Alfalfa Vitamin K Supplement
Natures Best Source of Vitamin K & Phytonutrients
| $12.49 | 500 Count Bottle VP1011V | Retails for $14.90 |
500 mg
One of nature's richest sources of vital nutrients, our special "deep-root" Alfalfa contains a bountiful supply of important vitamins, minerals and enzymes in natural easily-assimilated proportions
No caffeine, corn, gluten, milk or egg derivatives, salt, sodium, soy, starch, sugar, wheat or yeast. No artificial colorings, flavorings or preservatives.
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"One of the most important characteristics of alfalfa is it's high nutritional quality. Alfalfa contains between 15 to 22% crude protein as well as an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. Specifically, alfalfa contains vitamins A, D, E, K, U, C, B1, B2, B6, B12, Niacin, Panthothanic acid, Inocitole, Biotin, and Folic acid. Alfalfa also contains the following minerals: Phosphorus, Calcium, Potassium, Sodium, Chlorine, Sulfur, Magnesium, Copper, Manganese, Iron, Cobalt, Boron, and Molybdenum and trace elements such as Nickel, Lead, Strontium and Palladium. Alfalfa is also directly consumed by humans in the form of alfalfa sprouts. According to the International Sprout Growers there are approximately $250 million dollars worth of sprouts sold in North America. Alfalfa juice is used in some health food products." NAAIC
Insufficient Intake Of Vitamin K Linked To Insulin Resistance In Older Men
Vitamin K slowed the development of insulin resistance in elderly men in a study of 355 non-diabetic men and women ages 60 to 80 who completed a three-year clinical trial at the Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University (USDA HNRCA).
Men who received vitamin K supplementation had less progression in their insulin resistance by the end of the clinical trial. Among those given vitamin K, both men and women took daily multivitamins containing 500 micrograms of vitamin K, five times the Adequate Intake (AI) recommended by the Institute of Medicine's Food and Nutrition Board, with instructions to maintain normal diets without any additional supplementation.
They also received a calcium and vitamin D supplement. Men and women in the control group received no vitamin K supplementation but did receive the multivitamin and the calcium and vitamin D supplement.
For the present study, insulin resistance was assessed by the homeostasis model (HOMA-IR). Additionally, participants' blood glucose and blood insulin levels were measured following a minimum 10-hour fast. In addition to improved insulin resistance, the supplemented men had lower blood insulin levels compared to the unsupplemented men at the conclusion of the study. Insulin is a hormone which plays a role in transporting sugar into cells so it can be converted into energy. A pre-cursor to diabetes, insulin resistance occurs when the body cannot use insulin properly, causing glucose to build up in the blood. People who are obese or overweight are prone to insulin resistance because excess fat can interfere with insulin function.
In the November issue of Diabetes Care, the authors speculate that weight might explain why only the vitamin K supplemented men improved their insulin resistance. Interestingly, there was a higher prevalence of obese or overweight women in the vitamin K supplementation group compared to the male supplementation group. Since vitamin K is stored in fat tissue, if there is excess fat, the vitamin may not be readily available to cells that require it to process glucose.
Because there are few studies of vitamin K and insulin resistance, the researchers encourage further investigation of their findings. The original purpose of the study was to assess the effect of vitamin K (also known as phylloquinone) supplementation on changes in bone mineral density and vascular calcification.
Although vitamin K supplements were used for the study, the researchers report the study dosage is readily attainable by consuming good sources of vitamin K include: Alfalfa, brussels sprouts, broccoli, and dark, leafy greens, such as spinach and collards. The authors received funding from the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association, the Ministry of Education, Culture Sports and Technology in Japan and the American Diabetes Association
Adapted from materials provided by Tufts University, Health Sciences
New Study Reports the Fracture Reducing Benefits of Vitamin K
High Dose Supplements of Vitamin K Are Effective For Reducing The Risk of Fractures in Post-Menopausal Women, According to a New Review from Keio University School of Medicine in Tokyo.
Japanese scientists from Keio University School of Medicine in Tokyo, reviewed seven randomized clinical trials for Vitamin K in relation to bone health in post-menopausal women.
" Despite the lack of a significant change or the occurrence of only a modest increase in bone mineral density, high-dose Vitamin K supplementation improved indices of bone strength in the femoral neck and reduced the incidence of clinical fractures," reported the researchers in Nutrition Research.
The review of the reliable literature confirmed the effect of Vitamin K supplementation on the skeleton of postmenopausal women mediated by mechanisms other than bone mineral density and bone turnover.
There are two main forms of Vitamin K: phylloquinone (Vitamin K1) and menaquinones (Vitamins K2). K1 is found in green leafy vegetables such as lettuce, broccoli and spinach, and makes up about 90 per cent of the Vitamin K in a typical Western diet.
K2 makes up about 10 per cent of consumption and can also be obtained from the diet. Menaquinone-4 (MK-4) can be found in animal meat, while MK-7, MK-8, and MK-9 are found in fermented food products like cheese.
The randomized clinical trials identified by the researchers involved at least 50 subjects, with Vitamin K1 doses ranging from 200 micrograms to 5 milligrams per day, or Vitamin K2 doses of 45 milligrams per day.
According to the results, found that both forms of the vitamin reduced blood levels of undercarboxylated osteocalcin levels regardless of dose. Osteocalcin is a Vitamin K-dependent protein and is essential for the body to utilize calcium in bone tissue. Without adequate Vitamin K, the osteocalcin remains inactive, and thus not effective.
The most important findings in this review are that although supplementation with lower doses of Vitamin K may be sufficient to reduce serum ucOC levels, supplementation with higher doses may also be beneficial for optimal bone health.
"However, further study will be necessary to establish the efficacy of Vitamin K supplementation as a means of preventing vertebral, nonvertebral, and hip fractures." reported the researchers.
"Further research is also needed to elucidate the function of OC and the mechanism by which vVitamin K exerts a protective effect against fractures," they added.
Source: Nutrition Research Volume 29, Issue 4, Pages 221-228 "High-dose vitamin K supplementation reduces fracture incidence in postmenopausal women: a review of the literature"
New Study Strengthens Vitamin K's Important Benefits For Heart Health
Supplements of Vitamin K1 (also known as phylloquinone) naturally present in Alfalfa), may slow hardening of the arteries in people already suffering from the condition, according to a new study from the US.
Subjects receiving a daily Vitamin K1 plus multi-vitamin supplement experienced six per cent less progression of coronary artery calcification (CAC), or hardening of the arteries that leads to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease, people receiving only the multi-vitamin.
Researchers from the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University report in the new issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that such benefits were independent of changes in levels of a protein called matrix Gla protein (MGP).
MGP is a regulator of calcium crystal formation in the circulatory system. MGP is a Vitamin K-dependent protein - meaning Vitamin K is required to activate this protein.
Matrix Gla protein (MGP) in the vessel walls is currently a hot topic.
It is the most powerful inhibitor of soft tissue calcification presently known, and it definitely needs the Vitamin K to be active in that way. So, vessel walls have only MGP to defend themselves against calcification.
According to the new findings, however, supplementation with Vitamin K phylloquinone (500 micrograms per day) slowed CAC in older men and women independently of MGP.
There are two main forms of Vitamin K: phylloquinone (Vitamin K1) and menaquinones (vitamins K2). K1 is found in green leafy vegetables such as alfalfa, lettuce, broccoli and spinach, and makes up about 90 per cent of the Vitamin K in a typical Western diet; while K2 makes up about 10 per cent of Western Vitamin K consumption.
Menaquinones can also be found in the diet; MK-4 can be found in animal meat, MK-7, MK-8, and MK-9 are found in fermented food products like cheese.
The research team recruited 388 healthy with evidence of CAC. The subjects were randomly assigned to receive Vitamin K1 plus multi-vitamins or only multi-vitamins for a three year period.
Overall, no significant differences in the groups were observed. However, in people with pre-existing CAC who took at least 85 per cent of the assigned supplements experienced a reduction of CAC progression of 6 per cent, compared to the control group.
Vitamin K supplementation reduced the progression of existing CAC in asymptomatic older men and women when taken with recommended amounts of calcium and Vitamin D.
Larger studies in other populations are needed to confirm these findings, and to assess the risks and benefits of Vitamin K supplementation on clinical CVD.
The study was supported by the US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the American Heart Association.
The other researchers were affiliated with Tufts University, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Framingham Heart Study, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the University of California, San Diego.
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition June 2009, Volume 89, Pages 1799-1807, doi:10.3945/ajcn.2008.27338 "Vitamin K supplementation and progression of coronary artery calcium in older men and women"
