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What is
it?
Vitamin k are a group of three
fat soluble vitamins, vitamin k1 (phylloquinone) which is
made by plants, vitamin k2 (menaquinone) which is made by
animals, birds and by bacteria in the intestines, and
vitamin k3 (menaphtone or menadione), which is synthetic.
What Does in the Body?
Vitamin K it is best known for
its role in helping blood clot properly after an injury.
Vitamin K is helpful in this situation because it is
responsible for making clotting factors in the liver.
Vitamin K also plays an important role in bone health.
Vitamin K also prevents the hardening of the arteries, which
aids in preventing heart disease and heart failure.
Vitamin K is necessary
for the production of a urinary protein involved in kidney
function which inhibits the formation of calcium
oxalate kidney stones.
Where is it Found?
Food source of
Vitamin K are: Green leafy
vegetables, meat, and dairy products. Little vitamin K is lost from foods with
ordinary cooking.
Recommended Daily Intakes: men
80 mg, women 65 mg, pregnancy 65 mg, lactation 65 mg.
Deficiency/Side Effects
Vitamin K deficiency results in impaired blood clotting.
Symptoms include easy bruising and bleeding that may be
manifested as nosebleeds, bleeding gums, blood in the urine,
blood in the stool, and extremely heavy menstrual bleeding.
Some side effects may be decreased appetite, difficulty in
breathing, enlarged liver, general body swelling, muscle
stiffness, yellow eyes or skin and dizziness. |
