Which individuals should maintain consistent Vitamin K intake due to potential interference with what class of medication?
Blood-thinning medications like warfarin
Broccoli is exceptionally rich in Vitamin K, a nutrient fundamental to the synthesis of proteins required for the blood coagulation cascade. While this is generally beneficial, it creates a specific interaction risk for patients prescribed anticoagulant drugs designed to slow down clotting, such as warfarin. Because Vitamin K directly promotes clotting, consuming wildly fluctuating amounts of high-Vitamin K foods like broccoli can interfere with the therapeutic efficacy of the medication, potentially leading to either undesirable clotting or excessive bleeding. Therefore, individuals on these blood thinners are advised to maintain a steady, consistent daily intake of Vitamin K rather than drastically increasing or decreasing it.
