The role of vitamin K in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases

Vitamin K performs various functions in the body. First of all, vitamin K plays an important role in the mechanisms of blood clotting, is mandatory and indispensable participant in this important human activity the functional managers.

Vitamin K is necessary for the formation of prothrombin, which typically occurs in the liver when it is healthy. Micro-organisms in our body produce enough of this vitamin, but with abnormal liver function, or with prolonged use of drugs, particularly sulfonamides or salicylic drugs, this is not happening.

In the absence or deficiency of vitamin K in the body develop hemorrhagic phenomena. Since vitamin K - a fat-soluble, its entry into the body is broken when disturbed fat absorption intestinal wall. This can cause hemorrhagic diathesis Diathesis in children - an integrated approach . Hemorrhagic diathesis - the disease manifests itself in increased bleeding; there are spontaneous and traumatic, difficult to stop bleeding (subcutaneous, intramuscular, intravascular, and others). Hemorrhagic diathesis with sharply reduced blood clotting depends on reducing blood enzyme necessary for blood clotting, - prothrombin, the formation of which depends on the content of vitamin C.

Vitamin K is toxic even in large quantities. There are also synthetic drugs - more active than vitamin K in pure form, eg menadione acting twice more. Since vitamin K coagulant medication that is needed for blood clotting, it is used for any wounds and injuries, bleeding and stomach ulcers, as well as radiation sickness.

Vitamin K is widely distributed in the plant kingdom. Most rich in vitamin K green leafy vegetables (e.g., green turnip greens, spinach, broccoli, cabbage), which provide 50 to 800 mg of agent per 100 grams of food. In smaller quantities it is contained in milk and dairy products, meat, eggs, beef liver, green tea, cereals, fruits and vegetables.

The daily requirement for vitamin K is not certain, it is roughly 400 international units .  The need for vitamin K, i.e. the amount required to prevent deficiency in normal conditions, is 1 mg per kilogram body weight per day .  Weighing 60 kg person requires 60 micrograms of vitamin K per day .  Typical diet contains from 300 to 500 micrograms per day of vitamin K .  Vitamin A deficiency - a rare phenomenon, except when the power is sharply limited or when the interaction with medications affect the digestibility of vitamin .  Even without a properly functioning food sources of the bacterial population of the intestine can cause enough vitamin K .  Newborns breastfed at risk to buy vitamin K deficiency, because human milk contains an insufficient amount of vitamin, and gut flora have still not grown to produce it in the necessary quantities .

Symptoms of deficiency

Vitamin K - a fat-soluble vitamin that is often referred to antihemorrhagic. Hemorrhage - a flow of blood from the vessels, and vitamin K prevents bleeding and hemorrhage. Vitamin K is necessary for blood clotting and maintain normal bone density.

Vitamin K deficiency is quite rare: gut bacteria produce vitamin constantly in small quantities, which go directly into the bloodstream. Also, vitamin K is present in a wide variety of plant and animal foods. However, because this vitamin is fat-soluble, so that its uptake was carried out normally (no matter whether it is the product of or derived bacteria with the food) in the intestine to be little fat. Therefore, the conditions under which decreases the digestibility of fat in the intestine, for example in the presence of gallstones, may lead to a deficiency of vitamin K and hence to bleeding.

Vitamin K deficiency may develop during prolonged intravenous nutrition, disorders of the formation and secretion of bile (infectious and toxic hepatitis, cirrhosis, pancreatic tumor Diabetes and pancreas - the things you need to know , Biliary dyskinesia), and chronic administration of antibiotics or sulfa drugs, can inhibit the intestinal microflora, synthesizing vitamin K.

Symptoms of vitamin K deficiency:

• a bleeding disorder (this may lead to nosebleeds, blood in urine, gastric bleeding, capillary bleeding, which leads to the formation of hematoma);
• the presence of blood in urine Blood in the urine - a reason for serious concern   or feces;
• disorders of the intestine;
• fatigue;
• painful menstruation;
• osteoporosis and frequent bone fractures;

Since the fat-soluble vitamin K, extremely large doses of the substance can accumulate and lead to overdose, poisoning, liver damage or brain. Most are rich in vitamin K Green leafy vegetables, which provide between 50 and 800 micrograms of vitamin K per 100 g of food. Herbs rich in vitamin K: alfalfa, green tea, kelp, oats, and shepherd's purse. Significantly fewer contains vitamin K in root crops and fruits.

Vitamin K: natural sources

Vitamin K - a fat-soluble vitamin that is needed by the body for normal blood clotting. It is used for major bleeding, hemorrhagic diathesis (condition where the skin is covered with dark spots due to loss of blood capillaries) and in some cases, liver function disorders.

Vitamin K is often prescribed to pregnant women to prevent to prevent the death of the newborn from bleeding. Sometimes it is administered for the prevention of women before childbirth or surgery.

Vitamin K - is not a single substance, but many of the compounds with the same or similar properties, although usually mean vitamin K1 synthesized by plants, and vitamin K2, which is produced by microorganisms in the colon. In healthy people, this vitamin is never a hassle, because the organism produces it in sufficient quantities due to its symbiosis with micro-organisms.

Vitamin K is also plays an important role in bone formation and repair, allows synthesis of osteocalcin - bone protein, lint, which crystallized calcium. It helps to prevent osteoporosis Osteoporosis - he threatens you? Involved in the regulation of redox processes in the body.

The main natural sources of vitamin K

Vitamin K is widely distributed in the plant kingdom. Most are rich in vitamin K Green leafy vegetables: green turnip greens, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, asparagus, which provide between 50 and 800 micrograms of this substance per 100 g of food. A few tablespoons of chopped parsley Parsley Health and Beauty   It contains approximately 150% of the recommended daily requirement of vitamin E. These vegetables can be consumed both in fresh and steamed, in soups or salads.

• Vitamin K is found in soybeans and soybean oil, particularly fermented. The fermentation process of any product increases the content of vitamin K. tofu - one of the best sources of vitamin C.
• Fermented cheeses, for example, some varieties of Swiss cheese or Norwegian, contain large amounts of vitamin K.
• Lettuce - another excellent source of vitamin K. Romaine lettuce (or romaine) contains about four times more vitamin K than iceberg lettuce.
• Brussels sprouts, steamed broccoli and fresh celery leaves - known sources of vitamin K.
• Also vitamin K include oats, soy, rye and wheat.
• Because most foods rich in vitamin K content in pork liver, meat and eggs.

For an adult human daily dosage of vitamin K is about 0, 2 - 0, 3 mg. Typical diet containing 300-500 mg of vitamin per day. Therefore, vitamin K deficiency is rare.