Somewhere, in the 1920s and 1930s, it was discovered that the cause of excessive bleeding in the bodies of animals was a restricted diet, which, among other things, was missing, a substance that helps the blood clotting process. The Danish researcher who held the discovery was Henrik Dam, and the missing substance was named Vitamin K, the first letter of the German word coagulation - clotting.
What is Vitamin K?
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays important roles in the blood clotting and healing mechanism, in bone formation and in regulating blood calcium levels - it produces proteins that are essential for bone and blood clotting, and works with vitamin D to ensure that calcium finds its way to the bones. In addition, Vitamin K's activity leads to a decrease in calcium sedimentation and thus in effect reduces vascular calcification and aids vascular and heart health. Various studies have shown that vitamin K may also help with cancer and diabetes.
Vitamin K is found throughout the body, including the liver, brain, heart, pancreas, and bones. It decomposes rapidly excreted in the urine or feces, so he seldom comes up to toxic levels in the body, even in high consumption, as may sometimes occur with other fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin A.
Vitamin K deficiency can increase clotting time, which can lead to excessive bleeding. It is important to know that while vitamin K deficiencies are rare in adults, they are very common in newborn infants, so infants, when taken out into the world, are given vitamin K injection.
K2, K1 and even more
Vitamin K is actually a group of vitamins that have a similar structure. In our diet, there are two main forms of Vitamin K - K1 and K2. There is also the synthetic form of the vitamin - vitamin K3.
The main functions of vitamin K1, also called filokinion, are to aid blood vessel building and blood clotting process. K1 accounts for 90% -75% of the total vitamin K we consume and is found in plant foods, especially in vegetables and leafy greens, such as kale, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, parsley and coriander, as well as whole grains, avocado, soy and natto (fermented soybeans).
Vitamin K2, called menaquinone, mainly helps maintain bone health, calcium absorption in the bones, and bone density. K2 also helps prevent calcium buildup in the arteries and has a role in the blood clotting process. K2 is found in animal foods and fermented foods and is also created inside the body by the colon bacteria, which also know how to make part of vitamin K1 that reaches the body into K2. It can be found in liver, hard and soft cheeses, chicken, egg yolk, butter, whole milk, yogurt, and cream.
How does vitamin K deficiency be identified?
Vitamin K deficiency is a rare occurrence and can be found mainly in people with severe malnutrition, most often in developing countries. In developed countries, there may be several reasons for vitamin deficiency:
- Babies: Those who are actually most at risk for vitamin K deficiency are newborn babies, as they do not carry the bacteria that make the vitamin, and breast milk is not a good source of vitamin. In Israel and many other countries, every baby born receives a vitamin K injection to prevent internal and external bleeding.
- Absorption problems: The inability to properly absorb vitamin K, naturally produced in the intestinal tract, can also lead to vitamin deficiency. People with severe gastrointestinal disorders, such as gallbladder disease, cystic fibrosis, celiac or Crohn's, or people suffering from a fat-absorption problem, which are essential for vitamin K absorption, may suffer from this vitamin deficiency.
- Prolonged use of antibiotics: Taking antibiotics for an extended period of time can also cause vitamin K deficiency, as it kills the bacteria that make up the vitamin.
- Other medicines: Consumption of anticoagulants, such as coumadin, that blocks and damages vitamin K activity. In case of taking coumadin, be sure to have a regular vitamin K level in your body, and consult your treating physician.
Severe vitamin K deficiency can cause internal bleeding, which can start from the nose or gums and may also be manifested in mild blood flow, and blood in the urine and feces. Vitamin K deficiency can also manifest in the weakening of the bones, as a result of a decrease in bone density.
How Is Vitamin Excess And What Are Its Symptoms?
Excess vitamin K and its toxicity are quite rare, as the excess vitamin is excreted in the urine. Most often, the reason for the excess will be excess vitamin K in dietary supplements and not through the food - so no upper limit is set for this vitamin, but only a recommendation for daily intake. In the case of excess vitamin K in the body, hemolytic anemia - destruction of the red blood cells - and liver function disorders can be caused.
What are the recommended doses?
So how much vitamin K should you consume a day? The following table shows daily consumption data, by age and sex, as published by the Ministry of Health :
| age | Sufficient daily consumption |
| 6-0 months | 2 mcg |
| 12-7 months | 2.5 mcg |
| 3-1 years | 30 mcg |
| 8-4 years | 55 mcg |
| 13-9 years | 60 mcg |
| 18-14 years | 75 mcg |
| 19 and over - men | 120 mcg |
| 19 and over - women, also pregnant and breastfeeding | 90 mcg |
When to use Vitamin K?
If you think you need a vitamin K supplement, it is recommended to take the vitamin (or multivitamin containing vitamin K and other important vitamins) only after consulting a doctor. When using it is important that you follow the instructions for consumption.
Please note, people who use coumadin for heart problems, blood clotting disorders, or other conditions may need to monitor their diet closely to control the amount of vitamin K they are taking.
