Seniors consume more Vitamin K than do younger people but according to researchers at Tufts University, they still don’t get enough.

Low Vitamin K intake may be associated with conditions such as bone fractures, bone loss, hardening of the arteries, and osteoarthritis - all conditions of major concern in older patients. It is also thought that high levels of phylloquinone (the plant form of Vitamin K) is an indicator of lower risk of coronary heart disease.

Vitamin K is found in leafy vegetables (especially spinach and celery), cheese and liver. It is also found in asparagus, coffee, bacon and green tea. Toxicity rarely occurs with normal dietary intake of Vitamin K but can
happen if the synthetic form, K3 is taken as a supplement.

If you take an anticoagulant, consult your doctor before taking a Vitamin K supplement.

Update of Tufts Vitamin K research

Tufts Researchers are Keeping Track of Vitamin K

Studies have long suggested that drinking red wine has heart-health benefits. For those who want to reap those benefits but avoid the consumption of alcohol, a new study says drinking Concord grape juice may be equally effective.

The study, published in the January 2007 issue of Cardiovascular Research, found that Concord grape juice worked in a similar fashion to red wine to promote healthy arterial function.

Concord purple grapes stimulate the production of nitric oxide in endothelial cells and produce a vasorelaxation effect. Nitric oxide is important to the body for maintaining healthy, flexible blood vessels and supports healthy blood pressure. The beneficial effects of Concord grape juice were observed in arteries of the heart. These effects, produced by stimulating chemical reactions in the arteries, are the same as those activated by red wine. Apparently, it’s a component of the grapes and not the alcohol that produces the heart health benefits.

So, break open a bottle of Concord grape juice and drink to your health!

In a previous article we discussed the benefits of Vitamin D, the Sunshine Vitamin. The most effective way to get Vitamin D is through exposure to sunlight. We are also well aware of the dangers of over-exposure to sunlight and the increased risk of skin cancer.

But now researchers at Stanford University are saying a little Vitamin D-generating sunlight may be just the prescription for melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer.

UVB rays cause Vitamin D3 to be generated in the skin. Through contact with various enzymes in the liver and kidneys, the body turns D3 into an active compound that signals T-cells to migrate to the skin’s epidermis where they stand on guard against infection and even cancer.

Although sunlight is still considered to be the most avoidable cause of skin cancer, it appears that getting the right amount of light could actually strengthen the immune system. However, avoiding intense sun is still recommended.

“So, avoiding intense sun, protecting yourself when you’re out in intense sun — that’s still our [cancer society] recommendation, and this is not going to change that,” said Martin Weinstock, chairman of the skin advisory group of the American Cancer Society and professor of dermatology and community health at Brown University.

A Little Sun Might Shield Against Skin Cancer

Whole fruit and vegetables have been touted for their roles in cancer and coronary heart disease prevention. Now a European study says that 100% fruit and vegetable juices are just as beneficial.

Based on a review of the literature, the study determined that the beneficial effects of fruit and vegetables come not just from the fiber but also from the antioxidants which are present in juices.

The study does not recommend one juice over another but applies only to 100 percent juice. The study was published in the International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition (2006).