A vitamin that affects lung function has been identified
A new study has found that low vitamin K levels are linked to lung function disorders.A new study has found that people with low levels of vitamin K in their blood are more likely to have reduced lung function and asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or wheezing.
Vitamin K, which is found in leafy greens and vegetable oils, produces proteins needed for blood clotting and bone growth. Now, researchers at Copenhagen University Hospital and the University of Copenhagen in Denmark have studied the relationship between vitamin K levels and lung function.
The researchers recruited 4,092 people between the ages of 24 and 77 for their study. The participants had their lung function tested, specifically measuring the amount of air a person can exhale in a second (FEV1) and the total volume of air a subject exhales after taking the deepest possible breath (FVC). Participants also provided blood samples and completed questionnaires. Blood tests included a marker of vitamin K deficiency, dp-ucMGP.
It turned out that, on average, participants with high levels of dp-ucMGP were characterized by lower FEV1 and FVC. Questionnaires showed that they were more likely to suffer from COPD and asthma.
The study is published in the journal ERJ Open Research.