Vitamin K deficiency can lead to THESE lung diseases; here are foods to increase your levels

Vitamin K is a group of vitamins that the body needs for blood clotting to heal wounds. There's also some evidence that vitamin K may help keep bones healthy. According to a new study by Danish researchers at Copenhagen University Hospital and the University of Copenhagen, there is also a link between vitamin K deficiency and poor lung health.

For this study, around 4,000 participants, aged 24 to 77, took a lung function test and gave blood samples. The lung function test – spirometry test – helps diagnose and monitor certain lung conditions by measuring how much air you can breathe out in one forced breath.

The participants also answered questions about their health and lifestyle choices. The research findings are published in the journal ERJ Open Research.

The data revealed that a low blood marker of vitamin K had lower lung capacity on the spirometry test. Participants with lower levels of vitamin K were also more likely to say they had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma or wheezing.

Dr Torkil Jespersen said, "To our knowledge, this is the first study on vitamin K and lung function in a large general population. Our results suggest that vitamin K could play a part in keeping our lungs healthy."

More research is needed to see if those with lung conditions would benefit from taking vitamin K supplements.

Some healthy, natural rich sources of vitamin K to add to your diet include spinach, kale, mustard greens, collard greens, raw swiss chard, raw dandelion greens, turnip greens, broccoli, cabbage, raw arugula, and Brussel sprouts.

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Following are some signs of vitamin K deficiency that should not be ignored. Vitamin K deficiency can lead to excessive bleeding that even may happen in areas other than at a cut or wound site. The bleeding may also be apparent if someone bruises easily, gets small blood clots underneath their nails, bleeds in mucous membranes that line areas inside the body, produces stool that looks dark black and contains some blood. Consult your doctor for a proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment if you experience any of the above mentioned symptoms.