3 minVitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays an important role in blood clotting. But how does this process actually work? And what happens if you have a vitamin K deficiency? In this blog, we explain it step by step.
In this article, you will read
- What vitamin K does in your body
- How it helps with blood clotting
- What happens when you have a vitamin K deficiency
- Which foods contain vitamin K
What vitamin K does:
1. Blood clotting (coagulation)
Blood clotting, also known as coagulation, is a complex process that ensures we do not lose unnecessary blood when injured. It starts when a blood vessel is damaged. Vitamin K ensures the synthesis of various proteins involved in this process.
2. Prothrombin and fibrinogen
Vitamin K is needed to convert prothrombin into thrombin. Thrombin ultimately plays a role in the formation of a blood clot.
In addition, vitamin K is needed for the conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin, which forms the basis for the clot.
3. Calcium binding
Vitamin K helps activate calcium-binding proteins in blood clotting. This is very important, as your body cannot clot without calcium!
4. Vitamin K deficiency and bleeding
A vitamin K deficiency can lead to bleeding problems and prolonged bleeding times. This can result in excessive blood loss even from minor injuries and can have serious health consequences. Newborn babies are at risk of vitamin K deficiency because they are not yet able to produce vitamin K themselves.
5. Vitamin K in food
Although our bodies can produce some vitamin K, we obtain a significant amount of vitamin K from food. Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and kale, are rich sources of vitamin K. Vitamin K is also found in other foods, such as broccoli, cabbage, and some oils.
