The Health Benefits of Vitamin K

Vitamin K is a crucial nutrient which is serves important roles, including helping to build strong and healthy bones, and promoting healthy blood clotting. The majority of people are able to get enough vitamin K through eating a well-balanced and varied diet, but there are some people who could benefit from taking a vitamin K supplement.

Vitamin K has a wide range of health benefits. One of the most fundamental roles of the vitamin is for healthy blood clotting. Blood clotting stops excessive bleeding. Bruising very easily, excessive bleeding from nose-bleeds, heavy menstrual bleeding, bleeding from the gums, or even bleeding from the digestive tract could all be indications of too little vitamin K in the body.

Vitamin K is also very beneficial for bone health. It works to help maintain proper calcium levels within bone tissue. This is necessary for preventing weak/brittle bones and for forming new bone. While vitamin K promotes calcium in bones, it also inhibits the calcification of body tissue, especially blood vessels, by supporting the function of a particular protein called MGP.

Optimal liver functioning also requires sufficient amounts of vitamin K to be present in the body. Another vitamin K benefit is converting glucose into glycogen, which is energy stored in the liver. It is also possible that this vitamin may help to protect the liver against cancer.