Vitamin K

Allowance: 80 mg per day for adult males

and 65 mg per day for adult females, and 5
mg/day for the newborn infant.
Functions:
1. regulate normal blood clotting
(formation of prothrombin) by helping in
calcium transport.
2. improve bone and reduce bone
fractures
-mediates the gamma
carboxylation og glutamyl residues on several
bone proteins, esp. osteocalcin from
osteoblasts (mineral binding capacity of
osteocalcon requires Vit K dependent gamma
carboxylation of three glutamic acids)
Vitamin K deficiency occurs in the following
circumstances:
1. In Newborns:
a) Due to poor placental transfer of vitamin K
b) Due to little Vitamin K in breast milk
c) Due to absence of hepatic stores of
menaquinone
2. As Cholestatic Jaundice
- When bile flow in the intestine is interrupted,
no bile salts are available to facilitate
absorption of Vitamin K. Thus, the prothrombin
time increases.

High levels of Vit K, greater bone density. Low 3. Due to concomitant Vitamin K antagonists
levels lead to osteoporosis - Oral anticoagulants antagonize Vitamin K.
3. Reduce bleeding in liver disease, - Oral anticoagulants act by interfering with the
jaundice, malabsorption, or in assoc w/ long- Vitamin K metabolism.
term use of antibiotics. - Antibacterial drugs interfere with the bacterial
synthesis of Vitamin K.
Vitamin K Deficiency
Vitamin K deficiency Symptoms
- due to hemorrhage
Vitamin K deficiency occurs due to:
- easy bruising and bleeding manifested
The Inadequate Stores of Vitamin K
as nosebleeds, gum bleeding, blood in urine,
E.g. protein-energy malnutrition, haemorrhagic
blood in stool and heavy menstrual flow
disease of the newborn
In Infants:
The Malabsorption of Vitamin K
a.) intracranial bleeding
E.g. Cholestatic Jaundice
b.) gastrointestinal bleeding
Oral Anticoagulant Drugs
c.) skin bleeding
Sources:
Majority of the dietary vitamin K are in the form of phylloquinone (vitamin K1). Green leafy vegetables
and some vegetable oils are major contributors of dietary vitamin K. The greener the vegetable, the
more vitamin K it contains. Foods also tend to become higher in vitamin K as they become less
concentrated with water. Vitamin K1 is available without a prescription in multivitamins and other
supplements in doses that generally range from 10-120 mcg per supplement. Bacteria that normally
colonize the large intestine synthesize menaquinone (vitamin K2), which is an active form of vitamin K. A
list of vitamin K sources is described in the table below:
From vegetables, the leading sources of vitamin K are the dark leafy green ones. Spinach, broccoli,
cauliflower, kale, brussels sprouts and parsley are the most common of these excellent sources. Olive,
canola and soybean oils are excellent sources of vitamin K while corn oil and peanut oil are very poor
sources of the vitamin. Good sources from animals include liver, cow milk, yogurt, egg yolks, fish liver
oils and lean meat. Good fruit sources are avocado, tomato and kiwi fruit.