Vitamin K supplements are substances used to add extra vitamin K into a person’s body. This vitamin is particularly important in blood clotting as well as bone, liver, and prostate health. When a person does not have enough vitamin K, he may suffer from abnormal bleeding, bruising, and bone fractures. A vitamin K deficiency may even contribute to the development of heart problems. Taking vitamin K supplements can help keep the body in good condition and prevent a number of diseases and disorders.
Though many people think of vitamin K as a single vitamin, this is not the case. Instead, the term vitamin K encompasses a group of compounds that are similar to each other. These compounds are referred to as naphthoquinones. All of the compounds are fat soluble, which means they dissolve in fat.
One form of vitamin K, vitamin K1, is found in plants and is referred to as phytonadione; this is the main type of vitamin K that people consume through food sources. Vitamin K2 compounds are menaquinones. Bacteria in a person’s digestive tract produces these compounds, from which some of the body’s required vitamin K comes. Vitamin K3 is menadione, which isn’t used in supplementation because it can destroy red blood cells. This synthetic form may also prove damaging to the liver and brain tissue of newborn babies.
Most people are unlikely to develop a vitamin K deficiency. When deficiencies do occur, the blood may not clot as it should, and a person may experience abnormal and excessive bleeding. This may include unusually heavy menstrual periods, bleeding in the gut, blood in the urinary tract, and bleeding gums. Sometimes those with this type of deficiency also develop bone loss, note an increase in fractures, or suffer from osteoporosis. An individual with a deficiency may have an increased risk of developing hardened arteries as well.
Some people take vitamin K supplements in order to stay healthy and ensure they will not become deficient. An adult male needs about 120 micrograms per day while an adult female needs about 90 micrograms. Pregnant and breastfeeding adults do not need additional quantities of vitamin K; they generally need about 90 micrograms as well.
While vitamin K supplements can help a person stay healthy, they are usually unnecessary when an individual consumes a healthy diet. Vitamin K is found in a wide range of foods, including leafy green vegetables, some edible herbs, celery, kelp, and asparagus. It is also found in soybeans, kidney beans, strawberries, pears, papaya, and milk. A person can also get a significant amount of vitamin K by eating vitamin-fortified foods.
