Vitamin K<\/b> is a fat-soluble vitamin named for its role in the coagulation (in German, \u201ckoagulation\u201d) of blood. Vitamin K participates in this critical process by altering the amino acid glutamic acid in such a way that it can attach calcium ions and proteins together so blood can clot.<\/p>\n
Vitamin K is made in the gut and is also obtained from foods, particularly leafy green vegetables. Without Vitamin K, blood could not clot, and uncontrolled bleeding could lead to death.<\/p>\n
In addition to its role in blood clotting, Vitamin K also helps to produce the protein that moves calcium into bone. Without enough Vitamin K, dietary calcium cannot be utilized.<\/p>\n
Vitamin K helps to prevent conditions of aging, such as disabling hip fractures and \u201chardening of the arteries,\u201d which occurs when calcium is deposited around cholesterol in the arteries. Vitamin K can also protect the cardiovascular system by helping to keep arteries flexible. Flexible arteries mean lower blood pressure as well as lower risk for heart attack and stroke.<\/p>\n
The body needs about 1000 micrograms of Vitamin K per week. Leafy green vegetables are an excellent source of Vitamin K, with just two cups of raw kale (at 547 micrograms of Vitamin K per cup) sufficient to meet the body\u2019s weekly requirement.<\/p>\n
Other top sources of Vitamin K are cooked broccoli (420 micrograms per cup), raw chard (300 micrograms per cup), raw spinach (120 micrograms per cup), and leaf lettuce (118 micrograms per cup).<\/p>\n
Other leafy greens as well as other vegetables also contain Vitamin K. Since it is a fat-soluble vitamin, Vitamin K is best absorbed when greens are cooked in a small amount of oil.<\/p>\n
Vitamin K can also be synthesized in the intestines from naturally occurring bacteria, though bacterial synthesis is not sufficient to meet the body\u2019s total requirement of Vitamin K.<\/p>\n
Vitamin K deficiency is uncommon, particularly in people who eat green vegetables on a regular basis. However, if absorption of fat is impaired by conditions such as faulty bile production or diarrhea, Vitamin K status may be compromised. Infants, who are born with a sterile digestive tract, do not manufacture Vitamin K for the first few weeks of life. Because infants also do not consume greens, a single dose of Vitamin K is given at birth to prevent hemorrhagic disease in newborns.<\/p>\n
Vitamin K is also available in supplements, often as part of a multivitamin formula. People who are taking anticoagulant medications to prevent blood clotting should not take supplements containing Vitamin K without consulting a physician.<\/p>\n
Similarly, people on anticoagulants are often advised to limit consumption of leafy green vegetables or to adjust the dosage of their medication accordingly. Taking high doses of Vitamin K for a long period of time can result in anemia.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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