VITAMIN K DEFICIENCY - SYMPTOMS, CAUSES, RISK GROUPS, COMPLICATIONS, NATURAL TREATMENT AND FOODS RICH IN VITAMIN K

Vitamin K refers to a group of structurally similar, fat-soluble vitamins that the body needs to produce a protein (prothrombin), which promotes blood clotting and regulates bone metabolism. In other words, it produces the necessary components without which the blood coagulation process would not work. Vitamin K naturally occurs in two forms:

• K1 or phylloquinone is mostly found in plant foods and occurs naturally in dark leafy green vegetables. However, the body has difficulty absorbing K1 from plant foods, because it is a fat-soluble substance. That is why eating dietary fats, such as plant oils butter, may enhance the body's absorption of K1 from plants.
• K2 or menaquinone is present in meat, dairy products, and fermented foods. About 1/5 of the necessary K vitamin levels we get from menaquinone. Our gut bacteria also produce K2, it can synthesize K1 into K2.

The body needs vitamin K for the carboxylation of glutamic acid (GLA), in other words for carbon binding. The presence of GLA in certain proteins also allows the binding of calcium. Bone tissue consists of several Gla-containing proteins, some of which play an important role in the regulation of bone growth and mineral deposition, but also in the elasticity of soft tissues.

Recent clinical studies have shown that taking vitamin K2 supplements could help reduce the bone loss that women suffer from age and could also improve cardiovascular health through the reduction of arterial stiffness.

Even more, taking vitamin K2 supplements could also help prevent the loss of elasticity in the skin and reduce varicose veins. That`s why it is nature’s unacknowledged anti-aging supplement.

Foods Rich In Vitamin K

Our body absorbs vitamin K from the small intestine, after that it is transported to the lymph. The lymphatic system stores it in the liver, but also bone tissue, adipose tissue, the pancreas, and the heart. When looking at the supply of various fat-soluble vitamins in the body, the total supply of vitamin K is quite modest. This is primarily due to the rapid effect of phylloquinone synthesis.

Therefore, it is very important to ensure a steady supply of this vitamin. Even a short period without the necessary sources will cause a rapid drain in your body's vitamin stocks. Health problems such as poor absorption of fats directly affect the absorption of vitamin K, because, without dietary fats, they cannot absorb properly.

The bioavailability of phylloquinone as the main synthesizer of vitamin K in food is approximately 1/10. Meaning, it is very low compared to the phylloquinone bioavailability in dietary supplements.

• The main sources of phylloquinone (K1) are dark green leafy vegetables, vegetable oils, and fats. Also foods such as parsley and other herbs, nettle, Brussels sprouts, spinach, wheat germ, cauliflower, broccoli, rapeseed oil, cabbage, wheat bran, potatoes, oats, and corn.
• Your body obtains menaquinones (K2) mainly from animal products such as meat and liver, soybean meals, egg yolk, fermented foods such as sauerkraut, and dairy products.

Vitamin K Health Benefits

• Bones. Vitamin K is associated with bone mineralization, meaning that bone density maintains its normal state better when consuming adequate amounts of this vitamin. So it promotes healthy bone mineral density by carboxylation of osteocalcin, a protein that binds calcium to bones. It has also been found beneficial to combine this vitamin with calcium and vitamin D, which results in improved bone density.
• Heart. Vitamin K affects also your heart health, especially in terms of preventing heart conditions, lowering the risk of cardiovascular damage, and improving the overall health of the heart. It is inevitable that in old age calcification of the blood vessels can happen, which makes blood vessels less elastic and narrow. This can eventually lead to ischemic heart disease. Vitamin K has an indirect positive effect on the coronary arteries of the heart. Coronary arteries directly supply the heart with nutrients.
• Cancer. Several experiments have shown that due to its antioxidant properties, vitamin K2 also has some anti-cancer effects. In addition, findings suggest that K2 may suppress genetic processes that lead to tumor growth.
• Diabetes. Maintaining a normal level of vitamin K can also alleviate inflammation and positively influence insulin regulation, thus helping prevent diabetes.
• Anxiety & depression. High blood glucose levels may increase a person's risk of developing anxiety, depression, and cognitive impairment. According to a 2016 study that investigated the effects of vitamin K2 in rats, after 10 weeks of treatment with vitamin K had normalized blood glucose and reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression.
• Elasticity. Helps to prevent the loss of elasticity in the skin and helps to reduce varicose veins.

Vitamin K2 Dietary Supplements

According to a study done in 2019, vitamin K2 (in the form of MK-7) is 10 times more absorbable than vitamin K1. It has been found, that vitamin K from menaquinones, in particular all-trans MK-7, will give the best results. The MK-7  is preferred over both - phylloquinone and other menaquinones (such as MK-4), mainly because of its longer duration of action.

Therefore, the same amount will at substantially the same time, do more work, thus having a much greater efficacy at the usual dose. It is important that, for example, before taking MK-7 supplements, you determine that it is an all-trans variant. Because this is what indicates that it is a bioactive product like for example Ecosh Vitamin K2+D3+Ca+Mg.

Vitamin K2 Deficiency Symptoms

The first symptom of vitamin K deficiency is bleeding. It is especially dangerous for newborns, as they may have intracranial bleeding due to a deficiency of this vitamin.

The main risk of suffering from deficiency is due to inadequate absorption of this vitamin because of the use of antibiotics, blood thinners, and parenteral nutrition.

Your daily diet can also be the cause of insufficient absorption. Because the absorption directly depends on the number of consumed fats, so if your diet does not consist of enough fats, vitamin K cannot absorb. At the same time, the fact that some persons cannot break down fats can influence absorption. For example, this can occur in the case of removed bile.

Vitamin K2 deficiency can cause the following health conditions:

• blood clotting problems;
• more prone to bruising and bleeding;
• nosebleeds;
• increased risk of hemorrhage;
• inadequate bone mineralization, which can lead to osteoporosis.

Vitamin K Deficiency Risk Groups

• Newborns.
• People with certain gastrointestinal disorders, such as ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, or removing bile.
• People who take long courses of antibiotics, as antibiotics can kill the gut bacteria that produce vitamin K.
• Persons who take cholesterol-lowering medications, as some of these medications can also interfere with the body's ability to absorb this vitamin.
• People who take blood thinners, such as warfarin, because it can interact dangerously with the vitamin.

It is extremely important for people taking these medications to consume the same amount of dietary vitamin K supplements each day. Also, it is vital to speak to a doctor before taking supplements or making any dietary changes.

Recommended Daily Intake Of Vitamin K2

There is no consensus on how much vitamin K should be consumed because it is almost impossible to achieve clinical deficiency symptoms with poor nutrition. However, the estimated daily requirement is about 75µg. Our microbiome also produces vitamin K2, but it is certainly not enough to maintain normal levels.

The recommended daily intake, regardless of age, is 1 µg / kg body weight.

The average amount of vitamin K in breast milk is 2.5 µg / l. However, this is too low, so newborns will get prophylactic injections of this vitamin to prevent both - brain and another bleeding.

In the case of taking naturally sourced vitamin K, there has not yet been found upper limit or toxic amount, but that does not mean that it may not be. Therefore, you should not over-consume the recommended amount on your initiative. However, the synthetic version of this vitamin can hurt the liver and hematopoiesis.

In conclusion, if you do not have a varied diet, it might be worth taking vitamin K2 dietary supplements.

 

NB! The information provided here is for informational purposes only, so do not consider it as health care or medical diagnosis and treatment. Do not consider this information as a guarantee of the results you want to achieve. In addition, this information is not intended to replace the advice of your physician or other healthcare professional.

Even more, you should not use it to diagnose or treat a health problem. Before changing or discontinuing your existing medication, treatment, or care, or taking any dietary supplements, be sure to consult with your healthcare professional or doctor before starting any diet or program, or if you suspect you may have a medical condition.

 

Written by Maria-Helena Loik

This article was first published on Ecosh.com

Pictures: Pexels.com, Pixabay.com, Shutterstock.com