In today’s busy world it’s not uncommon for us to experience fatigue, low energy, and headaches on a regular basis. But, these symptoms may be more than just the result of a busy schedule. Deficiencies of important vitamins, like magnesium and vitamin k, can cause our bodies to protest and leave us feeling bad when we desire to feel good. Knowing where to get these important vitamins and how to recognize deficiencies within our body can keep us from unnecessary suffering.
The Vitamin Deficiency Problem in the U.S.
The EWG states that 61% of American adults aged 19 and older have a below average intake of magnesium, with 14-18-year-old girls at a whopping 90%[1].
Getting the right amount of vitamins is crucial in maintaining a healthy body. While most of us are familiar with a number of vitamins like B12, there are many others that can cause serious medical issues when the body is lacking them. If you’re tired of experiencing daily headaches and insomnia then you may want to try incorporating these vitamins into your life.
The Importance of Vitamin K
Vitamin K is a substance that our body needs in order to form clots and stop bleeding. Our intestines make vitamin k, and we also get it from the foods we eat, particularly in vegetables.
Bleeding and hemorrhage are the classic signs of a vitamin k deficiency. Vitamin k deficiency can also reduce bone mineralization and contribute to osteoporosis[2].
Anyone is able to have a deficiency in vitamin k, but it is most common in newborn babies. If you are experiencing the following symptoms you might have a vitamin k deficiency:
Heavy bleeding
Easily bruised
Small blood clots underneath the nails
Dark stool that contains blood
Heavy menstrual cycle
Vitamin K Deficiency in Babies
Though anyone is able to have a vitamin k deficiency, it is most prevalent in babies because they do not yet have vitamin k stored in their intestines, and very little of the vitamin is passed from mother to baby via the placenta[2]. In these instances, a baby will be unable to stop bleeding because they aren’t able to form a clot.
There are 3 types of vitamin k deficiencies in infants: early, classical, and late. Early and classical deficiencies are the most common, occurring in 1 and 60 to 1 in 250 newborns[2]. Newborns are at risk of a vitamin k deficiency until they begin eating regular food at about 4-6 months, and until their intestines begin to produce the vitamin. In the United States, there is a vitamin k shot that newborns can receive in order to get them the vitamins that they need to avoid a deficiency.
Foods Rich in Vitamin K
Vitamin k can be acquired through the food that we eat, particularly dark green leafy vegetables, vegetable oil, and some fruits. Meats, dairy, and eggs contain low amounts of vitamin k, so if you feel like you’re lacking in your vitamins, try some of these vitamin-rich veggies[3]:
Natto
Spinach
Broccoli
Collards
Turnip
Kale
Food is not the only way to receive vitamin k, it is also available as a supplement. Vitamin k is present in most multivitamin and multimineral supplements, in and it’s also found as it’s own concentrated supplement. Check out Zhou Nutrition’s vitamin K2 supplement with vitamin D3 for added benefits.
According to the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) at the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, adequate intake of vitamin k for adults over the age of 19 is 120 micrograms for males and 90 micrograms for females[3].
If you’re experiencing headaches and fatigue, you may also be experiencing a deficiency in magnesium, a phenomenon which 48% of Americans experienced between the years of 2005-2006[5].
The Importance of Magnesium
Magnesium is a mineral within the body that is essential for energy production. It contributes to the structural development of bone. It also plays a role in the transport of calcium and potassium ions across cell membranes, a process that is important to nerve impulse conduction, muscle contraction, and normal heart rhythm[4].
Deficiencies in magnesium have been linked to type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and migraine headaches[5]. Common symptoms in the early stages of deficiency include:
Loss of appetite
Vomiting
Nausea
Fatigue
Weakness
Foods That Contain Magnesium
Magnesium is abundant in many foods, so if you’re feeling as though your lacking in this mineral, consider adding these foods to your diet[4]:
Almonds
Spinach
Cashews
Peanuts
Black Beans
The 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that men ages 71 and older, and adolescents females were the most likely to be deficient in magnesium[4]. Recommended daily dosage of magnesium for adults aged 31 and up are 420 mg for males and 300 mg for females[4].
In addition to getting your daily dose of magnesium from the foods that you eat, you can also get it from supplements. Magnesium supplements are available in a variety of forms including, but not limited to, magnesium oxide, citrate, and chloride[4].
Try our favorite, high absorption magnesium by Doctor’s Best by clicking here. We love this product because it’s vegan, gluten-free, soy-free and non-GMO, so you can feel confident that you’re getting the best support that you can.
Don’t let headaches and fatigue take over your life. Getting the right amount of essential nutrients, particularly magnesium and vitamin k is as easy as eating foods that contain them. Get rid of your headaches and improve your health so that you can get back to living the life you love.
