Vitamin K and Liquid Vitamins

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The "K" is derived from the German word "koagulation". Coagulation refers to blood clotting, because this nutrient is essential for the functioning of several proteins involved in blood clotting.

There are two naturally occurring forms of this nutrient. Plants synthesize phylloguinone, also known as vitamin K1. Bacteria synthesize a range of these nutrients forms, using repeating 5-carbon units in the side chain of the molecule.

The only known biological role of this nutrient is the required coenzyme for a a K-dependent carboxylase that catalyzes the carboxylation of the amino acid. The ability to bind calcium ions is required for the activation of the 7 vitamin K-dependant clotting factors in the coagulation cascade of events.

The term, coagulation cascade, refers to a series of events, each dependent on the other that stops bleeding through clot formulation.

Some people are at risk of forming clots, which could block the flow of blood in arteries of the heart, brain, or lungs, resulting in heart attacks, stroke, or pulmonary embolism, respectively.

Some oral anticoagulants, such as warfarin, inhibit coagulation through antagonism of the action of this nutrient. Although it is a fat-soluble vitamin, the body stores very little of it, and it stores are rapidly depleted without regular dietary intake.

Liquid supplements increase the levels of this and all nutrients into your system because of their absorption abilities.

Because of the limited ability to store this nutrient, the body recycles it through a process called the vitamin K cycle. The cycle allows a small amount of this nutrient to function in the gamma-carboxylation of proteins many times, decreasing the dietary requirement.

Overt deficiency results in impaired blood clotting, usually demonstrated by laboratory tests that measure clotting time.

Symptoms include easy bruising and bleeding that may be manifested as nose bleeds, bleeding gums, blood in the urine, blood in the stool, tarry black stools, or extremely heavy menstrual bleeding.

In infants, a deficiency of this nutrient may result in life-threatening bleeding within the skull (intracranial hemorrhage). The ease of taking liquid vitamins compared to pills or capsules make them much easier for all ages to take.

This deficiency is uncommon in healthy adults for a number of reasons. This nutrient is widespread in foods, the cycle conserves the nutrient, and bacteria that normally inhabit the large intestine synthesize it though it is unclear whether a significant amount is absorbed and utilized.

Human milk is relatively low in this nutrient compared to formula, a newborn's intestines are not yet colonized with bacteria that synthesize, and the cycle may not be fully functional, putting babies that are exclusively breast-fed at risk of deficiency.

Green leafy vegetables and some vegetable oils Green leafy vegetables and some vegetable oils are major contributors of dietary forms of this nutrient. Good food sources include: Olive oil, soybean oil, canola oil, mayonnaise, broccoli (cooked), kale (raw), spinach, leaf lettuce, Swiss chard, watercress (all raw), and parsley (raw).

In the U.S. vitamin K1 is available without a prescription and multi-vitamin and other supplements in doses that generally range from 10-120 mcg per supplement. There are many good liquid supplement brands in today' marketplace including the following brands:

Vitamin K and Naturally Direct Vitamins