Often, when you feel intense anxiety, you are suggested to take deep breaths. The same when you are in a natural environment, to fill your lungs with precious oxygen. But how will you take deep breaths if you don’t have strong lungs? Large urban landscapes, with their polluted atmosphere, as well as harmful habits, such as smoking, undermine the health of your lungs, increasing the risk of lung diseases.
A new study has made an important finding: You can protect your lung health by ensuring your body has enough of a certain vitamin. How; But of course through proper nutrition.
Research published in ERJ Open Research with title (“The association of vitamin K status with lung function and disease in a general population“) specifically suggests that those who don’t get adequate amounts of vitamin K may be at increased risk for poor lung health. Deficiency of the vitamin has been associated, in particular, with conditions such as asthma, wheezing and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Until now, it was known that vitamin K, an essential nutrient found mainly in green leafy vegetables, vegetable oils and grains, is vital for blood clotting, helping to heal wounds. Its role in lung health, however, remained unclear until recently.
The research, led by Danish scientists from Copenhagen University Hospital and the University of Copenhagen, involved more than 4,000 participants aged 24 – 77. All participants underwent spirometry, a test that assesses lung function, provided blood samples and filled out questionnaires, giving information about their health and lifestyle.
From the blood samples, the researchers used a specific marker (dp-ucMGP) in order to identify the levels of vitamin K in the body. At the same time, they collected two measurements from the spirometry:
The volume of air one can exhale in one second (FEV1) and
The maximum volume inspired during one breath (FVC).
The results of the study revealed a correlation between indicators of vitamin K deficiency and reduced FEV1 and FVC values. It was also found that participants with reduced levels of vitamin K were also more likely to report incidents of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asthma or wheezing.
The research findings do not change current recommendations for vitamin K intake, but indicate that more research is needed to determine whether people with lung disease could benefit from vitamin K supplementation.
This study shows that people with low levels of vitamin K may have worse lung function. Further research will help scientists understand more about this link and see if increasing vitamin K can improve lung function.
