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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Eat your greens! They're chock full of vitamin K. Dark green vegetables, like spinach and kale, may be the secret to healthy bones in women. Deficiency of vitamin K can lead to osteoporosis.
Researchers from the University of Michigan School of Nursing in Ann Arbor report healthy bone growth depends on adequate consumption of vitamin K. Most young women don't get enough of the vitamin to build strong bones and ultimately prevent osteoporosis.
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Vitamin K is essential to make the bone protein osteocalcin fully functional. With adequate vitamin K, osteocalcin binds to calcium, strengthening bones. When estrogen levels decline during menopause, women experience an impairment in the function of vitamin K.
Researchers studied the bone density, diet, and blood tests of healthy middle-aged and young-adult women. The study reveals women are not getting enough vitamin K to maintain bone health before menopause.
They report women should try to strengthen their bones before menopause when declining production of estrogen causes bone density loss. Weight-bearing exercises can help young women protect their bones. All women should try to boost their intake of vitamin K, write the researchers.
Vitamin K is found in vegetable oils and dark green vegetables. Some vitamin K-rich vegetables include: kale, turnip greens, Brussels sprouts, collards, Swiss chard, parsley, mustard greens, spinach and broccoli. Most individuals do not consume enough of these foods to promote sufficient bone health. Some supplements have vitamin K, but few multivitamins contain enough to prevent osteoporosis.
Consult a health professional before taking vitamin K. People taking blood thinners should not use vitamin K supplements.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
SOURCE: Menopause, 2006;13:799-808
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