Dr. Henrik Dam
Dr. Henrik Dam
Edward A. Doisy
Edward A. Doisy

VITAMIN K OVERVIEW

Vitamin K History

Vitamin K was discovered 1929, when the Danish Nutritional scientist Dr. Henrik Dam was investigating the role of cholesterol. After several weeks of feeding chicks a totally fat-free diet the animals started to suffer from uncontrolled bleeding under their skin [1]. The bleeding could not be stopped with purified cholesterol. Dr. Dam isolated a previously unknown fat-soluble nutrient, which he appropriately named the vitamin “K” after the first letter of the Germanic spelling for coagulation („Koagulationsvitamin“).

Building upon Dam's discovery, American biochemict Edward A. Doisy uncovered the structure and chemical nature of vitamin K. Their combined efforts were rewarded in 1943 when Dam and Doisy received the Nobel Prize in Medicine for their work on vitamin K.

The importance of vitamin K to coagulation is well known as it activates coagulation factors synthesized in the liver ( II, VII, IX and X, proteins C, S & Z).

Furthermore, there is increasing evidence that vitamin K has a diverse role in the body including the maintenance of bone health, prevention of inappropriate calcification in soft tissues, and a protective role in inflammation.