To
maintain a balanced diet for health throughout our lives, we must consume foods
containing a variety of essential nutrients: proteins, carbohydrates, fats,
vitamins, minerals, water, and fiber. These nutrients are necessary for bodily
functions, growth, and overall health. Our nutritional needs for these
essential elements change with age. What we need in childhood differs from what
we need in adolescence, and what we need in childhood and adolescence may
differ from what we need in old age. At each stage of our lives, we require
specific essential nutrients appropriate to that stage in terms of growth and
health. In old age, for example, the risk of developing conditions such as
dementia and cognitive impairment increases, both of which are linked to two
important nutrients: vitamins D and K.
Vitamins
D and K are used to reduce the risk of neurodegenerative disorders, which can
cause gradual damage to the cells and connections of the nervous system
necessary for movement, coordination, strength, sensation, and cognition. This
is most evident in the decline and deterioration of learning and memory.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common neurodegenerative disorder and a leading
cause of death in developed countries.
Higher
doses of vitamin K have been found to reduce the likelihood of developing
dementia or mild cognitive impairment by 17% to 20%. It also reduces the risk
of BRAC (Braccal) age-related cognitive decline by 14% to 16%. The Braak stage
is a method used to assess the progression of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
diseases based on the type and severity of symptoms. This method is used in
both research and clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases
and is obtained through brain autopsy. It has also been found that higher
concentrations of vitamin D in the brain are strongly associated with a 25% to
33% increased risk of developing dementia or mild cognitive impairment.
Eating
dark leafy green vegetables helps meet the body's vitamin K requirements. A
single serving of dark leafy greens, such as spinach, kale, or lettuce, is rich
in nutrients such as vitamin K, lutein (a yellow carotenoid pigment, a powerful
antioxidant, found naturally in leafy greens such as spinach and kale and egg
yolks), nitrates, folate (also known as vitamin B9, which is essential for cell
growth, DNA formation, and the production of healthy red blood cells), vitamin
E (a powerful fat-soluble antioxidant that protects the body's cells from
damage caused by free radicals, supports healthy skin, hair, and immunity, and
is found in vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds), and kaempferol (a natural
flavonoid, an antioxidant, found abundantly in many fruits and vegetables such
as apples, onions, grapes, and strawberries), which may help slow the decline
in cognitive function with age (a survey of 960 participants in the Memory and
Aging Project, aged 58 to 99). On the other hand, vitamin D is found in fatty
fish, dairy products, and plant-based milk.
Nutritionists
recommend that adults consume one serving of dark leafy green vegetables daily
to meet their body's requirement of vitamin K, among other nutrients.
Knowing
the appropriate amount of supplements to obtain certain nutrients can be
challenging. In the case of vitamin D, there are concerns that consuming large
amounts of vitamin D supplements may harm bone health.
Scientific
studies have indicated that vitamins K and D affect different parts of the
body. Low vitamin D levels may be an early sign of diabetes. Therefore, doctors
recommend vitamin D supplementation in such cases. This may help slow the
progression to full-blown diabetes. Vitamin K deficiency can primarily indicate
blood clotting disorders, leading to easy bruising and excessive bleeding (such
as nosebleeds, bleeding gums, or bloody urine and stool). It can also affect
bone health and increase the risk of fractures and may manifest as cognitive
impairment, which is more common and serious in infants. Therefore, doctors
recommend vitamin K supplementation in such cases.
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