Vitamin K

Vitamin K is known as the clotting vitamin, because its main role is in helping blood clot, or coagulate, properly. Other functions are: protection of bones from fracture, protection against liver and prostate cancer, preventing postmenopausal bone loss, calcification of arteries. 

It is rare to have a vitamin K deficiency. It occurs when the body can't properly absorb the vitamin from the intestinal tract and after long-term treatment with antibiotics.

People with vitamin K deficiency are usually more likely to have: excessive bleeding (heavy menstrual bleeding, gum bleeding, bleeding within the digestive tract, or nosebleeding, Easy bruising), problems with calcification of the blood vessels or heart valves, problems with bone fracture or bone weakening.

The human body gets vitamin K from certain foods and from bacteria that normally live in the intestines.

Major food sources of vitamin K: 
1. green leafy vegetables, such as kale, spinach, turnip greens, collards, swiss chard, mustard greens, parsley, romaine, and green leaf lettuce
2. vegetables such as brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage
3. fish, liver, meat, eggs, and cereals (contain smaller amounts)

Vitamin K may play a role in treating: anticoagulant therapy, bone fracture, chronic liver disease, cystic fibrosis, hardening of the arteries, inflammatory bowel disease, liver and pancreatic cancer, kidney stones, nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, bone loss, osteoporosis, thrombosis, Alzheimer's, heart diseases.