Vitamin K - Benefits, Deficiency Symptoms And Food Sources

Vitamin K is also known as phytonadione. Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin, means it is absorbed most effectively when ingested with dietary fat. It is best known for its role in helping blood clot properly after an injury. Vitamin K is helpful in this situation because it is responsible for making clotting factors in the liver. Vitamin K also plays an important role in bone health.

Functions and benefits of Vitamin K

Vitamin k has a number of important functions and benefits. For example it:

• It is used to reduce the risk of bleeding in liver disease.
• Vitamin K may also help to prevent the formation of kidney stones.
• It may be injected to stop the bleeding from snakebite.
• It helps to maintain bone mass.

Recommended Dosage for Vitamin K

• For men, the usual dose of vitamin k is 80 micrograms per day.
• For women, the usual dose of vitamin A is 70 micrograms per day.

Food sources of Vitamin K

Sources of Vitamin k including broccoli, cabbage, dark green leafy vegetables, egg yolks, safflower oil, soybeans, wheat, and yogurt. Herbs that can supply vitamin K such as alfalfa, green tea, kelp, nettle, oat straw, and shepherd's purse.

Deficiency Symptoms of Vitamin K

• bruising
• Bleeding disorders
• Health problems
• Liver disease
• Hemorrhagic disease of the newborn
• Skin bleeding