What are the benefits of vitamin K?

Benefits of Vitamin K

Vitamin K plays a crucial role in preventing significant bleeding, supporting bone health, and reducing cardiovascular disease risk, with adequate intake being essential for optimal health outcomes. 1

Primary Benefits of Vitamin K

Vitamin K provides several important health benefits:

Blood Coagulation

• Functions as an essential cofactor for enzymes that catalyze post-translational carboxylation of multiple proteins involved in blood clotting 2
• Necessary for the production of active prothrombin (factor II), proconvertin (factor VII), plasma thromboplastin component (factor IX), and Stuart factor (factor X) 2
• Prevents hemorrhagic disease, particularly important in newborns 1, 2

Bone Health

• Promotes bone mineralization through gamma-carboxylation of osteocalcin 1, 3
• Improves bone mineral density in people with osteoporosis 3
• Can reduce fracture rates when used in intervention studies 3
• Works synergistically with vitamin D on bone density 3
• Deficiency contributes to poor bone development and osteoporosis 1

Cardiovascular Health

• Inhibits vascular calcification through activation of matrix Gla protein (MGP) 4
• Supports endothelial integrity 4
• Deficiency is associated with increased cardiovascular disease 1

Anti-inflammatory Effects

• Associated with lower concentrations of inflammatory markers 1
• Exerts anti-inflammatory role by suppressing NF-kB signal transduction 1

Types of Vitamin K

There are two main forms of vitamin K with different properties:

1. Vitamin K1 (Phylloquinone):

   • More abundant in foods 4
   • Primary dietary source
   • Not associated with toxicity 1

2. Vitamin K2 (Menaquinones):

   • Less abundant but more bioactive, especially MK-7 4
   • May have specific benefits beyond K1 5
   • Not associated with toxicity 1

Recommended Intake

• According to EFSA: 1 mg/kg body weight per day 1
• According to IOM: 120 μg for adult males and 90 μg for adult females 1
• The Institute of Medicine has increased dietary reference intakes by approximately 50% from previous recommendations 3

Food Sources

The most abundant nutritional sources of vitamin K1 include:

• Leafy greens
• Cruciferous vegetables
• Asparagus
• Prunes
• Peas
• Parsley 1

Vitamin K Deficiency

Risk Factors for Deficiency

• Fat malabsorption conditions (celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, short bowel syndrome) 1
• Malnutrition 1
• Antibiotic treatments 1
• Anticoagulant (warfarin) treatments 1
• Liver disease 1

Consequences of Deficiency

• Significant bleeding (particularly in newborns) 1
• Poor bone development 1
• Osteoporosis 1
• Increased cardiovascular disease risk 1

Prevalence

• In normal healthy adults, 8-31% have vitamin K deficiency based on undercarboxylated protein analysis 1

Clinical Applications

When to Measure Vitamin K Status

• In at-risk patients, including those with:
  • Conditions causing steatorrhea (fat malabsorption)
  • Prolonged use of broad-spectrum antibiotics
  • Chronic kidney disease 1
  • CF-related liver disease 1

Special Populations Requiring Attention

• Newborns with CF 1
• Exclusively breastfed CF infants 1
• People receiving broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment 1
• Those with liver disease or severe malabsorption 1

Interaction with Anticoagulants

• Patients using anti-vitamin K drugs should:
  • Be monitored with blood clotting tests
  • Avoid making major sudden changes in vitamin K intake 1
  • Have enteral nutrition withheld 1 hour before and after anticoagulant administration 1

Safety Considerations

• Vitamin K1 and K2 are not associated with toxicity 1
• Rare anaphylactoid reactions with bronchospasm and cardiac arrest have been reported after IV vitamin K1 administration 1
• The synthetic vitamin K3 is very toxic and no longer available 1

Emerging Research

• Vitamin K may have pleiotropic actions beyond blood coagulation and bone health 5
• Potential protective effects against atherosclerosis and hepatocarcinoma 5
• Increasing evidence implicates a role for vitamin K in calcification of arteries and atherogenesis 5

By ensuring adequate vitamin K intake through diet or supplementation when needed, individuals can support optimal blood clotting, bone health, and potentially reduce cardiovascular disease risk.