Anticoagulants: Vitamin K and your diet
Why is it important to get a steady amount of vitamin K?
Warfarin (Coumadin) is an anticoagulant. Anticoagulants are often called blood thinners, but they do not actually thin the blood. Instead, they increase the time it takes for a blood clot to form. This can help reduce your risk for heart attack, stroke, deep vein thrombosis, or pulmonary embolism.
Warfarin works by decreasing the action of vitamin K. Vitamin K helps your blood clot so wounds don't bleed too much.
When you are taking warfarin, you still need vitamin K in your diet. But it is important not to suddenly change the amount of vitamin K you eat each day. This could keep warfarin from working well.
- Eating a lot of vitamin K may decrease the effect of warfarin, making it more likely that blood clots will form.
- Eating much less vitamin K than normal may increase the effect of warfarin and increase your risk of bleeding.
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| Author: | Robin Parks, MS | Last Updated: February 26, 2008 |
| Medical Review: | Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine Karin M. Lindholm, DO - Neurology | |
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