2023-08-11 05:41:00
Basically, vitamin K plays an important role in blood clotting. The K vitamins are also important factors in bone metabolism. Now a research team has succeeded another important function of vitamin K to prove and at the same time a so far unknown enzyme to identify.
In diseases associated with a specific form of natural cell death related, this discovery could open up new therapy options.
How does vitamin K work in the body? It’s in these foods
Die Vitamins A, D and E are likely to be yours fat-soluble Vitamine known. However, this is often forgotten Vitamin K. The term Vitamin K includes a group of compounds, which also includes the Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) and that Vitamin K2 (menaquinone) belong. For the sake of completeness let that be Vitamin K3 (Menadione), which is only produced synthetically and is now only used as an additive in animal feed.
Vitamin K1 – important for blood and vessels: Are particularly rich in vitamin K1 green vegetables How Spinach, broccoli or kale. Here even small amounts of up to 100 grams are sufficient to supply the body with sufficient nutrients. Among the most important tasks of Vitamin K1 belongs to Formation of coagulation factors from inactive precursors. At a Vitamin K Deficiency In the event of an injury, the blood cannot clot as well and the bleeding stops more slowly. In addition, it prevents Calcium deposits in blood vessels and thus protects against arteriosclerosis.
Vitamin K2 – important for bone metabolism: Although our intestinal bacteria in the large intestine are able to produce vitamin K2, it is only insufficiently absorbed by the body. Vitamin K2 is mainly found in animal food sources as in dairy products, meat and eggs or in fermented foods How Sauerkraut or ripened Cheese. Vitamin K2 is important for the skeleton and works supporting the maintenance of bone density and bone remodeling, by promoting the regulation, active transport and distribution of calcium. Vitamin K2 is particularly readily available for the body in its menaquinone-7 or MK-7-Form. It is commonly found in dietary supplements combination with Vitamin Dyes both together support bone metabolism more effectively.
Why did vitamin K become the subject of scientific research?
A healthy person dies every second million cells away. What sounds dramatic at first is, however, important for a healthy organism. Because with the so-called programmed cell death, which is medically known as Apoptosis is called, body cells commit suicide, so to speak, when they lifetime exceeded have or dangerous are. They disintegrate and new, functional cells take their place. In the case of malignant tumor cells, this programmed cell death is desirable because it prevents uncontrolled growth. However, there are diseases in which premature or increased apoptosis can lead to worsening of symptoms.
At the so-called ferroptose It is a form of cell death that was only discovered in 2012 and is involved in various disease-promoting processes. Here, the cell membrane of a cell is destroyed by certain processes. Eisen plays an important role here, which is why this form of natural cell death is called ferroptosis, because the Latin word “ferrum” means iron. The ferroptosis is called accelerating factor described in Alzheimer’s disease, acute injuries to organs and other diseases. Thus, reducing ferroptosis is considered a hopeful approach in therapy by many degenerative diseaseswhere wear and tear and aging play a role.
Scientists are now intensively researching new mechanisms and active substances that regulate ferroptosis. An international research team is currently investigating Vitamin K as a way to prevent ferroptosis.
Do study results enable new therapeutic approaches?
The researchers came to the conclusion that vitamin K in its fully reduced form as Vitamin K-Hydrochinon was able protect cells and tissues from ferroptosis. The effect comes about because vitamin K acts here as a powerful fat-loving (lipophilic) antioxidant and prevents ferroptosis by scavenging oxygen radicals in cell membranes. Antioxidants represent a group of molecules that protect the organism reactive oxygen radicals protects. If there is an imbalance between free oxygen radicals and free radical scavengers (antioxidants) in the body, this is oxidativer Stress designated. If a high concentration of free oxygen radicals persists for a longer period of time, this increases risk of diseasesthat affect the immune system, but also for rheumatic or nervous diseases. Here, vitamin K fulfills the function of a radical scavenger, which Traps oxygen radicals in cell membranes and thereby prevents ferroptosis.
The scientists also discovered the enzyme that efficiently reduces vitamin K to vitamin K hydroquinone. This is FSP1 or Ferroptosis Suppressor Protein-1. That became the previously unknown mechanism of the vitamin K metabolism in blood coagulation.
These discoveries can help new therapies for diseases involving ferroptosis. The researchers also suspect that vitamin K is one of the oldest types of naturally occurring antioxidants could act and ferroptosis is also a very old form of cell death. This could lead to new insights into the Importance of vitamin K in the evolution of life result.
Conclusion
so far was Vitamin K known as a vitamin that has important functions in the blood clotting and at bone metabolism takes over. The newly discovered function of vitamin K seems to be able to open up a new therapy option for people who suffer from certain degenerative diseases Suffer. One more reason to enrich your diet with foods that contain vitamin K, because the versatile vital substance must be supplied through food.
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