Vitamin K is a group of vitamins which is essential in the body's blood clotting functions. It is actually classified into two types, vitamin K1, which is made by plants, and vitamin K2, which is of bacterial origin and the one that works well with people.
Here are some of the health benefits of vitamin K:
1. It helps to regulate the body's blood clotting function.
Vitamin K plays a big role in making blood from an open wound to stick to the nearby tissue. This helps to prevent excessive blood flow which could lead to extreme blood loss.
2. It helps to promote bone health.
Vitamin K promotes bone health by preventing the excessive formation of bone cells which use up minerals from bones instead of making them available for the rest of the body. This can lead to the depletion of minerals in the bones which are essential for the maintenance of their health.
3. It helps to prevent calcification.
Vitamin K plays an important role in preventing calcification which is a factor in the onset of cardiovascular disease.
Calcification is the formation of calcium in the tissue, and this can be minimized or prevented with adequate supply of vitamin K in the body. A deficiency of this important vitamin may lead to major illnesses that include atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, and stroke.
4. It helps to protect your cells from oxidative stress the way antioxidants do.
5. It helps to reduce your risks to inflammation.
Sufficient levels of vitamin K in the body help to inhibit the release of glycoprotein interleukin-6. The presence of this substance is an indication that there is inflammation within the body.
6. It helps in the proper production and formation of shingolipids, a crucial fat which serves as the outer wrapping of the nerves for proper nervous and brain function.
These are some of the most popular health benefits of vitamin K.
Natural food sources of vitamin K include Swiss chard, broccoli, spinach, mustard greens, Brussels sprouts, asparagus and grapes.
