Vitamin K and Warfarin

If your doctor has told you to take a blood thinner, called Warfarin or coumadin, to help avoid blood clots, it is important to know how much vitamin K you are getting from foods and supplements.

Vitamin K will affect how well your blood thinner works, so you need to track how much vitamin K you eat or take on a daily basis to ensure your heart health. You don’t need to get rid of vitamin K, but you do need to have about the same amount each day.

Some examples of foods that are high in vitamin K are cooked greens like kale, spinach, collard greens, and swiss chard. Foods that are low in vitamin K are raw spinach, green leaf lettuce, broccoli, romaine lettuce, and Brussels sprouts.

Don’t make big changes to your diet without talking to your care team first, but do be careful when you take vitamin K supplements, multivitamins, and other herbal supplements. Talk to your care team about any supplements, vitamins, or other herbs you want to take, and they can help you figure out how to make choices that are right for you and your diet.