Vitamin K facts

Where does Vitamin K come from?

Vitamin K comes from some green vegetables, including spinach, collards, broccoli, brussels sprouts and cabbage. It is also found in milk, eggs, corn and soybean oils, and strawberries. Important note: freezing may destroy vitamin K.

Why do we need Vitamin K?

Vitamin K is known as the clotting vitamin, because without it blood would not coagulate. It may prevent kidney stones and stop liver cancer growth. Additionally, vitamin K helps control body odor, and helps maintain strong bones in the elderly.

What happens if we have a Vitamin K deficiency?

A Vitamin K deficiency will impair the ability for blood to clot normally. Newborns are born deficient in vitamin K and often are given a vitamin K injection to allow normal blood clotting in early life.

For a complete list of symptoms of vitamin and mineral deficiencies, please visit our vitamin deficiency page.

Vitamin K 100 mcg 30 capsules: K By helping the body transport calcium, Vitamin K aids in proper bone formation and blood clotting. In the 1930s, researchers in Denmark observed that chicks on a fat-free diet experienced bleeding problems. By l939, they were successful in isolating an alfalfa-based compound that effectively stopped the bleeding. Because of its ability to help blood clot--called coagulation--this substance was named vitamin K, for Koagulation. ''Friendly'' bacteria in the intestinal tract produce sufficient quantities of this nutrient to meet most of our body's needs. Another 20% of this fat-soluble vitamin is acquired from foods (it’s particularly abundant in leafy green vegetables). Vitamin K helps to prevent excessive bleeding and promote strong bones. A number of other health benefits are currently being researched.

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