5μg
Uncooked whole-grain cornmeal	0.3μg

Meats

The meats that are rich in vitamin K are: [6]

Name of Meats	Amount of Vitamin K per 100 g
Pepperoni	5.8μg
Broiled ground lamb	5.3μg
Lean chicken breast (cooked)	4.3μg
Roasted chicken leg	3.9μg
Roasted boneless skinless thigh meat	3.9μg
Pan-fried beef liver	3.9μg
Roasted duck	3.8μg
Roasted boneless skinless chicken leg	3.6μg
Roasted skinless chicken drumstick	3.5μg
Pork bratwurst	3.4μg

What Are the Side Effects of Vitamin K Overconsumption?

As was already mentioned above, there are several uses of vitamin K. But can too much vitamin K be harmful?

First of all, vitamin K toxicity, that is excess, is rare in adults but common in formula-fed children. Phylloquinone form of vitamin K is not toxic even in large amounts.

That said, the side effects of too much vitamin K is toxicity from the excessive nutrients, which can lead to anaemia due to the rupture of red blood cells and jaundice. Moreover, too much vitamin K can be harmful if you are taking dialysis treatment. Excess vitamin K also exacerbates the clotting inability for those with liver disease.

What Are the Risk Factors of Vitamin K Deficiency?

Now that you know the benefits of vitamin K, let’s discuss its risk factors. Some individuals are at risk for the deficiency. These include individuals who take certain antibiotics, which can block the metabolism of vitamin K. Moreover, newborns may be at risk because vitamin K does not cross the placenta while breast milk contains small amounts of it.

What Does Vitamin K Deficiency Lead to?

Excessive bleeding is what happens if there is a deficiency of vitamin K. Other signs that indicate a vitamin K deficiency are:

Easily getting bruised
Blood clots appearing under the nails
Stool in dark black colour
Bleeding in the mucous membrane (which lines the inside of the body)

In conclusion, this article discussed what vitamin K is used for, and the various food sources where it is found.

So, knowing the benefits of vitamin K can help you get one step closer to a healthy life!

Frequently Asked Questions

All

What is the recommended dosage for vitamin K?

The dosage for women is 90 micrograms/day, and for men, it is 120 micrograms/ day.

What are the forms of vitamin K?

There are 3 forms of vitamin K. They are phylloquinone, menaquinone, and menadione.