Can Vitamin K Help You Fight Aging? Here Are the Facts.

Declining health is the number-one concern in regard to getting older, financial worries are the second, and dependence on others is the third, according to a poll that questioned people about their greatest fear about growing old. People also mentioned losing mental capacity and declining physical ability. It’s no wonder people worry about getting old and constantly look for ways to slow down the process.

The use of quality cosmetics is important but only a healthy lifestyle and a wholesome diet rich in natural vitamins and minerals can help you feel youthful and vibrant.

The Aging Process

Eternal life and youth are something people have been trying to achieve throughout all of human history. However, it isn’t possible yet but, really think about it, would you actually want to live forever? The aging process is a natural part of life, and change is good. What you can do, though, is slow down the process so you age in great shape. 

Scientists hypothesize that one of the primary causes of aging is oxidative stress. This causes free radicals to form and damage your DNA, fats, and proteins. You might’ve heard of the term “free radicals,” atoms or molecules with an odd number of electrons that form when oxygen interacts with certain molecules. They’re necessary for life and your body uses them to kill invading bacteria. However, they’re extremely reactive, and excessive amounts can lead to cell injury and contribute to many diseases that’ll greatly damage your body. The fact that they’re extremely reactive also means they can quickly repair the damage they cause as long as you’re in good health. 

Unhealthy habits such as excessive sugar consumption, eating processed food with abundant chemical additives, alcohol, smoking, or prolonged and excessive physical exercise can really take a toll on your body. So, can this oxidative stress be counteracted with vitamin K? 

Continue reading as we’re about to dig deep into understanding what vitamin K does and how its addition to creams can help you fight the degenerative aging effects that can lead to painful diseases such as cancer and arteriosclerosis.

Can Vitamin K Cream Help You Fight Aging? Here Are the Facts

Vitamin K has been found to have positive effects on helping heal skin wounds in animals and people. One study conducted with sixty-three patients, in particular, was important to obtain this information. The people were separated into 3 groups, the first group received vitamin K cream, the second, phenytoin cream, and the third group received Eucerin. 

A dermatologist evaluated the groups after 2 weeks of use and found that the effects produced by the vitamin K cream healed significantly when compared to the other creams. Aging skin is basically damaged, so vitamin K cream has the potential to heal it. 

As you can imagine, this vitamin is kind of a rock star when it comes to healing wounds. Could it be the secret to eternal youth? The vitamin is intriguing, indeed. A study did confirm that the proper intake of vitamin K could help you live longer. 

Vitamin K is fat-soluble and present in leafy greens such as kale, spinach, collards, and chard. It’s also present in soybean and canola oil, fermented soybeans, and also in meat, cheese, and eggs though in lower amounts. Dietary fat seems to enhance the absorption of vitamin K. Thus, a green leaf salad with some olive oil can provide vitamin K and help the body absorb it.

There are two main types of vitamin K: K1, and K2. The first is mainly present in dark green vegetables and the second in animal products. K2 is also produced by the good bacteria in your gut. You must focus on getting enough vitamins, regardless of the type though. In fact, some mistakenly believe that vitamin K2 is better, but vitamin K1 is safe and readily available in foods and converts to the right forms of vitamin K2 where you need it.

Your body needs vitamin K to produce the protein prothrombin. Its clotting factor is important for healing and bone metabolism. This is why people on blood-thinning medications should consult their doctor before adding vitamin K supplements to their diet. In turn, deficiency is rare but can increase clotting time and lead to excessive bleeding.

As you can see, this vitamin is key for healing and for blood calcium regulation, and also for bone health. In fact, some lab and animal studies revealed it can reduce the production of cytokines – proinflammatory proteins. Both studies showed it promotes wound healing, most likely due to its antioxidant and blood-clotting properties.

The Benefits of Vitamin K in Skincare Applications

The collagen-promoting wound-healing capabilities of vitamin K can help attain a smooth youthful look and its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties are present when applied topically. It can counteract the inflammation and free radicals that are responsible for aging. In fact, other studies revealed it can protect skin against environmental aggressors.

In addition, vitamin K can improve the elasticity of blood vessels and overall vascular health so it can improve the appearance of conditions with a vascular component such as bruising, varicose veins, stretch marks, bruising, undereye puffiness, and dark circles, among others.

Another benefit of its anti-inflammatory properties is it could improve inflammatory conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. However, there isn’t enough scientific evidence of this, and we need more studies even though the first results are promising. 

Vitamin K Supplements We Love

Natural Sources of Vitamin K vs. Supplements

There’s a consensus in regard to that the best way to get your vitamins is to eat foods that contain them as opposed to taking synthetic vitamins. This is because your body is perfectly equipped with the necessary tools to process and use all nutrients in your food. However, you can take supplements if you don’t have access to certain foods.

For example, if you’re vegan or vegetarian, you’ll probably need to take vitamin B12 unless you’re willing to do the work to find foods to supplement that deficiency. Furthermore, there are many supplements that are actually made from real whole foods, so there are no real disadvantages here.

As you can see, vitamin K is important for your body as it helps with blood clotting. You also need it to produce the proteins that aid your bones, cartilage, and blood vessels. Calcification is the buildup of minerals in your arteries and other organs, and it’s been found that vitamin K has a critical role in preventing that. 

Overall Health Benefits of Vitamin K

This vitamin is good for your body in many ways. For one, there seems to be a correlation between low intake of vitamin K and osteoporosis. In fact, various studies suggest it improves bone density and decreases the risk of fractures. Research hasn’t confirmed it though.

Also, the increased blood levels resulting from taking vitamin K also seem to improve memory in older adults. A study of healthy individuals over 70 with high blood levels of vitamin K1 had the highest performance when it came to verbal episodic memory.

Not only that, vitamin K can prevent mineralization in the arteries and may also help decrease blood pressure by enabling the heart to pump blood freely and help it circulate through the body. Mineralization is common in older age and increases the risk for heart disease. Adequate intake of this vitamin also decreases the risk of stroke.

Vitamin K is present in the bones, brain, liver, heart, and pancreas, and the body breaks it down quickly and excretes it in the form of pee or poo. This is why it rarely reaches toxic levels like other fat-soluble vitamins, even after a high intake of it.

Why You Need More Vitamin K and How to Get Enough

For one, adults get less vitamin K than they should but, fortunately, increasing your intake is easy. Firstly, the recommended intake is 120 micrograms for men and 90 for women. A cup of leafy greens a day can provide it to you. Note that you must add some kind of fat to it to enhance the absorption of the vitamin. Easy ways to do it are sauteing or simply drizzling some oil before you serve it.

Other Anti-Aging Vitamins and Supplements

As you know, aging is inevitable, and yet, people try to retain their youthfulness as much as they can. Well, it isn’t that they want to remain young looking, mainly, they don’t want to deal with the health conditions that come with it.

Scientists have identified some substances that can slow certain aging processes and prevent age-related health conditions. Pretty much every vitamin helps your body fight the process of aging, especially those that contain antioxidants. However, the most efficient way to take these vitamins is through a healthy diet, and creams and supplements are just extra tools at your disposal. 

So, let’s take a close look at the vitamins with the most anti-aging properties, the foods where you can find them, and how these can either benefit or hinder you during your quest to remain healthy. 

Beta Carotene

This pigment is a powerful antioxidant and a precursor of vitamin A that can deter oxidative stress as your body converts it into retinol. It can help you strengthen your immune system, prevent inflammation, and reverse any cell damage caused by illness or disease. 

Some easy-to-find food sources of beta-carotene are usually orange foods like sweet potatoes, carrots, apricots, peaches, and some green ones like watercress, kale, and spinach. Red or yellow bell pepper is also a good source of this vitamin.

Beta carotene plays an essential role in maintaining your vision, promotes cell growth and regeneration, and strengthens your immune system.

Vitamin C

This is an excellent antioxidant that not only protects you against free radicals but also helps you absorb non-heme iron, usually present in plant-based foods like nuts, whole grains, seeds, legumes, and leafy greens. This kind of iron is also in the flesh of some plant-eaters and helps regenerate vitamin E. 

Some of the foods rich in vitamin C are citruses like lemons, oranges, grapefruit, cranberries, as well peppers, melons, strawberries, red fruits, green leaves, broccoli, and kiwi.

Vitamin E

This is another fat-soluble vitamin with antioxidant properties. It protects your skin from UVA rays and deters external and endogenous free radicals. Some of the best food sources of vitamin E are spinach, sunflower seeds, broccoli, peppers, aloe vera, melons, strawberries, red fruits, leafy greens, broccoli, and kiwi.

Curcumin

This substance is the main active compound in turmeric and has potent cellular protective properties thanks to its antioxidant effects.

There’s a process called cellular senescence, it takes place when the cells no longer divide. Well, these cells accumulate as you age and accelerate the process of aging and it’s easier to become ill. Some research revealed that curcumin activates some proteins that help delay the cellular senescence process and promote longevity.

Other studies in animals also show that curcumin can reverse cellular damage, increasing life span. This compound can also postpone age-related disease and its symptoms. Turmeric intake is also associated with a reduced risk of age-related cognitive decline.

So, increase your curcumin intake by using fresh or dried turmeric in the kitchen or taking turmeric or curcumin supplements. Note that you must take it with black pepper for it to work, it activates the ingredient in curcumin.

Collagen 

This protein helps maintain your skin structure and the production declines as you age and accelerates it. The good news is research demonstrated that supplementing with collagen can reduce some signs of aging.

The studies also show that collagen supplements can reduce wrinkles by improving skin elasticity and also increase skin hydration and promote nail growth. These results are promising indeed, but some of the funding for these studies came from companies that manufacture collagen products. It wouldn’t influence the results, right?

Crocin 

This is the yellow carotenoid pigment in saffron, the popular though expensive spice used in Paella. Human and animal studies revealed that this spice has anti-inflammatory, anti-depressive, and anti-diabetic properties, among others. Researchers think it can also limit age-related cognitive decline.

In fact, other studies conducted on animals revealed that crocin can help prevent age-related nerve damage. It does so by inhibiting the production of advanced glycation end products and reactive oxygen species. These two compounds contribute to the process of aging.

According to the studies, crocin can also help prevent aging in human skin cells and protect you against cellular damage induced by UV light, thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties. As we mentioned above, saffron is a pretty pricey spice so you may want to find a less expensive concentrated crocin supplement.

L-Theanine

This amino acid is often present in concentrated teas brewed from the leaves of Camellia sinensis. Research shows that these supplements help improve brain function in middle-aged adults. It also protects against age-related liver conditions, inflammation, and oxidative stress.

Vitamin K Supplements We Love

Rhodiola

This is a medicinal plant with potent anti-inflammatory properties and animal studies suggest it may help promote longevity. We need more research though.

Astragalus

This is a stress-reducing herb common in traditional Chinese medicine that can reduce oxidative stress and strengthen the immune system. It can also prevent cellular damage and activate telomerase, the enzyme that maintains the length of telomeres.

Fisetin

This is a flavonoid compound that can kill senescent cells, so one could say it has senotherapeutic qualities. Studies conducted in rodents suggest it could reduce the senescent cells in tissues and extend life span. It may also prevent brain aging.

Resveratrol

This antioxidant polyphenol is present in grapes, peanuts, berries, and red wine and can activate certain enzymes called sirtuins. Thus, it may promote longevity. Some studies conducted on animals reveal that this compound could increase life span. Of course, we need human research to know for sure.

Sulforaphane

This sulfur compound is usually quite concentrated in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and kale and has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Some recent studies found it increases the lifespan of roundworms and prevented age-associated heart problems in mice. As with the above, we need more research conducted on humans to see if we get the same results.

In Conclusion

Vitamin K has many properties and health benefits but many of the claims require further research, especially about the creams that contain it. So, try it and see if you like it. You can use it once or twice a day. The vitamin is often part of eye cream formulations so, for best results, opt for those formulas that contain other brightening ingredients like caffeine, arnica, and retinol, as these can improve the penetration of the vitamin K.

As you can see, you can’t stop yourself from aging. However, you can certainly make some changes in your diet and overall lifestyle and slow down the pesky side effects of your aging processes. These changes will also help you reduce your risk of age-related disease. Let’s hear it for the healthy wrinkles