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Learn What is Vitamin K Can Do For Your Health!

Learn What Vitamin K Can Do For Bone, Muscle, Glucose, And Blood Health

Darrell Miller

08/17/11

Date: August 17, 2011 12:28 PM
Author: Darrell Miller (dm@vitanetonline.com)
Subject: Learn What Vitamin K Can Do For Bone, Muscle, Glucose, And Blood Health

What is Vitamin K good for?

Natural Vitamin K actually has 2 types, namely K1 (phylloquinone) which are produced by plants and K2 (menaquinone) which are synthesized by many bacteria. A synthetic one is also available and is known as K3 (menadione). Regardless of the type, all are the same vitamin K which serves the following purposes.

The primary and most common function of vitamin K is to promote blood coagulation or blood clotting. It carries out this function by producing prothrombin, which is a liver protein functioning as a precursor to thrombin, the primary blood clotting factor of the body. Its coagulant property is very relevant in the medical field. It is used in reversing the effects of blood thinners such aspirin and to neutralize the side effects of other medications such as salicylates, sulfonamides, quinine, quinidine, or antibiotics. Newborns with clotting problems and people with vitamin K deficiencies are given with vitamin K since they are incapable of synthesizing it themselves. The point here is that, if the blood is too thin or diluted those who are predisposed will have heightened bleeding tendencies.

Vitamin K has also proven its benefits to our body’s framework, the skeletal system; because it plays a role in bone formation and their repair. New studies have been conducted and came up to provide evidence that osteoporosis and other bone-degenerating conditions are minimized or at least the severities are reduced.

Another function of vitamin K is that it helps in the proper fetal growth and development. Vitamin K deficiencies that happens within the first or second trimester of pregnancy has been linked to very specific birth defects; the pinna is cup- shaped, nasal bridges are too flat, fingers are undersized, and the center part of the face is less developed; the mouth and nose are the most common. However, its dosage should be well calculated during the third trimester since pregnant women have mostly taken too much medications or supplements by this time in order that it will not exceed the requirements because toxicity may occur with over dosage.

Helping in the conversion of glucose to glycogen which takes place in our intestines and removing dark shadows in areas under our eyes are the other less known implications of vitamin K. In fact, studies have discovered their cosmetic benefits because it has anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which greatly contribute in fighting visible signs of skin ageing.

Vitamin K, in any form may only be a small fry or an underdog among the countless recognized and widely accepted vitamins, minerals, supplements or medications which bring about so much vitality in our body and to our general health as a whole. But an absence or even just a deficiency of it is capable of causing us discomforting or worst, life-threatening health conditions. This vitamin is expected to prove further significance as researchers and medical practitioners pour out all their interests to delve into conducting studies in order bring out the best advancement in their field as well as promoting the paramount benefits to human health.