Dr. Jacob's
Dr. Jacob's Vitamin D3+K2 FORTE, drops - 20 ml
€21.49Unit price€10.75 / 10mlUnavailableHealthy Origins
Healthy Origins Vitamin K2 as MK-7 100 mcg - 180 Softgels
€33.69Unit price /UnavailableProgress Labs
Progress Labs Vitamin K2 MK-7 from Natto 100 mcg - 120 Tablets
€5.19Unit price /UnavailableProgress Labs
Progress Labs Vitamin K2 MK-7 From Natto 100 mcg + D3 2000 IU 50 mcg - 120 Tablets
€5.59Unit price /UnavailableHealthy Origins
Healthy Origins Vitamin K2 as MK-7 100 mcg - 60 Softgels
€14.09Unit price /UnavailableWish Pharmaceutical
Wish Vitamin K2 MK-7 from Natto 100 mcg - 120 Tablets
€5.99Unit price /UnavailableProgress Labs
Progress Labs Vitamin K2 MK-7 FORTE, drops - 30 ml
€8.19Unit price€2.73 / 10mlUnavailableLife Extension
Life Extension Vitamins D and K with Sea-Iodine - 60 Capsules
€18.99Unit price /Unavailable
Vitamin K's significance extends beyond its role in blood coagulation, as it has a wide range of effects on various tissues. However, despite its importance in maintaining health, the general public's knowledge about this nutrient remains insufficient. How does vitamin K precisely impact the human body, and which individuals may experience its deficiency?
Vitamin K - characteristics, properties and uses
Vitamin K is the term used for a group of structurally similar fat-soluble chemicals. There are two basic forms:
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Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) - comes from plant sources
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Vitamin K2 (menaquinone) - comes from animal products and fermented foods
Based on the many measurements that have been made to date, it is known that the body retains only 30% - 40% of the dose supplied. Small amounts of vitamin K circulate in the blood and are found throughout the body (brain, heart, pancreas, bones), but it is really only stored in the liver (albeit to a small extent).
Vitamin K in food
Sources of natural vitamin K include many foods, these are:
- vegetable oils (sunflower, rapeseed)
- green vegetables (spinach, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts)
- nuts
- fruits (kiwi, blackberries, blueberries, pomegranate, grapes)
- cereals
- Dairy products (cheese, milk, kefir)
- eggs
- meat (especially beef liver, poultry)
- fish
Effect of vitamin K on the body
Research accurately describes the effects of vitamin K on proteins and proteins in the body - it is essential for many important physiological processes:
- metabolism of blood vessels and bone tissue
- cell growth and apoptosis
- Prevention of vascular calcification
- calcification of soft tissues
- maintenance of calcium balance
- cell adhesion process
Vitamin K is particularly important for anyone at risk of cardiovascular disease.
Vitamin K for newborns, infants and children
Vitamin K plays a critical role in safeguarding newborns against bleeding disorders caused by its deficiency. Such medical conditions frequently afflict infants under three months of age and manifest in two stages.
In the initial phase, which materializes rapidly, typically between three to five days after birth, a slew of dangerous symptoms may surface, such as bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract, mucous membranes, umbilical region, and skin.
The latter stage (occurring between two to twelve weeks of age) primarily leads to intracranial hemorrhage, a condition that has a high fatality rate. Symptoms signaling the onset of life-threatening bleeding may emerge earlier and include the following:
- chronic diarrhoea and vomiting
- prolonged jaundice
- insufficient (or even no) weight gain
- minor/moderate bleeding (from the navel, mucous membranes, digestive tract)
Vitamin K supplied at the right time eliminates the risk of disease. In the case of older children (as well as adolescents), the compound has the same functions as in adults, but is much more important due to the intensive growth and development of the young body.
Vitamin K - deficiency
Vitamin K deficiency leads to many serious health-threatening consequences - it can increase the risk of developing osteoporosis, atherosclerosis and neurodegenerative diseases. It often causes blood clotting disorders and intestinal problems. The symptoms of the deficit usually appear late or occur in very severe cases. What to look out for?
- bleeding from mucous membranes
- prolonged blood clotting time
- susceptibility to bruising
- haematuria
- increased time to heal wounds
Who is at particular risk of vitamin K deficiency?
Although vitamin K deficiency can affect anyone, there are many factors that increase the risk of developing a deficiency:
- diseases that affect absorption in the gastrointestinal tract (Crohn's disease, celiac
- disease, chronic pancreatitis)
- medications that interfere with the absorption of vitamin K (antacids, blood
- thinners, salicylic acid derivatives, cholesterol-lowering agents)
- long-term antibiotic therapy
- malnutrition
Vitamin K - Contraindications
Although vitamin K is considered safe, there are several commonly used drugs (especially anticoagulants) with which it interacts undesirably:
- anticoagulants (e.g. warfarin, thioclomarol)
- agents used in the prevention and treatment of thromboembolic disorders (e.g. fenprocoumon, acenocoumarol)
The use of vitamin K supplements requires caution in people affected by hereditary hypoprothrombinemia, renal impairment, cases of excessive anticoagulation due to heparins and hypersensitivity to vitamin K.