Glossary: Vitamin K

vitamin K

What is it?

Known as the blood-clotting VITAMIN, K helps the body synthesize at least four of the proteins integral to clot formation, which is why so many surgeons prescribe it to patients before surgery. But vitamin K also cooperates with vitamins A and D in helping to build bone PROTEIN. What makes vitamin K a unique FAT-soluble vitamin is that BACTERIA in the gastrointestinal tract synthesize it, albeit in amounts too small to supply daily needs.

Deficiency Symptoms

Blood that's slow to clot, which can be fatal during surgery; indeed, any time a vein or artery is cut. An ongoing deficiency leads to hemorrhagic disease. Newborns are at particular risk because their digestive tracts contain no vitamin K-producing bacteria and their plasma levels of prothrombin, a major clotting protein, are low (the body's way of reducing the risk of fatal blood clotting in the baby during birth). One shot of vitamin K is usually all that's needed to avoid hemorrhagic disease in new babies. Sadly, for all its ability to "thicken" blood, vitamin K does not cure hemophilia, an inherited disease.

Precautions

Like vitamins A, D and E , vitamin K is fat soluble, meaning that it can be stored in the body and that it's possible to OD on powerful supplements. The worst case scenario: brain or liver damage, jaundice, the destruction of red blood cells. But there are problems of a different sort, too. Patients on anticoagulants (a standard medication for those with heart disease) should cut down on high vitamin K foods and avoid multivitamin pills containing vitamin K because these cancel out the effects of the medication.

Good Sources

Collards, kale, spinach and other dark leafy greens, cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, liver, milk and eggs.

THE BEST SOURCES OF VITAMIN K
Food	Amount	Micrograms
Turnip greens, raw	1/2 cup	182
Spinach, frozen	1/2 cup	131
Liver, beef	3 ounces	104
Cauliflower, raw	1/2 cup	96
Soybean oil	1 tablespoon	76
Broccoli, raw	1/2 cup	58
Green cabbage, raw	1/2 cup	52
Tomato	1 medium	28
Egg yolk	1 ge	25
Milk	1 cup	10
Corn oil	1 tablespoon	8

US RDA

U.S. RDA FOR VITAMIN K
babies: birth to 6 months 6 months to 1 year	5 mcg per day 10 mcg per day
children: 1 to 3 years 4 to 6 years 7 to 10 years	15 mcg per day 20 mcg per day 30 mcg per day
men and boys: 11 to 14 years 15 to 18 years 19 to 24 years 25 to 51+ years	45 mcg per day 65 mcg per day 70 mcg per day 80 mcg per day
women and girls: 11 to 14 years 15 to 18 years 19 to 24 years 25 to 51+ years	45 mcg per day 55 mcg per day 60 mcg per day 65 mcg per day
pregnant women:	65 mcg per day
nursing mothers:	65 mcg per day

Standard Process™ Supplements

Chlorophyll Complex Perles Fat Soluble