Vitamin K Diet Vitamin K is needed for proper regulation and formation of blood clots in the body. A protein called prothrombin, synthesized in the liver plays a vital role in the blood clotting process and vitamin K is essential in the synthesis of prothrombin.
There are many medical conditions where excess blood clotting in the body is not desirable, for example a blood clot in the arteries, veins and heart can lead to stroke, heart attacks and phlebitis. Vitamin K diet is important in many medical conditions especially with those who are on medications that prevent clot formation and are blood thinners for instance warfarin.
To ensure a correct dose of warfarin, each person on this medication is needed to take a blood test known as prothrombin time as warfarin interferes with the prothrombin formation in the liver and can lead to unwanted bleeding. If too much of vitamin K rich foods are included in a person on warfarin therapy then it can interfere with the action of medication and lead to lower prothrombin time making the blood more likely to clot.
It is important to keep consistency in consuming vitamin K rich foods when a person is on anti-clotting medication, rather than consuming very little on one day and excess on the other. This will allow the medication to work properly and keep the blood clotting function consistent. For this keeping a food diary can be helpful to monitor the diet intake and its interaction between medications. Besides blood clotting vitamin K also helps to regulate the blood sugar levels and bone metabolism.
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin K is 80 mg for males, 65 mg for females and 5 mg for new born infants. Some of the vitamin K is synthesized in the gut by some bacteria but it is not sufficient to fulfill the requirements so most of the vitamin K can be obtained from the food sources. A vitamin K diet with proper food selection can be varied and adequate in many other nutrients.
Foods which are rich source of vitamin K include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale and spinach. Cooked form of broccoli, spinach, kale and other dark green leafy vegetables nearly provide more than one RDA per serving. Other good sources of vitamin K include cow’s milk and Asian soy foods. Process which includes hydrogenation of vegetable oils may decrease the absorption and biological effects of vitamin K. If a person is on anti-clotting medications it would be wise to consult a specialist or a registered dietitian to derive vitamin K needs according to his prothrombin time. |
