VITAMIN K

Vitamin K (phylloquinone/menaquinone) is a fat soluble vitamin required for blood clotting and bone formation. Good food sources include avocado, liver, and dark leafy greens (spinach, kale, broccoli). One cup of spinach provides almost twice the current RDA (about 120 mcg).

Vitamin K Claims

• Promotes blood clotting
• Improves bone density and bone strength

Vitamin K Theory

Vitamin K is involved in both blood clotting (via prothrombin synthesis) and bone metabolism (via carboxylation of osteocalcin). Although isolated vitamin K supplements are not available without a prescription, it is added in small amounts to most multivitamins and is frequently found as part of many bone formulas. As a dietary supplement for bone health, vitamin K promotes the adequate deposition of calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus within the bone matrix (through the action of a bone protein called osteocalcin). Vitamin K is required for full activity of the osteocalcin protein, and elderly subjects with low vitamin K intake have been shown to have suboptimal bone density and an increased risk of osteoporosis.

Vitamin K Scientific Support

Vitamin K’s primary function is to regulate normal blood clotting (due to its role in the synthesis of prothrombin). The current RDA for vitamin K is 1 mcg per kilogram of body weight so larger people require more vitamin K than smaller people (about 50 to 80 mcg for adults). The vitamin K content of most foods is very low (less than 10 mcg per 100 g). We get the majority of our vitamin K from a few leafy green vegetables (spinach, kale, lettuce, parsley, broccoli) and vegetable oils (soybean, cottonseed, canola, and olive) that contain high amounts (so if you don’t eat these foods regularly, then you are unlikely to consume enough vitamin K). Of the two types of naturally occurring vitamin K, absorption of phylloquinone from plant foods is poor, and the small amounts of menaquinone produced by intestinal bacteria provide only a minor portion of daily requirements.

In bones, vitamin K mediates the gamma carboxylation of glutamyl residues on several bone proteins, most notably the bone formation protein osteocalcin. High serum concentrations of undercarboxylated osteocalcin and low serum concentrations of vitamin K are associated with lower bone mineral density and increased risk of hip fracture. Women with higher vitamin K intakes have a significantly lower relative risk of hip fracture (about 30 percent lower) than women with lower vitamin K intake (less than 109 mcg per day). Risk of hip fracture is also reduced by almost half for women with the highest lettuce consumption (lettuce is high in vitamin K). Women who consumed one or more servings of lettuce per day were 45 percent less likely to have low bone density compared with women eating less than one serving of lettuce each week. These findings suggest that low dietary intake of vitamin K may increase the risk of hip fracture in women.

Studies in postmenopausal women have shown that an increased intake of vitamin K results in an increase in bone formation and a slowing of bone loss. Another study, conducted in female athletes, also showed that one month of vitamin K supplementation increased the body’s ability to bind calcium in the bones and resulted in a 15 to 20 percent increase in bone formation and a 20 to 25 percent decrease in bone breakdown.

Vitamin K Safety

High intake of vitamin K, from either foods or supplements, is not recommended for individuals taking anticoagulant medications such as warfarin (Coumadin). It is widely assumed that a dietary vitamin K warfarin interaction exists, and patients taking these medications are instructed to maintain a constant dietary intake of vitamin K (to avoid fluctuations in the activity of their blood thinning medication). In most cases, a constant dietary intake of vitamin K from dietary supplements containing RDA levels (65 to 80 mcg) of vitamin K is the most acceptable practice for patients on these medications. As with any fat soluble vitamin, chronic consumption of doses above RDA levels is not recommended due to concerns regarding buildup and toxicity.

Vitamin K Value

As an isolated dietary supplement, vitamin K is not available without a prescription. RDA levels of vitamin K are often included in many multivitamins and several complete bone formulas. For individuals who may not be consuming the recommended levels of vitamin K and for elderly individuals who may have a slightly higher dietary need for vitamin K, dietary supplements may be warranted to ensure optimal calcium deposition into bone tissue.

Vitamin K Dosage

The adult RDA ranges from 60 to 80 mcg per day. Natural forms of vitamin K found in foods are only about half as potent as synthetic versions, but both are used efficiently in the body. The levels of vitamin K found in most multivitamins and bone formulas (10 to 120 mcg) are considered safe.

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