A new study from Tufts University is revealing how not getting enough vitamin K in your diet may harm your brain as you age.
Researchers found that a lack of this important vitamin can lead to memory problems and even changes in the brain that make it harder to learn and remember things.
Vitamin K is most commonly known for helping your blood clot properly, but it also plays a role in keeping your heart, joints, and possibly your brain healthy.
It’s found in green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.
The research team at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) wanted to better understand how vitamin K affects brain health, especially as people grow older.
To do this, they studied two groups of middle-aged mice for six months. One group was fed a diet with very low levels of vitamin K, while the other group ate a standard diet.
At the end of the study, the mice that didn’t get enough vitamin K had more trouble with memory and learning tasks.
In one test, the mice were asked to recognize new objects. The mice with low vitamin K had difficulty telling the difference between new and familiar objects, suggesting memory problems.
In another test, they had to remember the location of a hidden platform in a pool of water. Again, the vitamin K-deficient mice struggled and took longer to learn the task.
When researchers looked at the brains of these mice, they found clear changes in a region called the hippocampus, which is key for memory and learning.
There were fewer new brain cells being made, a process called neurogenesis, in the mice that lacked vitamin K. This could help explain why their memory and learning were affected.
The researchers also discovered more inflammation in the brains of vitamin K-deficient mice. In particular, they saw an increase in activated microglia, a type of brain cell that fights infection.
While microglia are important for brain health, too much activation can lead to long-term inflammation, which is linked to diseases like Alzheimer’s.
The scientists say this study doesn’t mean people should take vitamin K supplements without talking to a doctor. Instead, they encourage everyone to eat a healthy diet, especially one rich in green vegetables, which are natural sources of vitamin K.
By working together with other research centers, the Tufts team hopes to keep learning more about how good nutrition helps keep the brain sharp as we age.
If you care about nutrition, please read studies about berry that can prevent cancer, diabetes, and obesity, and the harm of vitamin D deficiency you need to know.
For more health information, please see recent studies about the connection between potatoes and high blood pressure, and results showing why turmeric is a health game-changer.
