Abstract
Vitamins k is an important fat-soluble vitamin that can be obtained from plants, bacteria and animals and is necessary for the blood clotting. It plays a key function as a cofactor in the synthesizing of blood clotting proteins in the liver; recently, the interest for its functions in extra-hepatic tissue has increased. Vitamin k deficiency is usually caused by abnormal absorption rather than in the lack of vitamin in food. Apart from its impact on clotting, chronic subclinical deficiency of vitamin K maybe a risk factor for many diseases such as osteoporosis, atherosclerosis, cancer, insulin resistance, neurodegenerative diseases and others, while current food intake guidelines be focused on the daily dose necessary to avoid blood loss. Several researchers found out that vitamin K needs may be substantially higher for certain health functions.
Highlights
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin necessary for blood coagulation
Vitamin K has an essential role for numerous physiological processes as the sole cofactor of γ-glutamyl carboxylase enzyme (GGCX) that catalyzed post translational shift, which lead to Vitamin K-dependent proteins (VKDPs) activation engaged in the formation of bone, tumor growth prevention, inflammatory reactions and several other biologically important function [3]
Vitamin K is an essential fat soluble vitamin which is important for blood clotting
Summary
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin necessary for blood coagulation. The vitamin was discovered by Danish research scientist Henrik Dam in Germany in 1929 and was called "K" since the earliest discoveries were published in a German journal, in which the substance was referred to as the " Koagulation vitamin." The pure vitamin (K1) was derived from alfalfa in 1939 and it was subsequently realized that a second form (K2) with the more unsaturated side chain was synthesized by the bacteria [1]. Vitamin K1 and vitamin K2 occur naturally, and are primarily present in vegetables with green leaves. The quantity of fat in the diet and the production of bile acid in the liver are essential for absorption. The synthetic type of vitamin k (vitamin K3) is soluble in water and absorbed in the lack of bile acids, directly moving from the mucosal cells of the intestine into the liver portal blood [2]. Vitamin K is essential for hepatic post synthetic activation of coagulation factor II (prothrombin), VII, IX and X, in addition to anti-coagulant protein C and S, Initially, all are synthesized as non-active precursor proteins by the liver. The goal for this review is to clarify the function of vitamin K in preventing and treating different aspects of human diseases
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