Vitamin K1
What is it: There are several types of vitamin K. They are all fat-soluble vitamins and the two mainly found in the human diet are vitamin K1 and K2. K1 is the type of vitamin K produced by plants and it is the type of vitamin K in Atomico drinks. Vitamin K is said to assist in proper blood clotting, bone health and heart health which we will discuss more below.
- K1 (quilloquinone) is found in plants like leafy greens vegetables and makes up 75-90% of vitamin K in the human diet.
- K2 is found in fermented foods and is also found in gut bacteria. It has several subtypes called menaquinones (MKs) that are named by the length of their side chain. They range from MK-4 to MK-13.
Functions/Benefits: The varying types of vitamin K all provide some of the same benefits in the body. Specifically they are most well known to aid in blood clotting to avoid excessive bleeding when we cut ourselves.
While studies have been inconclusive in determining exactly the affect of vitamin K on bone health, there has been evidence to suggest that the vitamin activates proteins critical in bone health and growth. More needs to be researched, but the European Food Safety Authority has concluded that vitamin K is connected to healthy bones in people.
In supporting heart health, vitamin K has been shown to activate proteins that assist in stopping calcium from depositing in arteries and therefore reducing the risk of calcium build up which can lead to heart disease over time. More studies need to be done, but both K1 and K2 have been shown to provide support in supplementation that positively effect various measurements of heart health.
Food Sources: K1 as stated above is found in mostly leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale, collard greens, broccoli, brussels sprouts and turnip greens. For vitamin K2, the subtypes mentioned above have varying sources but can generally be found in fermented foods and some animal products. Although vitamin K1 is thought to be harder to absorb in the body than K2, it's believed that taken with a source of healthy fat that it would aid in the absorption of the vitamin since it is a fat-soluble vitamin.
Deficiency/Toxicity: Vitamin K deficiency, while very uncommon can lead to some problematic side effects. Generally healthy people are not affected by vitamin K deficiencies and those suffering malnutrition or taking the medication warafin have been known to suffer from it. A common symptom of being vitamin K deficient is excessive bleeding after a cut or wound. While deficiency is rare, it's still important to be sure you are getting enough vitamin K through a healthy diet. Not being deficient does not mean you are getting the proper amount of any vitamin.
If you are concerned you need more vitamin K in your diet, try adding a cup of spinach or other leafy green to your meals. Also, it is suggested to take in this vitamin with another source of healthy fat to aid with absorption. Egg yolk and olive oil would both be a good source of healthy fat to combine with your leafy greens to ensure you are absorbing the vitamin K needed from the meal.
Fun Factoid: Hendrisk Dam did a study on chickens where they removed all fat from their diet to see if the elimination of fat had any specific affects on the animals. When they discovered that the chickens with out any fat in their diets began to bleed from their tag sites, it was hypothesizes that something had happened which would not allow the blood to coagulate properly. K was assigned to this compound when a German journey wrote about the study and and termed it a Koagulationsvitamin. Edward Adelbert Doisy then did much of the research that let to identifying the chemical structure of Vitamin K and both Dam and Doisy share a Nobel Prize given in 1943 for their work in discovering this essential vitamin.
| Life Stage | Recommended Amount |
|---|---|
| Birth to 6 months | 2 mcg |
| Infants 7–12 months | 2.5 mcg |
| Children 1–3 years | 30 mcg |
| Children 4–8 years | 55 mcg |
| Children 9–13 years | 60 mcg |
| Teens 14–18 years (boys) | 75 mcg |
| Teens 14–18 years (girls) | 75 mcg |
| Adults (men) | 120 mcg |
| Adults (women) | 90 mcg |
| Pregnant teens | 75 mcg |
| Pregnant women | 90 mcg |
| Breastfeeding teens | 75 mcg |
| Breastfeeding women | 90 mcg |
Below are sources and further studies to review on vitamin K.
Vitamin K1 vs. K2: What's the Difference?
Scientific Opinion: European Food Safety Authority
Vitamin K Fact Sheet for Consumers
Vitamin K Fact Sheet for Health Professionals
A high menaquinone intake reduces the incidence of coronary heart disease