This article aims to clear any doubts and questions you may have about this subject and we will do our best to do so.
Why Do People Take Vitamin K?
Vitamin K is actually a group of compounds. The most important of these compounds appears to be vitamin K1 and vitamin K2. Vitamin K2 is a group of compounds largely obtained from meats, cheeses, and eggs, and synthesized by bacteria.
Vitamin K1 is the main form of vitamin K supplement available in the U.S.
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There’s also some evidence vitamin K may help keep bones healthy.
Good Sources Of Vitamin K
Vitamin K is found in: green leafy vegetables – such as broccoli and spinach
vegetable oils
cereal grains Small amounts can also be found in meat and dairy foods.
Adults need approximately 1 microgram a day of vitamin K for each kilogram of their body weight. For example, someone who weighs 65kg would need 65 micrograms a day of vitamin K, while a person who weighs 75kg would need 75 micrograms a day. A microgram is 1,000 times smaller than a milligram (mg).
The word microgram is sometimes written with the Greek symbol μ followed by the letter g (μg). Any vitamin K your body does not need immediately is stored in the liver for future use, so you do not need it in your diet every day. You should be able to get all the vitamin K you need by eating a varied and balanced diet.
Taking 1mg or less of vitamin K supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm.
Benefits
Vitamin K benefits the body in various ways. Bone health There appears to be a correlation between low intake of vitamin K and osteoporosis.
In one study, healthy individuals over the age of 70 years with the highest blood levels of vitamin K1 had the highest verbal episodic memory performance. Heart health Vitamin K may help keep blood pressure lower by preventing mineralization, where minerals build up in the arteries. Sources Vitamin K1 occurs in high amounts in leafy green vegetables, such as kale and Swiss chard.
They can increase your vitamin K intake. Baked halibut with garlicky kale & toasted cashews Powered-up spinach lasagne Roasted Brussels sprouts with toasted pecans & avocado Spinach-pesto salad Dietary fat enhances the absorption of vitamin K, so a salad of green leaves drizzled olive oil would both provide vitamin K and help the body absorb i.