Vitamin K, what is it exactly?
Vitamin K is a fat soluble vitamin (soluble in oils and fats). 20% of its contributions are synthesized by bacteria in the intestinal flora and 80% come from food. In fact, there is not one but several K vitamins: vitamin K1 (also called phylloquinone or phytomenadione) and vitamin K2 (also called menaquinone) are the most important. These molecules are involved in the process of blood coagulation: the “K” also comes from German “Koagulationsvitamin“.
What is vitamin K used for? In addition to their essential role in blood coagulation, vitamins K are also involved in bone construction and cell growth: naturally anti-inflammatory, they protect cardiovascular health.
What are our vitamin K needs ? THE’recommended daily allowance in vitamin K is 1 μg (microgram) per day per kilo in adults: thus, a woman weighing 65 kilos should consume 65 μg per day of vitamin K (K1 or K2). The daily requirement for vitamin K is increased in pregnant and breastfeeding women. Vitamin K is found in particular in green leafy vegetables: spinach, cabbage, parsley, broccoli, salad. Rapeseed and soybean oil also contain a significant amount, as do livers including beef liver.
Warning ! People on anti-coagulants (also called “anti-vitamin K”) should avoid consuming these foods rich in vitamin K as this may interfere with their treatment prevent thromboembolic events
What happens in the event of a deficiency?
The vitamin K deficiency is uncommon: it concerns in particular people who suffer from fat malabsorption (in the event of cystic fibrosis, hepatitis or cirrhosis, for example) and / or who take a particular drug treatment (long-term antibiotics, anti -epileptics, aspirin or iron supplementation, for example). Vitamin K deficiency is more common in newborns and premature babies. This is why vitamin K is given to the majority of babies at birth.
In November 2020, a study conducted by researchers at the Maastrich Cardiovascular Research Institute (in the Netherlands), had also shown that people who suffer from a vitamin K deficiency were more likely to develop a severe form of pathology.
To reach this conclusion, the Dutch researchers had studied the medical profile of 184 patients hospitalized for a severe form of Covid-19 in Nijmegen (in the Netherlands) and compared the data with those of a control group not affected by disease. Verdict? Scientists found that patients with Covid-19 who were deficient in group K vitamins (K1 and K2, in particular) had more severe lung complications.
Read also :
- Foods richest in vitamin B 12
- Vitamin D: the 12 foods that contain the most
- 9 foods to fill up on vitamin C
