Most often, when we think about vitamins, we think about ascorbic acid – vitamin C, vitamin D, which is produced under the influence of the sun, and vitamin A, useful for vision. But in general, scientists today know about 13 vitamins, each of which is necessary for the functioning of our body. Let’s remember the unknown heroes, without whom we cannot do.
Vitamin K
This is a group of two fat-soluble vitamins, K1 (phylloquinone) and K2 (menaquinone), which accumulate mainly in liver tissues.
We can name two key roles that they play in our body at once. The first is participation in the processes of calcium absorption. Firstly, vitamins K help it accumulate where it is needed – in bone tissue and teeth, and secondly, they prevent calcium deposits on the walls of blood vessels, which leads to their hardening and fragility.
— Ekaterina Gergesova, doctor of the highest qualification category, PhD, medical consultant of the Lab4U online laboratory.
“The second important function of group K is the normalization of blood clotting, thereby vitamins K1 and K2 prevent profuse bleeding and blood loss.”
For an adult man, the daily norm of vitamins K is 120 mg, for a woman – 90 mg. Adolescents aged 14-18 need 75 mg, 9-13 years – 60. For children aged 4-8 years, 55 mg is needed, and at the age of 1-3 years – 30 mg. For infants, the norm is much lower – 2 mg from birth to 6 months, 2.5 mg – from 6 to 12 months.
Products with vitamins K: cabbage (530 mcg per 100 grams), turnip greens (426 mcg), spinach (145 mcg), broccoli (110 mcg), as well as lettuce leaves, green onions, parsley, asparagus, Brussels sprouts and radish.
Vitamin E
Another fat–soluble vitamin, tocopherol, or vitamin E, is a powerful antioxidant that is responsible for fighting the aging process. It does this at the cellular level, protecting cell membranes from damage due to oxidation. Vitamin E is also an antihypoxant, i.e. it prevents a lack of oxygen in cells and helps regulate its consumption.
The third important function of tocopherol is to lower the level of harmful cholesterol in the blood. It reduces the risk of developing cancerous tumors, strengthens the immune system. Vitamin E is necessary for the synthesis of collagen, a protein that is responsible for the elasticity of the skin, the functioning of subcutaneous tissue. So vitamin E can be called the “vitamin of youth”.
The norm of vitamin E for adults per day is 10 mg. They can be obtained from sunflower seeds (31 mg per 100 grams), almonds – 25 mg, hazelnuts – 21 mg, peanuts – exactly 10 mg, You can also eat dried apricots, dried peaches, sea buckthorn and eels.