What Does Vitamin K Do for Bone, Blood, and Heart Health?

SadaNews - Vitamin K plays a role in blood coagulation in the body and is a fat-soluble vitamin. Most people get the amount they need from diet alone, but it is given as a dietary supplement to newborns, who do not produce vitamin K directly and do not get enough from breast milk.

The Role of Vitamin K

According to the "Verywell Health" website, vitamin K comes in two forms: vitamin K1, found in food, and vitamin K2, which is produced by bacteria in the intestines. The vitamin is fat-soluble, meaning it is absorbed with fats and stored in the body for later use.

There is no research indicating that vitamin K supplements can play a role in disease prevention. However, vitamin K is involved in: blood coagulation, bone health, and the prevention of heart disease.

Blood Coagulation

Vitamin K helps produce the proteins necessary for blood coagulation in the body. Vitamin K therapy has been used to reverse the effects of anticoagulants (blood thinners).

An example of this is a case of a person prescribed anticoagulants who suddenly needed emergency surgery. In this case, a dose of between 2.5 to 5 milligrams of vitamin K can be provided to reverse the effects of the anticoagulants and prevent excessive bleeding.

Bone Health

Vitamin K is believed to contribute to bone health due to its role in producing the proteins responsible for bone formation. However, there is insufficient research on vitamin K supplements to prove whether they play a direct role in improving bone health or preventing osteoporosis.

Research results regarding the role of vitamin K in preventing osteoporosis are mixed, including the following: studies suggest that taking vitamin K and calcium together may improve bone mineral density. A 2017 study showed that higher levels of vitamin K might be associated with a slight decrease in bone fractures. However, other studies did not find any evidence that vitamin K improves bone mineral density or reduces vertebral fractures.

Prevention of Heart Disease

Research concerning the role of vitamin K supplements in preventing heart disease has not yielded definitive results. Vitamin K is involved in the formation of a protein called Matrix Gla protein (MGP), which prevents calcification of blood vessels. Calcification of blood vessels is associated with an increased risk of heart disease. However, it remains unclear whether taking vitamin K supplements slows vascular calcification.