New Vitamin K - Fights against Aging

How Vitamin K Can Help Make Your Golden Years Your Best Yet

Eat healthy foods. Exercise regularly. Take a multivitamin. In the quest to make the most out of your golden years, these methods are tried and true. However, recent studies suggest that you should consider adding a vitamin to your regimen that's not included in most multivitamins: Vitamin K. This fat-soluble vitamin is essential to regulate blood clotting in the body, which is why you don’t haemorrhage or bleed excessively every time you get a cut. While the body produces a certain amount of vitamin K, recent research has shown the benefits of increasing this nutrient in your daily diet are tremendous.

Vitamin K is mainly found in fresh green leafy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, and asparagus, which also provide numerous other health benefits. Some vegetable oils are also high in vitamin K, as well as strawberries and green tea. Eating yogurt can even boost absorption of the vitamin K your body already produces into the bloodstream. Vitamin K supplements are also available.

Recent studies have suggested that increased levels of vitamin K can diminish the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma by an astonishing 45%. This is because vitamin K regulates cell growth in the body. It can also help prevent calcification, or hardening, of the arteries, which is linked to heart problems and even heart disease.

Excessive calcium in the body is a major cause of high blood pressure, which can result in strokes. Vitamin K helps the body to absorb a healthy amount of calcium to prevent this. Calcium absorption aided by vitamin K also improves bone health and helps prevent osteoporosis and broken bones. Additionally, vitamin K comes in cream or lotion form, which helps reduce wrinkles.

Vitamin K deficiency can contribute to a myriad of health problems. Research indicates a correlation between vitamin K deficiency and the presence of a specific gene associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Without sufficient vitamin K to regulate calcium levels in the body, artery damage can occur that may lead to decreased brain functioning. Insufficient levels of vitamin K can also cause excessive bruising or bleeding due to decreased blood clotting.

The recommended daily dose of vitamin K is 80 mg per day for men and 65 mg daily for women, but since this is a natural substance higher doses won’t hurt you. There are no documented cases of vitamin K overdose. However, those at risk of blood clots or taking anticoagulant medications should use vitamin K in moderation as it can counteract the desired effect of these medicines. If you’re unsure, check with your doctor before starting a vitamin K regimen. For those on antibiotics a doctor may suggest an increased amount of vitamin K because these drugs can decrease the amount of vitamin K the body produces naturally.

Just because the body naturally produces vitamin K doesn’t mean you should leave it out of your daily diet and vitamin regimen. If you have a genetic predisposition to any of the above conditions, you are at a higher risk of developing them in your golden years. Increasing the amount of leafy green vegetables in your diet can help decrease this risk. If you want to increase your quality of life and make your golden years your best yet, add vitamin K to your daily regimen.