Vitamin K affects everything from blood clotting to calcium absorption. Some scientists think it even fights cancer. Vitamin K has several types: vitamin K1, found in plants, vitamin K2, created by bacteria in your intestines, and vitamins K3, K4, and K5, which are synthetic.

Why do we need it?

Without vitamin K, the blood loss from a paper cut could be on par with a knife wound. Vitamin K also plays a part in bone mineralization and stopping osteoporosis – basically, calcium is only part of the picture for strong bones. A Belgian study, first published in the European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, even showed vitamin K to help destroy cancer cells. [Read more...]