Vitamin K

 

There are two naturally occurring forms of this vitamin: K1 and K2. The first is present in food while the second is normally formed in the intestinal tract by friendly bacteria.

As well as these natural forms, there are several synthetic water soluble forms of vitamin k which are more efficient. Vitamin K3 or menadione is one such version. When injected, menadione is more effective than the oil-soluble forms in natural foods. Since the oil based versions are absorbed through the walls of the intestine they lose some of their efficiency in this process.

Daily Recommendations of Vitamin K

In 2000, the National Academy of Sciences established the following Adequate Intake (AI) levels for vitamin K:

• Males and females, 0-6 months: 2 micrograms

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      • 7-12 months: 2.5 micrograms

      • 1-3 years: 30 micrograms

      • 4-8 years: 55 micrograms

      • 9-13 years: 60 micrograms

      • 14-18 years: 75 micrograms

      • 19 years and older: 120 micrograms

• Females, 19 years and older: 90 micrograms

• Pregnant or lactating females, 19 years and older: 90 micrograms

 

Health Issues With K Vitamin

If you suffer from jaundice, where bile does not reach the small intestine, then normal absorption of vitamin k is prevented. A side effect of this is that the blood does not clot properly. Surgeons often hesitate to operate on people suffering from jaundice because their blood did not clot rapidly enough to stop bleeding. This failure of the blood to react normally is due to a decrease in the volume of prothrombin in the blood. This is a blood protein which requires vitamin K for its formation.

Hemophilia, an inherited condition, in which the blood also fails to clot properly is caused by the lack of a different blood protein, thromboplastin. K Vitamin has no benefit for the production of this substance.

Sadly newly born infants can, rarely, die from uncontrollable hemorrhages (uncontrolled bleeding). This is because the babies do not receive enough vitamin K during prenatal development. A simple injection of one of the water-soluble K Vitamin forms can protect the baby from excessive bleeding during the first few days of life. They soon develop the necessary intestinal bacteria to form the vitamin for themselves.

An interesting side observation has been that women with higher levels of K Vitamin had less chance of hip fractures. Apparently the vitamin lowers the amount of Calcium lost in the urine boosting blood levels.

 

Sources of Vitamin K

K Vitamin is stable in the presence of oxygen and heat so cooking of foods is not detrimental to levels in your food. It is found in plant foods with the green parts being richest. Kale, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, parsley and soy beans are especially rich in it, with tomatoes, the cereal grains, peas, and mushrooms being less well provided. Pork liver contains a large quantity, although there is no indication that the vitamin is stored in any quantity in animal liver