Often, when you feel intense stress, you are advised to take deep breaths. The same goes for when you are in a natural environment, to fill your lungs with precious oxygen. But how will you take deep breaths if you do not have strong lungs? Large urban landscapes, with their polluted atmosphere, but also harmful habits, such as smoking, undermine the health of your lungs, increasing the risk of lung diseases.
A new study has come to an important conclusion: You can protect the health of your lungs by ensuring the adequacy of a specific vitamin in your body. How? Of course, through the appropriate diet.
The research published in ERJ Open Research (“The association of vitamin K status with lung function and disease in a general population“) specifically claims that those who do not receive sufficient amounts of vitamin K may be at increased risk for poor lung health. Vitamin deficiency 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 cereals, is vital for blood clotting, contributing to wound healing. Its role in lung health, however, remained unclear until recently.
The study, led by Danish scientists from Copenhagen University Hospital and the University of Copenhagen, included more than 4,000 participants, aged 24 to 77. All participants underwent spirometry, a test that assesses lung function, provided blood samples and completed questionnaires, providing information about their health and lifestyle.
From the blood samples, the researchers used a specific marker (dp-ucMGP) to identify vitamin K levels in the body. They also collected two measurements from the spirometry:
- The volume of air that can be exhaled in one second (FEV1) and
- The maximum volume that can be inhaled during one breath (FVC).
The study results revealed an association between markers of vitamin K deficiency and reduced FEV1 and FVC values. It was also found that participants with reduced vitamin K levels were also more likely to report chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, or wheezing.
This study suggests that people with low vitamin K levels may have poorer lung function. Further research will help us understand more about this link and see if increasing vitamin K can improve lung function.
