Vitamin K Essential
For Blood Clotting Function

The function of Vitamin K was not discovered until 1974 although the vitamin was first discovered in Germany in 1929 and in 1943 to researchers Dam and Doisy received the noble prize for their work on the vitamin. The only known role found to date is that it is essential for the functioning of seven proteins involved in blood clotting.

All seven of these proteins act in a cascading event. In that they depend on each other in a series (read in line like dominos) As this domino effect continues the bleeding from a wound stops by the formation of a clot. In short if something is missing in this cascading event no clot is formed. Everything has to be correct or you can have to much clotting or on the other side not enough.
Many drugs such as Coumadin(an anticoagulant) work by inhibiting the action of Vitamin K possibly bringing on a deficiency. Although this vitamin is fat soluable it stores very little in the body so you need it every day in your intake of food or in supplement form. It does have one great advantage that other vitamins do not. It has the ability to reuse itself over and over again which does reduce the vitamins daily intake requirements.

Deficiency of this vitamin results in poor blood clotting in the body. Symptoms include frequent nose bleeds, easy bruising, and blood in urine or stools In infants in can result in life threatening bleeding inside the skull. Deficiency is uncommon in our society because it is readily available in food. (see below)

Food Sources(Note how many sources are also large antioxidant sources.
• Olive Oil
• Soybean Oil
• Mayonnaise
• Cooked broccoli
• Raw Kale
• Raw Spinach
• Leaf Lettuce
• Chard
• Watercress
• Parsley
• Romaine Lettuce
• Collard Greens

It is not a good idea to take high amounts of supplemental Vitamin K if you are on anticoagulants of any kind. The Vitamin has been found to interfere with the anticoagulants performance.
It appears that Vitamin K may play an important role in bone density especially in senior citizens. In a study of 70,000 women (that’s a big study) those women who consumed larger amounts of the vitamin in their diets has a lower risk of hip fracture Hip fracture is one of the aging populations biggest enemies. Women with low blood counts of the vitamin have more fractures of all kinds. This vitamin decrease with age and bone fracture increases so if you are over 50 you might what to increase your consumption of the raw nutrition mentioned above.

In accordance with the FDA these products are not intended to treat, cure, mitigate, or prevent any diseases. Information on this site is given for educational purposes only and is not to replace the advice of your health care professional.


Vitamin K to Vitamin Facts