Importance Of Vitamin K

Role of Vitamin -K

The role of vitamin k in the body appears to be in allowing the synthesis of coagulation factors such as Prothrombin in the liver. Prothrombin is found free in the blood and is the inactive precursor to thrombin itself. Thrombin is an enzyme coagulation factor that converts the soluble protein fibrinogen into the insoluble protein fibrin at the last stage of blood clotting. Vitamin k is involved in the production of a number of coagulation factors, which, like Prothrombin, undertake a series of reactions that turn blood from a liquid to a solid state, reducing blood loss and sealing the wound so that it may heal more successfully. Some sources believe that vitamin k is also involved in the electron transport chain and oxidation phosphorylation.

What happens in case of deficiency of Vitamin –K

Deficiency in phytomenadione (vitamin k-1 ) may lead to the onset of osteoporosis or brittle bone disease. Vitamin k-1 is the catalyst for the metabolism of Osteocalcin, which makes up the protein matrix for new bone formation. As long as vitamin k-1 is present, osteocalin will bind calcium ions, and the bones will undergo calcification as normal. Many bone specialists now recommend monitoring the blood serum level of vitamin K-1 to check women at risk from osteoporosis and to try to prevent the disease starting.

Osteoporosis  in women & Vitamin K

If osteoporosis is already affecting a woman’s bones, then supplements of vitamin K-1 would give a better chance of re calcifying her bone tissues with fewer problems of pain, fractures or loss of stature. Blood serum testing is now recommended for women with the disease and women whose family history shows osteoporosis. This testing may not be possible in people on anticoagulant therapy after blood clotting or thrombosis problems. Deficiency in vitamin K-1 normally arises in people who do not eat enough green vegetables and in people whose digestion and absorption of fats is impaired. Studies shows that supplements of vitamin K-1 in osteoporotic women reduced the calcium loss their bones from 18 to 50 per cent and that vitamin K-1 supplements resulted in faster healing of bone fractures, both in normal and osteoporotic individuals. Deficiency of vitamin K can occur because of alcoholism, liver and intestinal diseases and in disturbances to fat absorption in the digestive system. Long-term antibiotic use may suppress the natural bacterial flora of the gastrointestinal tract producing vitamin K, so there is a risk of internal bleeding as the blood lacks the necessary coagulation factors.

Aspirin-containing painkillers also increase the body ‘s requirement for vitamin K. Vitamin K is also given to patients before some types of major surgery, and it has been confirmed that large doses (more than 800 mg ) of vitamin E has an anticoagulant property that interferes with the addition of vitamin K. Supplements of vitamin K are generally given only as a preventative treatment to people at risk from osteoporosis, or people prone to osteoporotic with livers damaged by alcohol.

Newborns & Vitamin -K

Newborn babies are given injections of vitamin K to prevent hemorrhage, as they do not have intestinal bacteria that produce it naturally until a few days after birth. People should consult their doctor before starting supplements of vitamin K, and some people with liver diseases cannot tolerate the action of the vitamin.

Recommended Dietary Allowance 

There is no official RDA for vitamin K, but most adults require at least 1 mg per day.

Thanks you all &  friends remember vitamin K should not be neglected as it has also a very high importance for our health.