- What is Vitamin K for
- Types of Vitamin K
- Foods rich in Vitamin K
- Recommended quantity
- Symptoms of lack of Vitamin K
- When to use Vitamin K supplements
Vitamin K plays a role in the body such as participating in blood clotting, preventing bleeding, and strengthening bones, as it increases the fixation of calcium in bone mass.
This vitamin is present mainly in dark green vegetables, such as broccoli, kale and spinach, foods that are usually avoided by people who use anticoagulant drugs to prevent a heart attack or stroke.
What is Vitamin K for
Vitamin k performs the following functions in the body:
- Help with blood clotting, which also favors healing; Improve bone density, as it stimulates a greater fixation of calcium in bones and teeth; Avoid bleeding in premature babies, as it facilitates blood clotting and prevents these babies from having complications; Help the health of blood vessels, leaving them with greater elasticity and without calcium accumulation, which can cause problems such as atherosclerosis.
It is important to remember that for vitamin K it helps in bone mass it is necessary to have a good intake of calcium in the diet, so that this mineral is in sufficient quantity to strengthen bones and teeth. See more about the functions and where to find calcium.
Types of Vitamin K
Vitamin K is divided into 3 types: k1, k2 and k3. Vitamin k1 is found naturally in food and is responsible for activating clotting, while vitamin k2 is produced by bacterial flora and helps in the formation of bones and the health of blood vessels.
In addition to these, there is also the so-called vitamin k3, which is produced in the laboratory and used to make supplements of this vitamin.
Foods rich in Vitamin K
The main foods rich in vitamin K are green vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, watercress, arugula, cabbage, lettuce and spinach. In addition, it can also be found in foods like turnip, olive oil, avocado, egg and liver. See the amount of vitamin K in foods.
Recommended quantity
The recommended amount of daily vitamin K intake varies with age, as shown below:
- 0 to 6 months: 2 mcg7 to 12 months: 2.5 mcg1 to 3 years: 30 mcg4 to 8 years: 55 mcg9 to 13 years: 60 mcg14 to 18 years: 75 mcgMen aged 19 years and over: 120 mcgWomen aged 19 or more: 90 mcg Pregnancy and lactating: 90 mcg
In general, these recommendations are easily obtained when you have a varied and balanced diet, with a diversified consumption of vegetables.
Symptoms of lack of Vitamin K
Vitamin K deficiency is a rare alteration, as this vitamin is present in several foods and is also produced by the intestinal flora, which must be healthy for good production. The main symptom of a lack of vitamin K is difficult to stop bleeding that can occur in the skin, through the nose, through a small wound or in the stomach. In addition, weakening of the bones can also occur.
People who have had bariatric surgery or are taking medication to reduce the absorption of fat in the intestine are more likely to be deficient in vitamin K.
When to use Vitamin K supplements
Vitamin K supplements should only be used under the guidance of the doctor or nutritionist and only when there is a deficiency of this vitamin in the blood, which can be identified through blood tests.
In general, the risk groups are premature babies, people who have undergone bariatric surgery and people who use drugs to reduce the absorption of fat in the intestine, as vitamin K is dissolved and absorbed along with the fat from food.
