Vitamin K: Sources, Function & Deficiency

Table of Contents

What is Vitamin K?

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that our body needs for blood clotting and helping wounds to heal.
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that our bodies store in adipose tissue in the liver.
Vitamin K is an essential nutrient that plays a vital role in blood clotting, bone metabolism, and regulating blood calcium levels.
Vitamin K helps to make various proteins that are needed for clotting the blood and building the bones.
Vitamin K is available in two forms. They are phylloquinone and menaquinone.
The predominant kind is phylloquinone, which is found in green leafy vegetables including spinach, kale, and collard greens.
Menaquinones, the other kind, are present in some animal products and fermented foods. Bacteria in the human body can also create menaquinones.

Green leafy vegetables, such as:
- Kale
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage and lettuces
- Collard and turnip greens (contains phylloquinone)
Soybean and canola oil
Fortified meal replacement shakes
Low levels of phylloquinone but modest levels of menaquinones are found in meat, dairy products, and eggs.
Menaquinones are abundant in natto, a classic Japanese meal produced from fermented soybeans. Menaquinones are also present in other fermented foods like cheese.
But the types and concentrations of vitamin K in these foods probably differ depending on the bacterial strains used to create them and the circumstances of their fermentation.
Vitamin K may be destroyed by freezing, but it is unaffected by heating.
Lesser amounts of Vitamin K can also be found on:
- Eggs
- Strawberries
- Liver (meat)
- Cheese

Vitamin K is required for proper blood coagulation and is involved in the manufacture of several clotting components present in the clotting cascade.
Formation of the skeleton and preventing the calcification of soft tissues
The nervous system as a whole, as well as the heart, lungs, stomach, kidneys, and cartilage, include vitamin K-dependent protein, which serves as a cellular growth regulatory factor with cell-signaling abilities.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of Vitamin K for different age groups are:

1. Prevents osteoporosis

Loss of bone density after the age of 50 is a relatively common condition.
People between the ages of 20 and 30 should start monitoring their vitamin K consumption to strengthen their bones

2. Reduces the clotting of blood

By distributing calcium throughout the body, vitamin K plays the part of a regulator of blood coagulation

3. Reduces excessive menstrual flow

Deficit in vitamin K is one of the many causes of excessive menstrual flow in women. Supplementing with Vitamin K can control the menstrual flow

4. Prevents internal bleeding

This vitamin aids in lowering the risk of liver hemorrhage, jaundice, inadequate nutritional absorption, or the side effects of prolonged antibiotic or aspirin usage.

5. Reduces menstrual pain

Period regularity is ensured by vitamin K’s role in hormone control. In turn, this benefits in easing menstruation discomfort.

6. Relieves nausea during pregnancy

Pregnant women who have frequent vomiting and nausea are typically due to vitamin K deficiency.

7. Prevents hemorrhaging in babies

8. Prevents biliary obstruction

Long-term use of antibiotics can lead to health problems such biliary obstruction, celiac disease, and ulcerative colitis, which can get worse with a vitamin K deficiency.
Therefore, taking vitamin K supplements on a daily basis can stop these difficulties from happening in the future.

9. Protects the immune system

Research has shown that vitamin K is essential for protecting the immune system and the digestive system.

10. Regulates the blood sugar

11. Increase flow of urine

Vitamin K can boost urine production, which is important for the body’s removal of soluble toxins.

12. Prevents cancer

According to studies, vitamin K is important in avoiding cancers of the colon, stomach, prostate, mouth, and nose.
Patients with liver cancer are stabilized, and vitamin K helps the gland operate better.

Although Vitamin K deficiencies are quite rare, a person may suffer from the deficiency if he/she:

Have a disease that affects absorption in the digestive tract, such as Crohn’s disease or active celiac disease
Takes drug that interfere with vitamin K absorption
Is severely malnourished
Drinks alcohol heavily

The most common signs of Vitamin K deficiency are:

Likewise, deficiency of vitamin K is accompanied with a number of symptoms. Excessive bleeding is the major symptom.

Since excessive bleeding could only happen if the person develops a wound, it might not be immediately noticeable.
The following are other symptoms of heavy bleeding:
- Bruising easily
- Small blood clots under the nails
- Bleeding through the mucous membranes
- Bloody or dark-colored feces

A vitamin K deficiency is uncommon. That’s because, in addition to being present in leafy green meals, vitamin K may also be produced by the bacteria in your intestines.
Occasionally, using antibiotics might kill the bacteria and cause a minor deficit, usually in persons who already had low levels.
Lack of vitamin K can cause excessive bleeding, which may start as bleeding from the nose or gums.