Vitamin K

Derrick DeSilva, Jr., M.D.

Teaching Faculty, JFK Medical Center, Edison, NJ

Associate Attending Staff, Raritan Bay Medical Center, Perth Amboy, NJ

Vitamin K is an essential nutrient that plays a critical role in blood clotting, wound healing, and bone health. People who don’t have enough vitamin K in their system are at greater risk of increased bleeding and bone fractures. Vitamin K is a group of vitamins that share similar chemical structures. Two different forms of vitamin K are most commonly found in the human diet. Vitamin K1, the predominant dietary form of vitamin K, is also known as phylloquinone. You can find it in plant foods such as leafy greens. Vitamin K2 — also called menaquinone — is found in some animal products and fermented foods. Your gut bacteria also produce it. The body absorbs vitamin K1 and K2 at different rates, which can affect the health benefits they each offer. During this presentation, we will review the critical synergy that vitamin D and vitamin K play and review some of the studies that show the role of vitamin K in disease prevention.

Duration: 46m11s