| People that are on blood thinning or anticoagulant | | | | Because Vitamin K can be easily found in foods |
| drugs after a stroke or surgery should limit intake | | | | and is also naturally produced by bacteria that line |
| of Vitamin K rich foods. Because Vitamin K | | | | the gastrointestinal tract, cases of Vitamin K |
| primarily promotes blood clotting, you should ask | | | | deficiency are very rare. However, it does occur. |
| your doctor if you should eat more foods low in | | | | If you bruise or bleed easy, you may be deficient. |
| Vitamin K. | | | | Vitamin K is such an integral part of proper |
| If you are looking to limit your daily of intake of | | | | clotting that many of the popular manufactures of |
| Vitamin K rich foods, then you need to avoid | | | | rodent poisons have taken advantage of this |
| various green and leafy vegetables. Here is a brief | | | | knowledge. Many of the poisons are simply |
| list of foods high in Vitamin K: broccoli, spinach, | | | | Vitamin K antagonists that inhibit the recycling of |
| Swiss chard, turnip greens, mustard greens, kale, | | | | Vitamin K in rodents. The rodents simply die from |
| cabbage, or cauliflower. If those foods are not on | | | | Vitamin K deficiency and bleed to death. Some of |
| your favorite foods list, then you are all the | | | | the antagonists are so effective, that a single |
| better. | | | | feeding of the poison, can not only kill the rodent, |
| The role of Vitamin K in coagulation or clotting of | | | | but also cause bleeding in animals, like a cat or |
| the blood was one of the first known functions. | | | | dog, that eat the dead rodent. |
| Physicians typically prescribe blood thinners and | | | | Our chief source of Vitamin K is actually the |
| anticoagulant drugs to patients after surgeries and | | | | synthesis by the bacteria naturally occurring in our |
| strokes. Due to lack of physical activity these | | | | intestinal lining. Therefore, in humans it is very |
| patients are normally at high risk for clotting | | | | difficult to become deficient, even with a low |
| particularly in the legs. As mentioned, Vitamin K | | | | intake of dietary vitamin K. However, we can |
| actually plays an integral role in the synthesis of | | | | become deficient if the vitamin does not make it |
| several proteins that regulate both, coagulation | | | | from our digestive tract to our blood stream. A |
| and anti coagulation of our blood. Therefore, some | | | | common cause of Vitamin K deficiency is liver |
| of the anticoagulant drugs have been designed to | | | | disease. |
| inhibit or compete with Vitamin K. | | | | The liver produces bile acids that are secreted |
| Researchers are also looking at other side effects | | | | into the small intestines where they play a critical |
| of drugs that inhibit vitamin K. As discussed earlier, | | | | role in absorption of lipids. These lipids are |
| Vitamin K has been shown to increase bone | | | | important because they are the vehicles by which |
| density in the elderly. Therefore elderly patients | | | | Vitamin K is absorbed into our blood stream. Liver |
| on anti-clotting drugs must also keep a watchful | | | | diseases that decrease the production of bile |
| eye on their bone density. | | | | greatly reduce the absorption of Vitamin K, which |
| Because of these dangers, people on anticoagulant | | | | lead to Vitamin K deficiency. No matter how |
| drugs should see their doctors regularly. Initially, it | | | | much Vitamin K is produce in the gastrointestinal |
| is important that the patient is monitored so that | | | | lining or ingested through diet, without proper bile |
| the physician is able to determine the proper | | | | production and lipid absorption, the body will |
| dosage. Patients also need to be monitored when | | | | become deficient. So that is one more good |
| the use of the drug is discontinued, because it | | | | reason to take care of your liver. |
| takes time for the body to restore the normal | | | | Antibiotics, that are ingested to treat bacterial |
| clotting ability. | | | | infections, not only kill harmful bacteria in our |
| The term Vitamin K actually refers to not only | | | | bodies, but also eliminate the good bacteria in our |
| one, but to a group of fat soluble vitamins that | | | | intestines that produce our Vitamin K. To help |
| are essential for the synthesis and modification of | | | | reestablish the bacteria in you intestines after a |
| certain proteins that are mostly required for | | | | course of antibiotics, it is often recommended |
| proper blood clotting. In fact, the "K" is actually | | | | that you eat yogurt with active cultures. There |
| from the German word for coagulation, spelled | | | | are also probiotic supplements that are available at |
| "Koagulation". Vitamin K has also been shown to | | | | pharmacies and health food stores. |
| inhibit fungal growth, and some studies show that | | | | We are continually learning more about Vitamin K. |
| it helps maintain strong bones in the elderly. | | | | Foods high in Vitamin K should be avoided by |
| There are two natural forms. The first being | | | | people taking blood thinners. Today, it is clear that |
| Vitamin K1 is also known as phlloquinone. Vitamin | | | | Vitamin K is vital to our health. However, stay |
| K2, or menaquinone, is normally produced by | | | | tuned as we continue to learn more and more |
| naturally occurring bacteria in the large intestines. | | | | about how exactly Vitamin K plays a role in our |
| In addition, there are three synthetic forms, | | | | daily function and our long-term health. |
| designated K3, K4, and K5. | | | | |