Date:   10/9/2004 5:21:46 PM ( 20 y ago)
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I received hepatitis C from a blood transfusion over 20 years ago.I have been taking one 500 mg.of vitamin C,one capsule of 400 IU vitamin E and one multi-vitamin and mineral capsule.My liver condition never gave me a problem.However,my last biopsy which is given every 5 years showed that the virus was no longer present.I found that many of the vegetables I have been eating consisted of foods high in vitamin K.



The Secret Life of K

Health Sciences Institute e-Alert

October 07, 2004

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Dear Reader,

Well over four million Americans have hepatitis C, the most
common chronic blood-borne infection in the U.S. In fact, former
Surgeon General C. Everett Koop calls it an even graver threat to
our public health than HIV and AIDS.

But it's not just the staggering numbers behind this disease that
make it so frightening; it can also be deadly, because hepatitis C
sharply increases the risk of developing viral cirrhosis (a
debilitating liver disease) and liver cancer.

Now a new study reveals that an increased intake of one vitamin
may significantly help prevent liver cancer in patients with
cirrhosis.

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Hidden protection
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When researchers in the Graduate School of Medicine of Japan's
Osaka City University began their study of vitamin K use among
women with cirrhosis of the liver, their goal was to evaluate
potential advantages in using vitamin K to prevent bone loss. But
the final analysis of data reaped an unexpected benefit, as reported
in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical
Association.

The Osaka team recruited a group of 40 women with viral
cirrhosis. Most of the subjects also had hepatitis C. The average
age for the group was about 60. For two years, 21 subjects took a
daily 45 mg dose of vitamin K2. The other 19 women took a
placebo. Of the women in the K2 group, only two developed liver
cancer, while nine of the women in the placebo group developed
cancer.

Larger studies will be needed to confirm any liver cancer
preventive benefits of vitamin K2, but because of the length of the
study, the researchers feel confident that K2 supplements may
reduce the risk of liver cancer by as much as 20 percent in patients
with viral cirrhosis.

The study also found that vitamin K2 supplementation helped
prevent bone loss in women with cirrhosis of the liver.

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Plenty of benefits
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"Do we really need to take a vitamin K supplement?"

Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., posed that question in his Nutrition &
Healing newsletter, and provided this answer: "If there's a family
history of osteoporosis, definitely. There's also enough preliminary
evidence to say that if there's a family history of arteriosclerosis
('hardening of the arteries'), you probably should."

When I asked HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., about vitamin K,
he told me that K intake also provides another kind of protection:
"An old study from the late '40s showed that vitamin K was
clearly helpful against tooth decay. But the biggest news more
recently has been concerning vitamin K as a strong bone-builder. It
seems to not only help with poorly healing fractures, but at the
same time helps prevent excess calcium from getting deposited in
arterial walls.

"The plant-based source of vitamin K (K1, or phylloquinone)
seems to have no toxic effects in most any reasonable dose. But the
synthetic form (K3, or menadione) has caused some liver toxicity
and, rarely, a form of anemia when taken in high doses. There's
also K2 (or menaquinones), but K1 and K2 are fine. As usual, it
seems best to avoid synthetic forms, if possible. If the individual is
on coumadin (blood thinner), he needs to talk with his doctor, as
vitamin K can interfere with its effect."

Dr. Wright agrees that vitamins K1 and K2 are "very safe," and
recommends 5 to 15 mg per day. Note that the K2 dosage in the
Osaka study was quite higher than that. Nevertheless, the
supplement was well tolerated by the Osaka subjects.

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In the garden
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As for dietary sources of vitamin K, Dr. Spreen tells me that dark,
leafy green vegetables, such as kale and carrot tops, are the best for
vitamin K1. "The highest amounts of it are in chestnut leaves and
fish meal. Spinach leaves, cabbage leaves and cauliflower are also
right up there."

In addition to those sources, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, endive, and
lettuce are also abundant in vitamin K1, as are olive oil and
avocados. Vitamin K1 is converted into K2 in the intestine, but we
get some amount of K2 in meat, liver and egg yolk, and fermented
products such as yogurt and cheese. And these sources reveal the
basic difference between K1 and K2; K1 comes from plant
sources, and K2 from animal sources.

So if you enjoy a spinach, avocado and cheese salad with an olive
oil dressing, by all means, indulge often and you'll be treating
yourself to a variety of vitamin K benefits.

**************************************************************



Sources:
"Role of Vitamin K2 in the Development of Hepatocellular
Carcinoma in Women with Viral Cirrhosis of the Liver" Journal of
the American Medical Association, Vol. 292, No. 3, 7/21/04,
jama.ama-assn.org
"Vitamin K Might Prevent Liver Cancer" Serena Gordon,
HealthDayNews, 7/20/04, healthfinder.gov
"Vitamin K Found to Protect Against Liver Cancer"
NutraIngredients.com, 7/21/04, nutraingredients.com
"Vitamin K: What's it good for?" Jonathan V. Wright, M.D.,
Nutrition & Healing, Vol. 7, No. 7, July 2000,
wrightnewsletter.com



 

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