Vitamin K
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A brief summary of some of the ways in which Vitamin K benefits overall human health include: [1]
Protects bones and decreases the risk of osteoporosis
Prevent arterial calcification
Helps blood clot properly
Enhances connective elastin in the skin
Reduces cancer risk
Because it can assist the body in the above-listed ways, Vitamin K is extremely beneficial in maintaining overall health. Vitamin K is known to reduce the risk of cancer, but it also works in ways that specifically attack cancer cells, thereby being a legitimate treatment option for cancer patients.
Vitamin K’s Anti- Cancer Profile
One function that is unique to Vitamin K is known as oncosis, which is “a form of stress-activated ischemic cell death to which tumor cells are particularly susceptible. Because of their high growth rate, tumor cells consume vast amounts of glucose. And because they can rapidly outgrow their blood supplies, that high metabolism means they use up oxygen rapidly, making them especially vulnerable to oxidant stress—much more so than the healthy tissues around them. Vitamin K targets tumor cells for destruction by stimulating oxidative stress, without toxicity to healthy tissues.” [1]
Vitamin K is also proficient in a process called autophagy, which occurs when “cancer cells essentially ‘eat’ themselves by releasing their own digestive enzymes internally. By still another unique mechanism, vitamins C and K in combination contribute to cancer cell death by autoschizis, whereby cells simply split open, spilling their contents.”
Lastly, new research reveals three more of vitamin K’s abilities in fighting cancer. These functions include how “Vitamin K3 inhibits DNA-building enzymes. Vitamins K2 and K3 block new blood vessel formation essential to support the rapid growth of tumor tissue… [and] vitamin K3 disrupts crucial intracellular communications networks composed of microtubules, preventing the cells from proliferating in a coordinated fashion.”2
What Studies are Revealing
Vitamin K has been studied it has been “suggested that vitamin K2 could serve as a potent anti-cancer treatment” in ovarian cancer, leukemia, and breast cancer cell lines.[3]
Vitamin K has also been measured for its effect on breast cancer, the second most common type of cancer in the United States. In one study, the antitumor activities of vitamin K1, K2, and K3 were compared against a panel of human cancer cell lines, and vitamin K2 was less potent than vitamin K3,” thus reinforcing how impactful Vitamin K is for reducing the risk of cancer diagnosis.[4] A different, non-related study “of three cancer cell lines that were resistant to radiation [revealed that] vitamin K2 restored sensitivity to radiation treatment and also inhibited the growth of cancer cells in breast cancer lines, as well as in lung and colon cancers.
The research on Vitamin K and its measurable impact on cancer is growing, with more results that reinforce the same conclusions being published frequently. As such, Vitamin K is an important nutrient to make sure you are receiving regularly as part of your balanced diet.
Where to find Vitamin K
It is generally recommended that “the daily intake for vitamin K, in all forms, is 120 micrograms for men and 90 micrograms for women.”[5] As such, integrating foods rich in Vitamin K to your diet is crucial. If you would like to incorporate more Vitamin K into your health routine, you can do so in several ways. Firstly, Vitamin K is found in a variety of food sources, some of which include: [6]
Kale
Brussel sprouts
Cabbage
Broccoli
Prunes
Fermented dairy
Cucumbers
Dried basil
Olive oil
Most people receive a proper amount of Vitamin K through a balanced diet that includes rich, green leafy vegetables. However, if you do not, you can turn to Vitamin K supplements. As a note, always be sure to consult your doctor before making changes to your diet or health routine.
For More Information
Vitamin K is a crucial component of our overall health, as it assists the body in a variety of ways. Cancer patients can especially benefit from additional Vitamin K consumption. To inquire about Vitamin K treatments or how to make sure you are ingesting proper amounts, consult your physician. You can also contact our medical team here; we are happy to assist you.
[1]“Top 5 Vitamin K Benefits and the Best Sources.” Health Ambition.
[2]DiFara, Felix. “The Remarkable Anticancer Properties of Vitamin K.” LifeExtension. 2010.
[3]“Vitamin K: Is There Anything It Can’t Do?” Jeffrey Dach MD.2014.
[4]“Published Research – Vitamin K and Cancer.” Vitamin K All-Natural.
[5]“Higher vitamin K intake tied to lower cancer risks.” Health News. 2010.
[6]“Top 10 Vitamin K Rich Foods.” Dr. Axe Food and Medicine.