Tag: vitamins

Vitamin K, the unheard of vitamin.

Today’s post is about Vitamin K, the one vitamin you’ve probably never heard of.

It is a vitamin most people have never heard of, unless perhaps your doctor has mentioned it after putting you on a course of blood thinners.

What is it?

Vitamin K is basically just another fat-soluble vitamin and is actually a group of compounds.  The group consists of K1, K2 and K3, all do slightly different things and come from different foods. The human body only requires K1 and K2. The name vitamin K comes from the German word “Koagulationsvitamin.” Unlike many other vitamins, it is not typically used as a dietary supplement.

What does it do?

It is one of several fat-soluble vitamins essential to the body, but this one has some specific uses in the body. It is used for blood clotting, bone building, and other important processes

Possibly its most important job is clotting the blood, which is why you may have heard of it if prescribed blood thinners like warfarin. However, it does more than that. In fact, it is an important cofactor in bone mineralisation and calcium metabolism. So, if you want to keep those bones strong, then keep eating foods high in vitamin K.

Because it has an influence on calcium metabolism, it means that calcium supplementation can cause an increased need for this vitamin . Some people that also may need additional vitamin K, are people with some kinds of digestive problems. This is due to the gut not fully absorbing the nutrients from the foods eaten, but also because K2 is made in the gut, by bacteria which are affected by gut health.

How do we get it?

Generally, vitamin K is not given as a supplement as we normally get plenty from our diet. K1 is obtained from leafy greens and some other vegetables such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts. K2 is a group of compounds largely obtained from meats, cheeses, and eggs, and is  synthesised by our gut bacteria. K3 is not found in significant amounts in any natural food sources.

Having said that, supplemental forms can be used for some very interesting reasons like acute leukaemia, Alzheimer’s disease and certain types of kidney stones.

Since there is rarely an excess or deficiency that will cause major health problems, vitamin K is one vitamin we don’t hear much about, but it is important all the same.

There are many drugs can interfere with the effects of vitamin K. They include antacids, blood thinners, antibiotics, aspirin, and drugs for cancer, seizures, high cholesterol, and other conditions. Too much vitamin K can actually be harmful if you are receiving dialysis treatments due to kidney disease.

So as always, check with your chosen health care professional before taking vitamin K supplements.

 We hope you found this information interesting,

 Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper

Sources – Web MD – National Institute of Health -it

Maca Root Powder, is it a super food?

Todays post is about a powder made from Maca root. This powder is something that we use quite regularly in our smoothies. I thought I would share a bit of information about it.

What is Maca Root?

Maca, known scientifically as Lepidium meyenii, has many names including Peruvian ginseng and maca-maca.

An edible herbaceous biennial plant that is native to South America in the high Andes Mountains of Peru. It is grown for its fleshy, bulbous root.

Related to radishes and turnips, its growth habit, size, and proportions are roughly similar. However it most closely resembles a parsnip. And it has a nutty, earthy slightly butterscotch-y taste.

The root is typically dried. Once dried, it may be further processed and is commonly available in powder form or as a supplement.

What makes it ‘super’?

In Peru, maca has been used for centuries as a food supplement to improve health and for its medicinal properties to enhance energy and fertility. In fact, the indigenous people of Peru have traditionally used it to improve children’s performance in school.

The root is an excellent source of essential amino acids, and calcium.  It has very high levels of vitamin K, which helps the blood form clots.

As well as high levels of iron and iodine, which promote healthy cells, and to help keep the metabolism on track. Its big doses of potassium help digestion and make muscles happy.

Lepidium meyenii also contains various unique plant compounds called macaridine, macaenes, macamides and maca alkaloids. These qualities contribute to it being known as an adaptogenic plant. This means it gives the body the ability to adapt to or resist what’s going on in and around it.

What are the health benefits?

Some studies of menopausal women found that maca, in conjunction with other supplements, helped alleviate menopausal symptoms. It does this by stimulating the endocrine system helping to maintain hormonal balance.

The body uses the plant compounds to improve adrenal function, ovarian and testicular function as well as the functioning of the thyroid, the pancreas and the pineal glands.

Additional studies suggest that it can enhance mood and also help protect bone health. Women have a higher risk of osteoporosis after menopause.

With so many benefits, no wonder it is sometimes called a ‘superfood’.

How to take it –

Easy to incorporate into the diet, Maca can be taken as a tablet supplement or the powder can be added to smoothies, oatmeal and many other recipes.

The optimal dose for medicinal use has not been established. However, the dosage of powder used in studies generally ranges from 1.5–5 grams per day.

It is generally considered safe as a food or as a supplement if you don’t take more than 3 grams (less than a teaspoon) a day for a period of up to 4 months.

However, if you’re on blood thinners, maca may not be right for you, as it may counteract your medication. The same goes for men with elevated blood PSA (prostate specific antigens). The plant’s extracts act like oestrogen for many people, so those who have hormone-sensitive conditions like breast, uterine, and ovarian cancers or endometriosis should avoid it.

We hope you found this information interesting.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper

(Sources – National Library of Medicine, National Centre for Biotechnology Information – WebMD – Medical News Today – Healthline )

A condition called Pyrrole Disorder

Hello all Scott here again.

Following on from my last post I thought I would talk about something called “Pyrrole disorder” or Pyroluria.

So what is pyrrole disorder?

Pyroluria, or pyrrole disorder, is a condition caused by stress. It develops when there are too many pyrrole molecules in your body.

Hydroxyhemopyrrolin-2-one (HPL) is a molecule naturally excreted via urine. Some people may excrete more HPL (pyrroles) than others. Previously called elevated HPL, this condition is now known as pyrrole disorder.

Pyrrole molecules don’t serve any important function in the body. However, an excessive amount can deplete the body of certain vitamins and minerals before they are able to be absorbed.

This means that these nutrients, mostly zinc and B6, become depleted in the body. This in turn leads to an excess of copper because copper and zinc are linked and the levels of one affect the other.

The result of this is noticeable shifts in mood.

Pyrrole disorder has been known to have symptoms including anxiety, depression and even schizophrenia.

How is it diagnosed?

The condition has many and varied signs and symptoms, making it impossible to diagnose from history and observation alone. It is often mistaken for bipolar disorder. This is due to the variations of mood changes, which can range from mania to depression over a period of weeks.

There is also pathology testing which includes a urine assessment called a kryptopyrrole test. This test identifies how many HPL molecules you have in your body. An excessive amount may indicate pyrrole disorder.

What are some common symptoms?

This disorder is thought to affect around 10% of the population with the most likely cause being genetics.

Common symptoms include –

  • sensitivity to light or sound
  • irritable bowel syndrome
  • mood swings / a propensity to anger easily for insufficient reason
  • memory loss / poor short-term memory
  • feelings of anxiety / depression
  • Insomnia / fatigue

The severity of symptoms can be affected by stressful or traumatic situations and/or poor diet as well as allergies.

How is it treated?

Research on this subject is still ongoing and new things are being discovered about it all the time.

At this stage there appears to be no cure as such for Pyrrole disorder. However, given the role of HPL molecules in removing vitamin B6 and zinc from the body, it has been found that supplementing these micronutrients can help treat pyrrole disorder.

Most therapies focus on a holistic approach that addresses nutrition, stress, and lifestyle.

I hope you found this information interesting.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper

 (Sources – Nutrient Power  by Dr William J. Walsh,  The Science of Psychotherapy )