vitamin K

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vitamin K

Postby atrapos » Fri Feb 16, 2007 12:46 pm

Hi everyone, I am brand new to the vegetarian lifestlye and I have a question.
My doctor said I should worry about getting enough vitamin K and B12 on this diet. I understand the B12 but could someone explain vitamin K in a vegan diet. thanks
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Sources of Vitamin K

Postby scottp » Fri Feb 16, 2007 2:14 pm

Congratulations on your new lifestyle choice.

There appears to be two forms of naturally occuring Vitamin K. K1 is found in many plants and K2 is normally synthesized by bacteria in the intestines.

Here is some information from Wikipedia. Note: Emphasis is mine.
"Vitamin K is found in leafy green vegetables such as spinach and lettuce; Brassica vegetables such as kale, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts; wheat bran; organ meats; cereals; some fruits; meats; cow milk and other dairy products; eggs; soybeans; and other soy products. Two tablespoons of parsley contains 153% of the recommended daily amount of Vitamin K.

Phylloquinone (Vitamin K1) is the major dietary form of vitamin K. Vitamin K2 is found in chicken egg yolk, butter, cow liver, most cheeses, and fermented soybean products." [Plus as stated before it is produced by bacteria in the gut.]

Here is the link to the whole article if you are interested.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_K

Here is another interesting link on Vitamin K from the MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/18116.htm
Interestingly, this one lists only veggie sources and intestinal bacteria as the sources for vitamin K.

And other link
http://www.anyvitamins.com/vitamin-k-info.htm

Based on just rudimentary research (I just googled vitamin K). I don't think there is much danger of a Vitamin K deficiency on a well balanced vegan diet. :-)

Scott
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Another good resource

Postby scottp » Fri Feb 16, 2007 2:22 pm

I just found another really excellant link.
http://www.dietitian.com/vitamink.html
There is a list of foods about 2/3 of the page down that contain Vitamin K (most of them are plants).

Scott
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thanks for the information

Postby atrapos » Fri Feb 16, 2007 4:11 pm

thank you for the links. There is a lot to learn.I think this is one of the best sites I have ever come across.My husband has decided to join me on my new lifestyle which is making it easier.Thanks again :-D
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Re: vitamin K

Postby HealthyMe2010 » Mon Mar 14, 2011 2:50 pm

So after 4 years from this original topic being created - what's the consensus with Vitamin K2 in a plant-based diet. Should we be worried? Supplement?
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Re: vitamin K

Postby ETeSelle » Mon Mar 14, 2011 2:54 pm

No. There is potassium (K) aplenty in veggies and fruits. Heck, one of the best sources is bananas.

B12 you do need to supplement, only b/c it's from soil bacteria and our plants are now all washed to a fare-thee-well. But not potassium! No worries there.
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Re: vitamin K

Postby HealthyMe2010 » Mon Mar 14, 2011 2:58 pm

ETeSelle wrote:No. There is potassium (K) aplenty in veggies and fruits. Heck, one of the best sources is bananas.


We aren't talking about the element "K" (potassium), but Vitamin K2 (specifically, K2 and not K1).

While eating dark greens will give us plenty of vitamin K1, it's been highly debated that we need K2 in our diets for bone, teeth, hearth and prostate health - K2 is only found in animal products and natto (which apparently is a rare, disgusting, Japanese dish).

I've read that K2 can be manufactured in our gut, but are we making enough of it to skip the dietary sources?
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Re: vitamin K

Postby ETeSelle » Mon Mar 14, 2011 3:00 pm

Yes, K2 is manufactured in the gut. I don't see why there would be a problem. ???
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Re: vitamin K

Postby HealthyMe2010 » Mon Mar 14, 2011 3:09 pm

ETeSelle wrote:Yes, K2 is manufactured in the gut. I don't see why there would be a problem. ???


That's what I would assume, but there are several studies which suggest that dietary K2 has HUGE benefits for many common health problems. The lack of K2 in a plant-based diet has also been used as more "ammo" by pro-meat people.

I want to know if our K2 production is adequate, or if it's like DHA, which our bodies can convert, but not well enough to skip supplementation.
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Re: vitamin K

Postby f1jim » Tue Mar 15, 2011 2:06 pm

Hey, and don't make fun of natto! I happen to love the stuff, though it disgusts my wife. It's just fermented soybeans. It does have an unusual smell/flavor but I happen to like it. We have a shshi place here in the S.F. Bay Area that make only brown rice sushi and they have a good selection of vegetable sushi. I always get a couple orders of the natto. I might be the only person that ever orders it but there ya go!
I heard that as a vegan we get plenty of vitamin K. If I hear otherwise I'll double up on the natto!
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Re: vitamin K

Postby somnolent » Tue Mar 15, 2011 5:37 pm

Here is an article about K2 from the Weston Price people:

http://www.westonaprice.org/abcs-of-nut ... in-k2.html

I side with f1jim's wife about the natto. I prefer to take a supplement!
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Re: vitamin K

Postby HealthyMe2010 » Tue Mar 15, 2011 5:47 pm

somnolent wrote:Here is an article about K2 from the Weston Price people:

http://www.westonaprice.org/abcs-of-nut ... in-k2.html

I side with f1jim's wife about the natto. I prefer to take a supplement!


Not that I side with the Article or it's Author (a man who highly promotes cholesterol in the diet), but K2 is only found in animal products - with the exception of natto.

In supplement form, it's actually Vitamin K3, and it can be toxic...

So again, where does that leave us? Do our bodies produce enough K2 without a dietary source?
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Re: vitamin K

Postby TominTN » Tue Mar 15, 2011 6:28 pm

If we really need vitamin K2 and it's only available in animal foods and supplements, how do populations who don't have access to lots of animal foods or supplements stay healthy? How did our ancestors survive before they even knew about it, when calories were much more difficult to come by than they are now? How is it that some of us on this board have not eaten animal products for years, don't take a supplement, and are feeling great?

My opinion is that K2 is just one more way for the supplementarians to get their mitts on your moolah. It's health terrorism. If they can terrorize us with fears about "crucial" nutrients we can't get from our food, they can frighten us into giving them our money. Don't be seduced, just eat your veggies and fruit.
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Re: vitamin K

Postby HealthyMe2010 » Tue Mar 15, 2011 6:39 pm

TominTN wrote:How is it that some of us on this board have not eaten animal products for years, don't take a supplement, and are feeling great?


The thing is, I fall into this category, since I've been vegan close to 11 years - however, as I get older, will "missing nutrients" create a problem for me? Obviously, we can't ignore things like B12, but based on the studies I've seen on K2, it has HUGE health benefits on the heart, prostate cancer, and low rates are associated with poor dental and bone health.

I always like to challenge my diet. Even though, at this point, I would never consume animal products, I like to keep educated on topics like this.

To me, it sounds like K2 is similar to the DHA arguments - our bodies can make these nutrients, but not very well.
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Re: vitamin K

Postby somnolent » Tue Mar 15, 2011 9:32 pm

HealthyMe2010 wrote:In supplement form, it's actually Vitamin K3, and it can be toxic...


Jarrow makes one that is K2. It is made from natto. :)

http://www.jarrow.com/product/241/MK_7
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