Netherlands – Vitamin K has been found through researcher to have properties that could alleviate some of the effect of the COVID-19 virus as the virus is known for blood clotting and leads to the elastic fibers in the lungs slowly deteriorating as the ingested form of vitamin K, when absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract could help with the production of proteins that offset the blood clotting, regulating it and protecting the lung from lung disease.

“We are in a terrible, horrible situation in the world. We do have an intervention which does not have any side effects, even less than a placebo. There is one major exception: people on anti-clotting medication. It is completely safe in other people. My advice would be to take those vitamin K supplements. Even if it does not help against severe Covid-19, it is good for your blood vessels, bones and probably also for the lungs.” Dr Rob Janssen, a scientist working on the project. added: “We have [vitamin] K1 and K2. K1 is in spinach, broccoli, green vegetables, blueberries, all types of fruit and vegetables. K2 is better absorbed by the body. It is in Dutch cheese, I have to say, and French cheese as well.” explained Dr. Janssen.

Natto, made from fermented soya beans from Japanese cuisine is considered  high in the second type of vitamin K and there may be cause for further studies as it’s easily accessible. 

“I have worked with a Japanese scientist in London and she said it was remarkable that in the regions in Japan where they eat a lot of natto, there is not a single person to die of Covid-19; so that is something to dive into, I would say.” Dr. Jansen reiterated.

 “We want to take very sick Covid-19 patients and randomise so that they get a placebo or vitamin K, which is very safe to use in the general population. We want to give vitamin K in a significantly high enough dose that we really will activate [the protein] that is so important for protecting the lungs, and check if it is safe.” explained Jona Walker,a second researcher on the study about how to determine Vitamin K works to heal COVID-19 patient.

Good sources of Vitamin K are Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, turnip greens, collards, kale, parsley, romaine,brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage.

Other sources are fish, liver and eggs among others.