Vitamin K Food Supplement
New research might indicate a connection between Vitamin K supplementation and the decrease in hip fractures among older female adults.
The Seriousness of a Broken Hip
A broken hip is never good for anyone, but for many older adults a broken hip is as good as a death warrant. More Americans die from complications due to broken hips than die from strokes each year. 29% of older Americans who break their hip die because of the injury. What is even more shocking is unlike other deadly diseases, hip fractures among older Americans are increasing. Some research shows that hip fractures have increase among older Americans a total of 24% since 1980.
The large bulk of older Americans who break their hips are women. Approximately 300,000 Americans, over the age of 64, break their hip each year, and of that number nearly three quarter of them are women. A senior with a broken hip is two to five times more likely to die due to complications compared to a senior without a break.
Why such a high mortality rate among seniors with a hip fracture? Mobility is the key. The body simply isn’t able to regenerate at the same level as before when the body ages. This means that a broken bone will keep a senior immobile longer compared to their younger counterparts. While a senior is bed ridden many complications will arise.
Treatment of Hip Fractures
In the past the way doctors treated patients with broken hips was by putting them into traction. While this was a successful treatment of a broken hip, it was unsuccessful in preventing other ailments which would later prove to be fatal. Blood clots, pneumonia, bed sores, and depression are all side effects of extended bed rest. These are all elements which significantly increases a person’s chances of dying due to complications which come from hip fractures.
There have been changes in the way people are treated with hip injuries. Surgery is now the option of choice to repair damage to the bone. Normally doctors prefer to have the surgery within the first 48 hours after the fracture occurs to minimize the amount of time a person is off their feet. Nurses are also trained to help combat the side effects of hip injuries—especially depression. A good nurse will help an senior to keep their will to live, and that will help them to recover from their hip injury.
Studies Show Vitamin K Might Help Prevent Hip Fractures
While treatments have improved they still are no substitute for prevention. Protecting one’s self from a broken hip is a great way to prolong one’s life. In studies Vitamin K has proven to help strength and prevent hip fractures. Leafy green lettuce is very high in Vitamin K. In a study comparing women who ate lettuce once or more a day versus women who ate lettuce one or fewer times a week—researchers found that women consuming more lettuce, and thus more Vitamin K, showed a much lower risk of hip fractures when compared to the women eating less lettuce and less Vitamin K. Even if a person’s has high levels of Vitamin D, a vitamin also linked to bone health, a deficiency of Vitamin K can still lead to an increased risk of hip fractures.
How to Get Enough Vitamin K
While it is very rare to have a Vitamin K deficiency in a healthy adult, there are some groups of people who need to be concerned about the amounts of Vitamin K they get in their diet. One of these groups is seniors. For bone health it is recommended that Senior monitor the amounts of Vitamin K they have very carefully. It has been shown in some studies that Vitamin K will help a person to better absorb Vitamin D into their bones. It is hard for seniors to get the right amount of Vitamin K in their system because of the effects Vitamin K has with other medications. Vitamin K affects the blood, and so if a person is taking blood thinners it is important for them to know the amount of Vitamin K in their system.
A good way to get the vitamins a person needs is through meal replacement products. A good meal replacement product can provide a person with the Vitamin K they need to have the health in the bones which they require. When looking for a meal replacement product it is important to look to make sure it has all of the essential vitamins and minerals which the body requires.
Meal replacements with Vitamin K can help a person to get the levels of Vitamin K they need. Yet, it is still important for them to monitor their total Vitamin K intake, and also follow the advice of their health care professional in order to get all the benefits of Vitamin K.
