Vitamin K: Spinach and other leafy greens are rich in Vitamin K1

While some vitamins, like vitamins C and D, frequently receive attention, lesser-known vitamins like vitamin K are just as crucial to our health. According to a recent study, vitamin K may be essential for maintaining heart health.

What is vitamin K?

There are two types of vitamin K: vitamin K1 and vitamin K2. While vitamin K2 may be found in many fermented foods, including certain cheeses, eggs, meats, etc. vitamin K1 is mostly found in green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale. Although they have different physiological effects, both are crucial.

The production of many proteins necessary for blood clotting and bone growth is aided by vitamin K. A protein called thrombin, which is directly linked to blood clotting, depends on vitamin K. Another protein that needs vitamin K to generate healthy bone tissue is osteocalcin.

The brain, brain, liver, pancreas, and bones are just a few of the organs in the body where vitamin K may be found. It decomposes relatively fast and is eliminated through feces or urine. Due to this, even at large doses, it rarely reaches dangerous levels in the body, as can occasionally happen with other fat-soluble vitamins.

How can vitamin K improve heart health?

Over a 23-year period, researchers analysed information from more than 50,000 participants in the Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health study. They looked at whether those who consumed more vitamin K-rich foods had a decreased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (plaque build-up in the arteries).

According to the study, people who consumed the most vitamin K1 were 21% less likely to be hospitalised for cardiovascular illness caused by atherosclerosis. Hospitalization risk decreased by 14% after taking vitamin K2. All forms of atherosclerotic heart disease were associated with reduced risk, with peripheral artery disease having the lowest risk at 34%.

However, in certain instances, consuming large levels of this vitamin had no extra positive effects on heart health. Butter, cheese, and eggs are just a few examples of foods that are high in saturated fat and hence include vitamin K2, so eating too much of these might lead to an excess of this bad fat, negating any possible heart-health advantages.

Current dietary recommendations for vitamin K intake often only consider how much vitamin K1 a person needs to consume in order for their blood to clot. However, there is mounting proof that vitamin K intakes beyond the recommended levels can provide further defence against the onset of other illnesses including atherosclerosis.

Although additional study is required to completely understand the process that vitamin K functions by preventing the calcium buildup that causes vascular calcification in the body’s main arteries.

How to consume adequate vitamin K?

Although vitamin K insufficiency in adults is uncommon, it can happen in individuals using antibiotics, persons with diseases that impair food and nutrient absorption, or people taking medicines that impede vitamin K metabolism.

Regardless of its benefit in improving heart health, most foods rich in vitamin K are abundant in various other nutrients that aid the improvement of our overall health. Add foods such as cruciferous vegetables, eggs, meats, and dairy to increase your intake of vitamin K.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.