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Scientists have linked eating green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale and broccoli to better lung health.
There are two main types of vitamin K found in food. The main type is vitamin K1, found mainly in vegetables, which plays a major role in the body’s blood clotting process.
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Vitamin K2 is found in fermented foods, certain dairy products, eggs and meat and helps regulate calcium in the body and supports bone health.
Researchers at Edith Cowan University in Australia are investigating whether dietary intake of vitamins K1 and K2 is associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma and lung function.
Leafy green vegetables are high in vitamin K1, a nutrient that researchers have shown to improve lung health. (Stock)
“Chronic respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, are among the most common non-communicable diseases worldwide and were the third leading cause of death in 2019, accounting for 4 million deaths and affecting 454.6 million people worldwide,” said the scientists in the introduction to their study, published in The American Journal of Clinical.
“Although asthma and COPD can be controlled with available treatments, neither condition is curable, emphasizing the need for effective prevention strategies,” they added.
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The leading cause of COPD is smoking, reports the Mayo Clinic. Exposure to other irritants, such as dust, chemicals and pollution, can also cause it.
Researchers analyzed data from 179,062 participants over a period of 10 and a half years and concluded that, “A higher intake of vitamin K1 was associated with better lung function and a lower rate of COPD.”
Researchers found that people who increased their intake of vitamin K1 were less likely to develop COPD. (Stock)
Participants who consumed the most vitamin K1 had a 16% lower risk of COPD, the researchers noted. The results were more pronounced in smokers and in participants with high-risk occupations.
The use of vitamin K2 did not result in lower rates of COPD.
“No relationship was observed between vitamin K1 or vitamin K2 intake and asthma,” the researchers also wrote.
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Professor Marc Sim, who participated in the study, said that it is possible that Vitamin K activates a protein that can help keep lung tissue flexible and prevent damage.
Because the study was observational, it cannot prove that vitamin K1 directly reduces the risk of COPD, only that higher intake was associated with better lung health.
Researchers have linked higher consumption of green vegetables and better lung function. (Stock)
Just one serving of leafy greens is “an affordable way to increase your vitamin K1 intake,” said Chengfeng Li, one of the study’s researchers.
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Other foods rich in vitamin K1 include collard greens, Swiss chard, Brussels sprouts and turnip greens.
