Vitamin K1 restores clotting proteins that depend on it. For longevity-focused adults, the strongest case is meeting those needs, with higher food intake having observational links to fewer fractures and lower death rates when blood levels are not low. Main risk is interference with warfarin-type blood thinners. Food-first greens with optional modest supplements match leading nutrition framing. (Full Review)

Protocol

Supplemental range used in practice

100–1000 µg/day

Adequate intake 90 µg/day women, 120 µg/day men; bone trials often 200 µg–1 mg

Timing

Once daily with a fat-containing meal

Short plasma half-life (~1–4 h); meal pairing over split dosing

Dietary foundation

Phylloquinone-rich leafy greens

Optional with vitamin D and calcium for bone; clinician-directed if on warfarin

Time to effect

Carboxylation markers

Within weeks

Undercarboxylated osteocalcin improves after repletion

Bone density / imaging

Months to years

BMD or calcification imaging changes, if any

Benefits

High: Prevention and correction of vitamin K deficiency coagulopathy

Medium: Lower fracture risk with higher dietary phylloquinone; lower all-cause mortality with higher circulating phylloquinone; lower coronary heart disease risk

Low: Bone mineral density and turnover; slowing coronary or vascular calcification in high-risk chronic kidney disease

Speculative: Improved insulin sensitivity and cardiometabolic profile

Contraindications

Vitamin K antagonists (warfarin, acenocoumarol, phenprocoumon) without clinician coordination and INR monitoring

Documented severe hypersensitivity to phytonadione (especially prior intravenous reaction)

Active unexplained clotting disorders until evaluated (high-dose may be inappropriate depending on diagnosis)

Key Interactions

Orlistat and bile-acid sequestrants (cholestyramine, colesevelam)

Mineral oil and severe fat restriction

High-dose vitamin E (e.g., ~1000 IU/day)

High-dose vitamin A

Broad-spectrum antibiotics (prolonged)

Risk & Side Effects

High: Antagonism of vitamin K antagonist anticoagulation

Medium: Anaphylactoid reactions with intravenous phytonadione

Low: Gastrointestinal discomfort at high oral doses

Speculative: Theoretical over-carboxylation concerns at extreme doses

Monitoring

Marker	Target	Why
ucOC or %ucOC	Toward lower % after repletion; lab-specific	Functional vitamin K status in bone
dp-ucMGP	Lower values reflect better vessel vitamin K status	Functional marker linked observationally to heart/vessel death
Serum phylloquinone (vitamin K1)	Often >0.5–1.0 nmol/L fasting in cohort analyses	Direct circulating K1
INR (if on VKA)	Target set by indication (e.g., 2–3)	Detect K1–warfarin interaction
25-hydroxyvitamin D	Often 40–60 ng/mL in functional practice	Co-factor context for bone protocols
DXA BMD (hip/spine)	T-score goals individualized	Hard skeletal outcome for bone-focused use

Cadence: Light for healthy adults on food-level or low supplemental doses; intensive INR-driven schedule if on a vitamin K antagonist; DXA every 1–2 years if treating low bone mass

Qualitative Assessment

Consistency of leafy-green intake across the week
Absence of abnormal bruising/bleeding (or, on VKAs, absence of out-of-range INR symptoms)
Adherence with fat-containing meal timing for supplements
Fracture-free status and maintained height/posture over years

Vitamin K1 for Health & Longevity

Protocol

Benefits

Risk & Side Effects

Monitoring

Qualitative Assessment