Table of Contents
All vitamins serve beneficial roles for the proper functioning of body and therefore, it is important to include them in the regular diet. Vitamin K helps in synthesis of protein, osteocalcin in the body, which is further carboxylated by vitamin K and this carboxylated form aids in calcium binding to bones and strengthen them. Moreover, vitamin K also keeps a check over calcifications of arteries and regulates sugar levels in the body. Thus, vitamin K serves a very significant role in maintaining bone health and it should be consumed in adequate amounts, to prevent vitamin K deficiency.
Vitamin K is a fat soluble vitamin that should be consumed at the amount of 65 mg by women and 80mg by men, on daily basis. Infant also require it for healthy bone development, though only 5mg of vitamin K daily is required by them. Best sources of vitamin K include spinach, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, cucumber, cauliflower, green beans, green peas and soybeans. Cow milk serves as an excellent source of drinking vitamin K and intestinal bacteria also represent a great source of this vitamin. Therefore, healthy gut is beneficial for strong bones development.
Under deficiency of adequate amounts of vitamin K, there can be malfunctioning of various crucial body processes like clotting, inhibition of arterial calcifications and maintenance of bone health. More commonly, vitamin K deficiency is caused by inability to absorb it from intestine rather than low consumption of it.
This could happen due to harm to intestinal tract due to various illness and mainly, is caused by consumption of antibiotics that destroy vitamin K producing intestinal bacteria of the body. Newborn infants are at the highest risk of vitamin K deficiency as their digestive track is yet not developed that lacks vitamin K producing bacteria.
Vitamin K plays a crucial role in maintaining bone density, bone strength and prevention of osteoporosis. This vitamin is majorly vital for postmenopausal phase, when women are at the highest risk of developing osteoporosis. Vitamin K promotes calcium binding to bones, thereby lowering down the risk of fractures, mainly hip fractures. The role of vitamin k in clotting and prevention of calcifications cannot be ruled out, but for bone health its need remains extraordinary.
Vitamin K has emerged out to be a critical vitamin for healthy bones and there have been convincing results proving the decline in bone fractures with adequate consumption of vitamin K. Those at deficiency of vitamin K show a higher probability for bone fracture. In postmenopausal women, who have started undergoing unwanted loss of bone, have shown tremendous improvement in bone mass and reduction of fractures with consumption of vitamin K.
Vitamin K aids in keeping check over bone demineralization process by maintaining osteoclasts production, inhibiting the excess formation of these cells and initiating their programmed death by apoptosis. Osteocalsts are the potent cells that conduct bone demineralization, enabling the excess minerals from bone to be used for other functions of body. A high amount of demineralization process is prevented by vitamin K, thereby inhibiting bone loss.
For optimal health of bones, osteocalcin protein linked to bone mineral density need to be carboxylated.
This carboxylation is performed with help of Vitamin K, enabling proper strengthening of bones and reducing the occurrence of fractures that can happen under low levels of carboxylated osteocalcin formation.
One of the beauties of our human body is that we do many things simultaneously…
Aloe Vera is one ingredient which works on almost any kind of skin. Specially if…
This Red and Juicy Vegetable is favorite among us. Let it be the salads, sandwiches…
Ears have always captured the fascination of early medical professionals. While science was able to…
Perfection in makeup not just comes by canvassing the face with colours to hide scars…
Frequent hair treatments, rebounding, straightening, coloring involves harsh chemicals, and ofcourse, how can we forget…