Vitamin K is a vitamin that is under the radar so to speak when vitamins are discussed. However, its prominence is growing. A fat soluble vitamin, Vitamin K is best known for its blood clotting ability. Without vitamin K, blood wouldn’t clot. But research is now uncovering its importance in the world of osteoporosis and related fracture prevention and bone health, especially in postmenopausal women, and in prostate cancer prevention in men. Johnson Chiropractic sees many Richmond men and postmenopausal women in its Richmond chiropractic practice. To keep osteoporosis at bay, Johnson Chiropractic shares this new research about the importance of vitamin K.
First, two forms of Vitamin K are most notable: K1 (synthetic phytomenadione) and K2 (synthetic menaquinones). K1 is used to improve vitamin K deficiency, particularly for blood clotting. K2 may help reduce cancer and heart disease risk and support the immune system and bone health. (1) Further, an increased intake of K2 may reduce the risk of prostate cancer by 35%, while benefits of K2 were most pronounced in those with advanced prostate cancer. (2) Now, the latest venture into the benefits of vitamin K has been its tie to bone health.
Though some conflicting research is published about vitamin K’s benefit for bone health and osteoporosis prevention, the positives are positive enough to get the attention of your Richmond chiropractor. Richmond chiropractic patients with osteoporosis will want to know this. And Johnson Chiropractic is ready to discuss the appropriateness of adding vitamin K to your diet. But why, how and how much?
Why should Richmond osteoporosis patients consider vitamin K? Low vitamin K1 intake and low plasma vitamin K1 levels are associated with low bone mineral density and increased osteoporotic fracture risk in postmenopausal women. (3) A review of the literature shared positive proof that menatetrenone (synthetic vitamin K2) reduces fracture incidence in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and modestly increased lumbar spine bone mineral density. (4) Vitamin K appears to help osteoporosis via an unusual catabolite (CAN7C) researchers hadn’t looked at before. So when vitamin K attached to this catabolite, bone loss was greatly limited. (5) Another research article reports that vitamin K regulates bone and cartilage mineralization. It suggests that the clinical recommendations for vitamin K may be too low, putting older adults at risk of fractures and osteoarthritis. (6)
How much? Research by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a reliable study of over 16,000 people about their diet and supplement intake, reports that only 33% of the studied population had total usual intakes of vitamin K above the adequate intake recommendation when food and multivitamin/mineral use was considered. (8) The dose typically recommended clinically is 45 mg/day. (5)
So contact Johnson Chiropractic today about your vitamin K status, osteoporosis and diet. Richmond chiropractic care at Johnson Chiropractic is all about your health!