Vitamin K Health Benefits And Side-Effects Of Deficiencies

Vitamin K can be described as a fat-soluble vitamin and therefore Vitamin K benefits are many and cannot go unnoticed. Vitamin K benefits the body in the production of blood clotting aspects, like prothrombin, which helps in the prevention of unchecked hemorrhaging and bleeding throughout the body. One of the most important Vitamin K benefits is that it initiates the healing process in the body, after it curbs the bleeding. It also has the ability to strengthen the capillaries and the bones. There are three different forms of Vitamin K, which are, K1 also known as phylloquinone, K2 or menaquinone and K3 which is also called menadione. There are several Vitamin K foods that could help boost the levels of these vitamins in the body. Vitamin K1 woiuld help your bones absorb and store calcium in a more effective way. This could be found in green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, mustard greens, broccoli, kale, cabbage, Romaine lettuce, Swiss chard, collard greens and so on. Therefore, by following a diet that is high in these Vitamin K foods, you can prevent the risks of osteoporosis as well as fractures. K2 Vitamin is produced by the bacteria that naturally live within the intestines. K3 Vitamin is a manmade version of Vitamin K. Other Vitamin K food resources would include strawberries, soybean, eggs, meats as well as green tea. There are several other Vitamin K benefits for the human body and the deficiency of this vitamin could create a number of problems. Some of the most commonly known Vitamin K benefits include:

Health Benefits

• Strengthening the bones and enhancing its ability to store calcium. This further prevents the risks of fractures as well as osteoporosis.
  

• Preventing the arteries from hardening which is one of the biggest contributors of coronary artery diseases and heart failure.

• Improving conditions which are related to celiac disease, ulcerative colitis and Chron’s disease.

• Ongoing studies indicate that Vitamin K could also help in the treatment of cancer and it is believed to be as effective as a few prescription drugs, in slowing the growth of tumors.

Since most people who follow a healthy diet, get adequate amounts of Vitamin K from the foods they eat as well as their intestinal bacteria, Vitamin K deficiency is a rare occurrence. However, in odd cases, a person who has Vitamin K deficiency would exhibit excessive bruising and bleeding even with the smallest injuries. Symptoms of vitamin k deficiency could include unexplained nosebleeds, intestinal bleeding and blood in the urine. Even suspected cases of vitamin k deficiency should be checked by a doctor, as they could lead to hemorrhaging, if left unchecked.