Our body needs nutrients to function properly, of which vitamins are important nutrients. Every part of the body needs a special vitamin to be healthy. Similarly, vitamin K is also an essential vitamin for heart and bone health. Vitamins K, K1 and K2 are of two types. Vitamin K is a dissolving vitamin in fat, so the body stores it as fat. Vitamin K is helpful for bone health. It protects the bones from damage and reduces the risk of bone fractures. Let us know why Vitamin K is an essential vitamin for our body.
Symptoms of vitamin K deficiency: Vitamin K deficiency increases the risk of increased bleeding and osteoporosis. Vitamin K deficiency results in bleeding from nose and gums, excessive bleeding from a wound, excessive bleeding during periods, bleeding in stool or urine.
Need for Vitamin K: The following reasons explain why Vitamin K is important for the body.
- Helps in the formation of blood clots: Vitamin K is necessary to make blood clots in the body. Vitamin K contributes to the action required to form a blood clot. Its deficiency does not create a blood clot which can be harmful to human health.
- Keeps bones healthy: Calcium is very important to keep bones healthy. Vitamin K is absorbed by calcium, which strengthens bones. Due to deficiency of vitamin K, our body is not able to absorb calcium and this weakens bones.
- Prevents Diabetes: Vitamin K is very useful to prevent diabetes. Vitamin K balances the amount of insulin in the blood. Research on the connection between vitamin K and diabetes suggests that taking vitamin K supplements increases insulin resistance which can help control sugar.
- Reduces period pain: Due to deficiency of Vitamin K in periods there is a lot of bleeding. Vitamin K is therefore necessary for the body to avoid this problem. Apart from this, vitamin K is also very useful for the breastfeeding mother.
- Protects the brain: Vitamin K has anti-inflammatory properties which reduces the oxidative stress in the brain and also protects the brain tissue from getting damaged. It increases essential metabolism and also protects the brain from serious illnesses like Alzheimer’s.
