Vitamin K: The Anti-aging Powerhouse

By Robert M. Oliva CSW

Most of us may have some vague sense of having heard about something called vitamin K.  But it’s unlikely that we have any idea of what vitamin K is or what it does.  For those knowledgeable about health issues you may recall that vitamin K helps blood coagulate.  In fact, the vitamin got its name from the Danish researchers who discovered it. The “K” stands for “koagulation,” the Danish version of “coagulation.”

Well, times have changed.  Vitamin K is here with a vengeance.  Recent research has shown it to be a powerful antioxidant, stronger than vitamin E or coenzyme Q10.  It has been shown to help prevent degenerative diseases like osteoporosis and heart disease.

Let’s take a closer look at this newfound powerhouse

The good news about vitamin K is that is does a lot more than previously thought.  It is a potent anti-aging vitamin with many important applications throughout the body. Vitamin K accumulates in the heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, kidneys, and in the blood.  It has broader health applications than scientists ever imagined.  While it was long thought that we all had sufficient amounts of vitamin K in our bodies, recent research indicates that many of us suffer from vitamin K deficiencies.

Vitamin K and Anti-Aging

Anti-aging research has found that as we age we suffer from increased inflammation that can cause everything from heart disease to mobility impairments.  It seems that during the aging process the body increases certain hormones and decreases others.  One of those that is increased is called Interleukin-6 (IL-6).  This biochemical messenger increases inflammation throughout the body and has been implicated in arthritis, diseases of the blood vessels, heart disease and Alzheimer’s.

Scientists have found that vitamin K reduces Il-6 and may have a major role to play in reducing many of the degenerative diseases that plague the Western world.

Arteriosclerosis

Hardening of the arteries is caused by calcification.  When calcium enters the arteries lesions are formed that lead to their progressive degeneration.  This process is associated with heart disease.  Scientists in Japan indicated that when vitamin K was introduced it significantly reduced the amount of calcium in the aortas of rats that had been fed a diet designed to harden their arteries.  Damage to the heart valves was reduced by vitamin K.

Osteoporosis

The other side of calcification of the arteries is the leaching of calcium from the bones.  This is known as decalcification.  Amazingly, vitamin K has been found to regulate the flow of calcium in and out of the bones and arteries.  It keeps calcium out of the arteries and in the bones!

The importance of this cannot be underestimated.  Osteoporosis is a major problem in our society.  In a recent study of nurses that included 10 years of information from over 72,000 participants, the researchers concluded that those nurses that ingested the most vitamin K were a third less likely to suffer from hip fractures.  Vitamin K had a stronger effect than synthetic estrogen.  In another study it was found that vitamin K reduces calcium loss by one-third.

These finding are not only important because of their application to osteoporosis itself but also to the other problems associated with the disease.  It has been found that osteoporosis is a good indicator of overall mortality.  Osteoporosis reflects serious systemic problems.  Surprisingly, people suffering from low bone density die mostly from heart attack, cancer and stroke.  Low bone density is related to severe diseases of the blood vessels (calcification).  Vitamin K counteracts calcification and reduces your chances of dying from blood vessel related diseases.

Vitamin K and Stroke

High blood pressure is a leading cause of stroke.  The cause of blood pressure rising has traditionally been linked to high salt intake.  However, now it has been found that calcium has a major role to play in this disease.  Studies performed by Dr. David McCarron have indicated that calcium intake is more likely to cause pressure problems than salt intake.  According to Terri Mitchell of Life Extension Magazine “One standard deviation from the norm of bone density equals a three times increased risk of having a stroke compared to 1.7 times increased risk of blood pressure.”  Vitamin K, as we have seen, regulates the calcium in our bones and arteries.  Ample amounts of vitamin K could cause a decrease in susceptibility to stroke and other blood vessel related problems.

Blood Sugar

One of the organs where vitamin K is stored is the pancreas.  In a study performed in Japan, researchers found that rats deficient in vitamin K had problems with the clearance of glucose in the pancreas that eventually caused too much insulin to be released into the blood stream.  Some scientists are speculating that ample amounts of vitamin K could be used in the treatment of human diabetes.  This would be a tremendous help to millions of us that suffer from this chronic, degenerative disease.

Alzheimer’s Disease

People suffering from Alzheimer’s disease have a high level of the apolipoprotein E (apoE4) in their brains.  These same people have low levels of vitamin K.  Dr. Martin Kohlmeier feels there is a connection.  Dr. Kohlmeier believes there is a connection between the lack of vitamin K, apoE4 and the ability to regulate calcium in the brain.  He believes that people with apoE4 get rid of vitamin K too swiftly.  This leaves too little vitamin K for proper functioning of brain proteins that causes problems in regulating calcium properly and may lead to some of the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s disease.  Just as vitamin K regulates the calcium in our bones and arteries, it also regulates it in our brains.  A quarter of the population has the apo4 protein and the corresponding lack of vitamin K.  It’s important then that future research show how vitamin K is needed for brain function and disease prevention.

Depletion of Vitamin K

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin.  But unlike the other fat-soluble vitamins it is not stored in the body.  In fact, recent research has found that vitamin K deficiency is much more common than previously believed.  According to Terri Mitchell of Life Extension Magazine this problem is due to inadequate diet, lack of co-factors, drugs and environmental stress that place unusual demands on vitamin K reserves.  Antibiotics destroy intestinal flora which are the source of vitamin K in the body.  Cholesterol lowering drugs, Olestra and anything that interferes with fat utilization reduces vitamin K.  Mineral oil laxatives interfere as well.   Low fat diets can also be detrimental to vitamin K as are very high protein diets that do not include greens.

Vitamin K in Foods

High concentrations of Vitamin K are found in green leafy vegetables.  Spinach is especially important.  But it is now known that also eating large amounts of fruits and vegetables can supply the body with the vitamin k it needs to function.  Fermented foods, including some cheeses contain vitamin K.  Hydrogenated oils contained in foods like margarine may stop the proper utilization of the vitamin.

Supplementing with Vitamin K

Since vitamin K is not stored in the body, it is nontoxic.  Supplementation dosage will vary due to your health needs, age, diet, and the use of prescription drugs.  Consult with your nutritionist or health care provider for the dose good for you.

Warning: People taking blood thinners such as warfarin or heparin should not take vitamin K.
Summary

Vitamin K is a very exciting new tool in creating robust and natural health.  Its role in the regulation of calcium in our arteries, bones and brain offers great possibilities for increased longevity and quality of life for millions of people.  Vitamin K is still being researched.  In the next decade it may become one of the most important elements in our quest to live long and productive lives.

Peace and Health!

Robert M. Oliva, CSW is a certified New York State social worker with over twenty years experience in psychotherapy, stress management and wellness. Bob is an internationally known health writer and is the founder and editor-in-chief of the health site HealingAction.com. Presently, Bob is a doctoral candidate in naturopathy at Clayton College. He lives with his wife Mary and his two sons David and Chris on Long Island, New York. Bob also spends a few hours a week playing with his grandson Jonathan.

Just Say No to Love

By Katharine Miller

Love. I want to talk about this certain four-letter word. A word that is potentially dangerous and can have serious repercussions upon using it. Some of you may have heard about it or seen it on television. Some of your parents may have been in love. You may have already been in love yourself.

Now television shows and movies want us to believe love is groovy, swell, “da bomb.” Hollywood has glamorized it for us. Love is beautiful, love is grand, love can make the world go ’round. Michael Bolton says that love is a wonderful thing and can make you smile through the pouring rain. But who’s going to trust a man who has bad hair?

Tune out the hype and listen up. Love is a full-time addiction. Oh, it starts out small with a seemingly harmless crush. But soon, you’re hooked and looking for something stronger. You’re enamored, lustful, and filled with desire, leading up to the hardest drug of all: l’amour. And boy, can it be dangerous. Look at Romeo and Juliet, Bonnie and Clyde, or any couple on the Jerry Springer show.

Love can happen at any time, in any place, but it most commonly occurs in the spring. Mr. or Ms. Wonderful enters your life and it begins. You discover that you enjoy the same type of music and motion pictures. You find your special Celine Dion song on the jukebox at the local diner. Things are going great and there is a great deal of swooning and baby talk. But soon, he needs more. She needs a commitment. You’re lost in a moment and it slips out. “I love you.” And it’s such a rush to say it. You say it again followed by empty promises of forever. You believe in it, like the tooth fairy or Santa Claus or that the Cubs will win the World Series.

You’ll find yourself latched onto a person and losing interest in other things, like eating, bathing or working. Sure, it’s great at first, like any high. But soon you find yourself in a loop of questions. “Where is he? What’s she doing? Who’s he with? Will he call me today? What will we do tonight? Does she love me as much as I love her? Will he always love me? Will I get laid?” This is often followed by unexplainable rashes, nausea, and a host of very annoyed friends.

It causes you to do things you wouldn’t ordinarily do, like serenade a woman outside her apartment building on a moonlit night, leave the toilet seat down, or rummage through bargain basements searching for Barry Manilow’s Greatest Hits.

Love has been the leading cause of marriages, making out in parked cars, suicides, and bad poetry by 13 year-old girls. But even armed with the knowledge of the side effects, people still insist upon falling in love. And no rehab clinic or 12-step program can cure it. So my mission, and I do choose to accept it, is to prevent love from spreading further and causing even more damage.

Therefore, I propose the “Just Say No to Love” campaign. Make the youngsters aware of love and its harmful side effects, frightening pitfalls, and dangers. Together, we can save some lives and restore some semblance of sanity to the world. If you or someone you know has the following symptoms: loss of appetite, sleeplessness, glazed-over eyes, aloofness, and a fondness for Michael Bolton music, they may be in love. Act quickly, get help, and just say no.

Katharine Miller has been published on several websites including Relationship101.com, Hotspots.com, and CurableRomantic.com

Looks vs. Personality

By Katharine Miller

In this corner, weighing heavily on the subconscious, the guy with the great sense of humor, it’s Mr. Personality.

His opponent and to the right is light on his feet and easy on the eyes. Here’s Prince Charming himself, Mr. Looks.

Who’s going to this battle? With the Beholder acting as referee, it’s a toss-up. If this were pro wrestling, they’d both be fakes and you be screwed either way.

Studies conducted by women’s magazines over the years reveal that women are in favor of personality. A good sense of humor will surely win the heart of a good woman. But who here has ever spotted a man across the room and said, “Hey, look at the sense of humor on that one” besides me? Perhaps these women are keeping the future in mind, when she hopes her man will be amused rather than disgusted by the gravitational pull on her breasts. More likely, the editors of these magazines are aware of the male readership and want to make them feel adequate. Men are generally less concerned about the future and more concerned about the outcome.

Jules in Pulp Fiction said it best when he stated that personality goes a long way. Of course, this followed a bacon eating debate and may not be pertinent to this article. Looks do fade, but you’re stuck with your personality forever. And women hope that it’s a good one.

Now we’ve established that women crave substance. Let’s be honest, with that biological clock ticking, personality may not be the substance girls are necessarily looking for. A woman who’s looking to conceive a child may be less picky about her suitor’s appearance as long as he’s in good working order. Those of us who are not likely to marry or bear children are free to seek out other qualities such as money, fame, looks, or sterility.

Take a look at men’s magazines and the tables are turned. While studies may be altered to make men feel more adequate, the photos in men mags give women complexes about their looks. With the airbrushed, plastic girls posed in the pictures, one might believe that men have impossibly high ideals of how a woman should look. The ideals can usually be reduced to blonde, chesty, and a willingness to believe he’s the greatest man that ever lived. These ideals will be thrown out the window for anything resembling the female form and willing to put out. Especially if it’s Friday night and large quantities of alcohol are involved.

It’s a well known fact that men are visually driven beasts, but not all of them are after one night stands. After lust at first sight, men need something to keep them hanging around. If you don’t know any knock-knock jokes or amusing anecdotes, good cooking skills work in a pinch. The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, of course. And he thinks with his penis. Man, you thought girls were complicated.

As with everything, there are some exceptions. It’s all a matter of taste, I guess. So, what’s more important: personality or looks? Neither and both. Practice good hygiene, read a few books, and pray that luck is on your side. If you feel yourself drawn to someone, chalk it up to chemistry. Or anatomy. Or biology. And try not to dissect your date before you get to first base.

Katharine Miller has been published on several websites including Relationship101.com, Hotspots.com, and CurableRomantic.com