What leads to a lack of vitamin K? What foods contain vitamin K? Vitamin K deficiency: consequences

Vitamin K is not the most popular micronutrient, although it is important in blood clotting. The human body receives it from animals and plant products. Thanks to a balanced diet, it will be possible to prevent avitaminosis.

The diet should be such that all the necessary trace elements enter the body. You also need to know what leads to a lack of vitamin K. It, like other microelements, is needed by the body, so its deficiency is not permissible.

Kinds

Why do I need vitamin K? This is due to useful properties. Vitamin K is a group of microelements, similar in structure, from K1 to K7. The name came from the English word koagulation, which translates as "coagulation". In the body it comes in two forms:

• As vitamin K1 or phylloquinone - is present in bright green vegetables;
• As vitamin K2 or menaquinone - is synthesized by microorganisms in the process of ingestion of animal food.

Beneficial features

Biochemists have identified the following useful properties of vitamin K:

• Participation in the formation of prothrombin, which is necessary for blood clotting;
• The production of osteocalcin protein, which protects from fractures, strengthens bones;
• Participates in the assimilation of calcium;
• Normalizes the work of the kidneys;
• Reduces the risk of diabetes;
• Retains the youthfulness of the skin.

Vitamin K is considered an anabolic, provides the body with energy. The component is fat-soluble, in small amounts remains in the liver. It affects the level of sugar in the blood. With the penetration into the body of poor-quality products, accumulation of toxins in the liver occurs. The substance is destroyed by sunlight and in alkaline solutions. It is necessary in moderate amounts to consume vitamin K. In what products it contains, you need to know everything. Also, it can be replaced by sources in the form of tablets or in ampoules.

Sources

Because of its beneficial properties, each person needs vitamin K. What foods do they contain? The component is in:

• Vegetable and animal oils;
• Fresh juices;
• Walnuts;
• Cereals and cereals;
• Vegetables;
• Cabbage, spinach, broccoli, lettuce;
• Fruits and dried fruits;
• Cheese and goat milk.

Vitamin K is rich in beef, cod, pork, veal, chicken. If you regularly eat these foods, you will never face a vitamin K deficiency. These sources are considered the most useful. There is vitamin K in tablets, solutions. The dose can be prescribed only by a doctor, it should not be done on its own. Uncontrolled reception of such funds can cause negative consequences. This also applies to cases when vitamin K is taken in ampoules. Also, you should carefully read the instructions for use.

Lack of vitamin K

In children from birth, there may be a lack of vitamin K in the body, since it is not enough in the mother's milk. Especially if during pregnancy a woman had an improper diet, then newborns may have pathologies, including a lack of different vitamins. It can manifest itself by internal bleeding, hemorrhage.

Meat is the right product, but there is little vitamin K in it. It is in the liver, depending on the nutrition of the animal. But now they use such food for them, which are unlikely to benefit. In the intestine, the assimilation of vitamin K occurs in different ways, this requires fats and the secretion of bile.

With sausages and dishes cooked in deep fat, this necessary element does not enter the body. What leads to a lack of vitamin K? Because of this, hemorrhagic syndrome may appear. There are intradermal and subcutaneous hemorrhages, internal bleeding, bleeding gums.

The signs of a deficit

What leads to a lack of vitamin K? From the external signs can be identified the following:

• High fatigue;
• weakness;
• Digestive disorders;
• Painful menstruation;
• anemia;
• Bleeding gums;
• Bruising;
• Bleeding due to minor damage.

If there is any of these signs, you need to re-examine your lifestyle and diet. Perhaps this is due to a lack of vitamin K.

Causes of shortage

Why there is a lack of vitamin K. Consequences of a negative nature can be related to the following reasons:

• Cholelithiasis and liver diseases;
• Reception of antibiotics, because of which the intestinal microflora is destroyed;
• Prolonged intravenous nutrition.

A popular cause of the shortage are anticoagulants - drugs that lower the blood's ability to clot. In medicine, they are often used to protect against the formation of blood clots. Such drugs are prescribed for heart and vascular diseases. They dilute the blood destroy vitamin K.

Other diseases, because of which there is a violation of absorption of fats in the intestine, can also cause a shortage of the substance. This can be associated with colitis, infections, gastrointestinal disorders, dysbiosis, disruption of the pancreas. Hypovitaminosis appears due to chemotherapy and anticonvulsants.

If a person has a normal metabolism, vitamin K is in his normal quantity. Hypervitaminosis is rare, but even in large numbers it does not cause negative consequences. The substance is non-toxic, but with certain diseases it must be prescribed and applied cautiously, as an increase in blood clotting is undesirable. Synthetic vitamin is used for injuries and wounds, peptic ulcer.

Excess

You should know not only what leads to a lack of vitamin K, but also how the excess appears. This phenomenon is observed only in newborns. When he appears hemolytic syndrome. There may be the following symptoms:

• Nuclear jaundice, especially in premature infants;
• Hyperbilirubinemia;
• Hemolytic anemia.

In adults, an overdose does not occur. This substance has no toxic effect, its excess is easily eliminated in a natural way.

Daily rate

The right amount of vitamin K is set for all people individually. For each kilogram of weight, 1 μg is needed. For example, if a person weighs 70 kg, then 70 μg of substance is required per day. Usually people get it in more. Shortage is rare, it can appear due to interaction with medications.

Other vitamins need the body much more, so this substance will be enough only 1 mcg per 1 kg. The lifestyle that modern people lead is often the cause of a shortage of vitamin K. Many intestines are not normal, often a violation of fat metabolism. Most people use different medicines.

Preservation of Vitamin K

The level of this component is reduced due to the effects of alcohol, fizzy drinks, as well as excessive intake of vitamin E. It is poorly digested because of the substances that are in the finished products - preservatives, flavors, dyes, flavor enhancers and other additives.

But it is useful to consume kefir, yogurt, fish oil. If you adhere to a healthy lifestyle, eat right, then there will never be a vitamin K deficiency.

Prevention of shortages

To prevent deficiency in newborns and reduce blood loss during childbirth, a vitamin K preparation is used before delivery. If the labor activity has not started within 12 hours, the dose is repeated. In the treatment of hypovitaminosis in newborns, the dose of "Vikasol" is not more than 4 mg orally and 2 mg intramuscularly.

This drug is used for bleeding of various kinds in surgery, with constipation, epidemic hepatitis. The greatest daily dose for adults is 60 mg of "Vikasol". Treatment is performed with prothrombin in the blood. Contraindication is a high blood clotting rate.

Dietology

Vitamin K has an antihemorrhagic effect. Since it dissolves in fats, it should be replenished constantly. Products with this trace element are considered useful and affordable. Of these, you can easily make a useful menu. A large amount of vitamin in vegetables allows you to use it not only in the required volume, but also to create a suitable diet for slimming.

Vitamin controls sugar in the blood. If you eat such foods, the body becomes saturated, and the feeling of false hunger does not bother. Green vegetables are low-calorie, and together with proteins they are great for lunch or dinner.

After the heat treatment, this trace does not disappear. Sometimes its number even increases. This is determined by the localization of the nutrient. For example, vegetable vegetable cells produce vitamin K, and this loss is compensated. With the industrial processing of fruits and vegetables, as well as with conservation, the component disappears.

Interaction

Vitamin K should not be used together with anticoagulants. When they interact, the level of the microelement decreases, and the rate of coagulation decreases. During the last trimester of pregnancy, women should not consume a lot of vitamin, as this can have a toxic effect on the fetus.

In small doses, it is used after delivery. Do not take it along with vitamin E. With the intake of antibiotics, the dose of this trace element increases. Antibacterial agents eliminate microorganisms that form matter in the small intestine. Its absorption is impaired due to barbiturates. Therefore, a healthy diet is important.

Vitamin K is necessary for the production of proteins that are used in the process of blood clotting. It also helps to strengthen the bones, improve the growth of bone tissue due to the work of osteocalcin. This component affects the proper functioning of the kidneys. It is important for every person to consume fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs, dairy and meat products. These products give the body not only energy, but also protect against the lack of vitamins.