Do you really need more Vitamin K?
If you belong to the older adult group, then you may need to supplement your diet with more vitamin K., And if within that group you are a male, then you absolutely must add more vitamin K to your diet. Why? Because Dr. Sarah Booth of the Tufts University in Boston said so.
According to a study, aging is characterized by a low-grade, pro-inflammatory state, and vitamin K has shown to suppress the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Low-grade inflammation is seen to be a contributing factor in the progression and onset of chronic aging problems like osteoarthritis, heart diseases, and others. This is reason enough why people should augment their diet with foods rich in vitamin K to lower their risk for age-related chronic inflammatory diseases.
Benefits of Vitamin K
Vitamin K is most famous for its role in the blood clotting mechanism. Without vitamin K, a lot of people may die of hemorrhage or continuous bleeding. Clotting is the process by which the body can suppress bleeding and begin wound healing.
On another note, vitamin K is also needed in the creation of the proteins that affect the health of blood vessels, cartilage, and bone. Emerging studies have linked vitamin K to a vital function in keeping tissues from calcification. A good example is osteoarthritis, where the knee cartilage calcifies, thereby causing great pain and decreased mobility.
Naturally Occurring Vitamin K
Many of us know that vitamin K can be found in dark green leafy vegetables. The greener and the darker green the color, the richer it is in the vitamin. The source is known as vitamin K1.
Vitamin K can also be found naturally in animal products and is known as Vitamin K2. Bacteria also produce it in our colon. Fermented foods, beef, and egg yolks are rich in vitamin K 2.
It has been reported that vitamin K2 is the superior form of this vitamin. However, scientific studies show that vitamin K1 is readily accessible, is safe for consumption, and can be converted to vitamin K2 if needed.
How Much Do You Need?
The daily recommended dietary allowance for vitamin K is 90mcg for women and 120mcg for men. In terms of food portions, a cup of raw dark green leafy vegetables will give you more than your recommended daily allowance. It is also highly recommended to serve your green leafy veggies with a drizzle of fat to enhance vitamin absorption.
Food and beverage companies can use certain GrandFusion products to add high concentrations of plant-based vitamin K1. Learn more about our products here.
When Using Blood Thinners
If you are on a medication to thin your blood, you may want to hold off on your vitamin K consumption because this will negate the effect of blood thinners like Coumadin (warfarin) and increase your likelihood of blood clots.
Being on blood thinners, though, does not mean you have to hold off on green leafy veggies because they also contain potassium, folate, fiber, and antioxidants that your body needs. The key to balancing blood thinners and the vitamin is to be consistent on the amount of these foods that you take every day so that you do not need to alter your warfarin dose.
Inspired by www.consumerreports.org
