Vitamin K is a nutrient that is necessary for blood clotting. Found in a number of vegetables, vitamin K is also available in supplement form or as a cream. Additionally, vitamin K is produced by the bacteria lining your gastrointestinal tract.Vitamin K is typically used to treat blood clotting problems and vitamin K deficiency. In alternative medicine, vitamin K supplements are also purported to promote bone formation and protect against bone diseases like osteoporosis. In addition, some people take vitamin K to alleviate itching caused by biliary cirrhosis (a liver disease).There is not yet enough scientific evidence to support the use of vitamin K for any condition apart from vitamin K deficiency and certain bleeding or blood clotting problems, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).However, some studies suggest that vitamin K shows promise for the prevention or treatment of other health problems. Here's a look at some key findings:Vitamin K may improve bone health, according to a 2001 research review published in Nutrition.
Sizing up the available data on vitamin K and bone health, the review's authors found that vitamin K can increase bone mineral density and reduce fracture rates in people with osteoporosis. The authors note that vitamin K may be particularly effective when combined with vitamin D, a nutrient known to play a critical role in bone metabolism. Preliminary findings from animal-based studies indicate that vitamin K may protect against atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). However, in a 2008 report from Current Opinion in Lipidology, scientists caution that human-based research on vitamin K1 and heart disease has yielded mixed results. Leafy green vegetables are a top source of vitamin K. In fact, eating just one serving (i.e., a half-cup) of any of the following foods provides more than double your daily requirement for vitamin K:Brussel sprouts, broccoli, and romaine lettuce are also rich in vitamin K.Vitamin K1 (also known as phylloquinone) is the natural form of vitamin K found in plants.
However, phytonadione (the synthetic version of phylloquinone) is commonly referred to as "vitamin K1" on supplement labels. Vitamin K is also available in other forms, including vitamin K2 (menaquinone) and vitamin K3 (menaphthone or menadione).According to the NIH, vitamin K1 is less toxic, faster-acting, stronger, and more effective for certain conditions than other forms of vitamin K. Still, some research suggests that intake of vitamin K2 may offer certain health benefits, such as increased protection against heart disease. Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration prohibits the sale of vitamin K3 in dietary supplements. Injectable vitamin K3 is sometimes used in medical treatments, but there's evidence that these injectable formulas may cause allergic reactions and toxic effects.Vitamin K is widely available in creams said to treat various skin conditions. Proponents claim that applying vitamin K cream to the skin can remove varicose veins, dark circles under the eyes, bruises, scars, and stretch marks, as well as treat rosacea and speed up the healing of wounds and burns.
In most cases, vitamin K creams also contain other natural substances (such as herbal extracts and plant oils).A very rare condition, vitamin K deficiency occurs when the body can't properly absorb vitamin K from the intestinal tract. This problem may be caused by certain diseases (including cystic fibrosis, celiac disease, and Crohn's disease), long-term use of antibiotics or blood-thinning medications, or treatment with hemodialysis. Signs and symptoms of vitamin K deficiency include excessive bleeding and bruising.Taking high amounts of vitamin K may be harmful to pregnant and breastfeeding women, patients receiving dialysis treatments due to kidney disease, and people with clotting problems caused by severe liver disease. In addition, vitamin K may interact with certain supplements (including coenzyme Q10, vitamin E). You can get additional tips on using supplements here.Using Vitamin K for HealthWhile vitamin K may help with certain health problems, self-treating a condition with vitamin K and avoiding standard care may have serious health consequences.
Before you begin using vitamin K, talk to your doctor to determine a safe and effective dosage. Self-treating a condition and avoiding or delaying standard care may have serious consequences.October 2010.Erkkilä AT, Booth SL. "Vitamin K intake and atherosclerosis." 2008 Feb;19(1):39-42.Gast GC, de Roos NM, Sluijs I, Bots ML, Beulens JW, Geleijnse JM, Witteman JC, Grobbee DE, Peeters PH, van der Schouw YT. "A high menaquinone intake reduces the incidence of coronary heart disease." Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2009 Sep;19(7):504-10.Geleijnse JM, Vermeer C, Grobbee DE, Schurgers LJ, Knapen MH, van der Meer IM, Hofman A, Witteman JC. "Dietary intake of menaquinone is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease: the Rotterdam Study." 2004 Nov;134(11):3100-5.National Institutes of Health. "Vitamin K: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia". May 2011.National Institutes of Health. "Vitamin K: MedlinePlus Supplements". April 2011.National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements.
"Important Information to Know When You Are Taking Coumadin and Vitamin K". Last accessed May 2011.Weber P. "Vitamin K and bone health." 2001 Oct;17(10):880-7.Disclaimer: The information contained on this site is intended for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for advice, diagnosis or treatment by a licensed physician. It is not meant to cover all possible precautions, drug interactions, circumstances or adverse effects. You should seek prompt medical care for any health issues and consult your doctor before using alternative medicine or making a change to your regimen.Almost unknown in America, horse chestnut extract is a staple of EuropeanHorse chestnut is rich in saponins and flavones, which modern research has shown help support the normal integrity of the vascular system and connective tissue. Extract from seeds and bark of horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) is used as an herbal medicine against chronic What's in Horse Chestnut extract? The herb contains beta-aescin and many
Diseases of the venous system are widespread disorders sometimes associated with modern civilization and are among the major concerns of social and occupational medicine. Compression stocking therapy and horse chestnut seed extract therapy are alternative therapies for patients with edema resulting from Simple genetics may explain why some people get varicose veins, the unsightly, painful bulges that appear on the legs when blood pools in theResearchers based in Scotland report that people whose mother, father, brother or sister has varicose veins are more likely than those with no family history to develop the condition. reports as to whether there is a relationship between varicose vein risk and certain lifestyle factors such as diet, smoking andMen and women who are relatively tall and women who were obese were also more likely to show signs of varicose veins than others. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012. extract for chronic venous insufficiency.
The evidence presented suggests that HCSE is an efficacious and safe short-term treatment for CVI. properties of horse chestnut extract. Horse chestnut seed extract for chronic venous insufficiency. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2004. Conservative therapy of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) consists largelyHowever, this often causes discomfort and has been associated with poor compliance. To review the evidence from rigorous clinical trials assessing the efficacy and safety of oral horse chestnut seed extract versus placebo, or otherRandomised controlled trials (RCTs) of horse chestnut seed extract for chronic venous insufficiency. of horse chestnut seed extract preparations and experts on the subject were contacted for published and unpublished material. included if they compared oral horse chestnut seed extract mono-preparations with placebo, or other treatments, in patients with CVI. chestnut seed extract as one of several active components in a combination
preparation, or as a part of a combination treatment, were excluded. Overall, there appeared to be an improvement in CVI related signs and symptoms with horse chestnut seed extract compared with placebo. Leg pain was assessed inSix reported a significant reduction of leg pain in the horse chestnut seed extract groups compared with the placebo groups, while another reported a statistically significant improvement compared withMeta-analysis of five trials (n = 289) suggested a significant reduction in favor of horse chestnut seed extract compared with placebo. trial indicated that horse chestnut seed extract may be as effective as compression stockings at reducing leg volume. Adverse events were usually mildThe evidence presented implies that horse chestnut seed extract is an efficacious and safe short-term treatment for CVI. several caveats exist and more rigorous studies are required to assess the efficacy of this treatment option.
Horse Chestnut Extract research The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of Venostasin (600 mg of horse chestnut seed extract) and 360 mg of Pycnogenol (French maritime pine bark extract) in the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). Pycnogenol was found to be more efficacious than Venostasin for the treatment of CVI. Those taking the pycnogenol had a reduction in leg pain and J Emerg Med. 2012. rupture of a renal angiomyolipoma in a patient taking over-the-counter horseWe demonstrate a potentially life-threatening association between HSCE-containing products and renal AML, highlighting the risk associated Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2015. Antioxidant potential of Aesculus hippocastanum extract and escin against reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. anti-inflammatory and venoconstrictor properties have been attributed to extracts from Aesculus hippocastanum. These unusual and diverse properties may be possibly basically linked with ability to scavenge free radicals.
Horse chestnut extract :a multidisciplinary Horse chestnut seed extract is widely used in Europe for the management of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). Although traditionally recommended for a variety of medical conditions, CVI is the only indication for which there is strong supportive scientific evidence. Review of the literature reveals 14 randomized controlled trials, of which seven are methodologically of high quality, albeit limited by small sample sizes and short durations. support the superiority of horse chestnut over placebo, and suggest equivalence to compression stockings and to oral oxerutins. In the future, a longer and adequately powered randomized trial is warranted to compare horse chestnut to standard of care, and to further assess safety and long-term efficacy. no data to suggest that horse chestnut flower, raw seed, branch bark, or leaf are effective for any indication, and it is recommended that these products not
be used, as they are known to be toxic when ingested. Rational therapy of chronic venous insufficiency --chances and limits of the therapeutic use of horse chestnut seeds extract. We report two clinical studies performed in patients with early and advanced In both, compression therapy and oral therapy with horse chestnut seeds extracts were compared to placebo. The published study in early CVI (Grade I) showed both to be superior to placebo and to be equivalent to each other in reducing lower leg volume, a measure for edema. the study, in advanced CVI (Grade II and IIIa), compression appeared to be superior to placebo, whereas horse-chestnut was not. Horse-chestnut fared better in Grade II than inThese results are discussed in the light of data from an in vitro model, where horse-chestnut has been able to close the intercellular gaps in theNot fully specified factors lead to an opening of these gaps, resulting in edema as well as in local coagulation and thrombosis.
subsequent inflammation keeps these gaps open and initiates and maintains a chronic disease process, which may be the starting point of CVI. to its ability to close the venular endothelial gaps, horse chestnut seems to be a suitable and protecting therapy during the early stages of CVI. severe stages compression therapy is indicated. Taking into account the observed negative impact of compression on quality of life, pharmacological CVI therapy should start early to avoid progress and to spare patients compression therapy. I noticed that products that are made to treat spider-veins usually contain either horse chestnut (capsules or creams), or vitamin k (creams for topical use). Horse chestnut is a blood thinner, whereas vitamin k is essential for blood clotting. It therefore seems to me that the effects of these two supplements might be contradictory but still they are both used for the same purpose. I'd like to ask how is this possible.
This is a good question. Spider veins are unsightly, and sometimes uncomfortable, enlargement of smaller veins closest to the skin surface, and appear in clusters of red, blue or purple veins. often spider veins occur on the legs but can also be seen on the face and elsewhere on the body. Horse chestnut works by improving the capillary wall and integrity of the vascular system, it may have blood thinning ability but it also has the ability to protect the strength of the veins. Vitamin K supplements help to clot the blood better in those who are deficient in the vitamin, which is not that common. the rational of adding vitamin K to horse chestnut since most people don't need it. could ask the company that formulates it and they can provide their thoughts on this and may provide an answer that we are not aware of. Full Spectrum Horse Chestnut, 300 mg Full Spectrum Horse Chestnut delivers a minimum of 20% aescin, the primary