By David Liu, Ph.D.

Saturday Aug 20, 2011 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new study suggests that low intake of vitamin K1 may increase risk of hip fractures in elderly people.

The study led by Ellen M. Apalset and colleagues from the University of Bergen in Bergen, Norway found elderly people in the lowest quartile of vitamin k1 intake were 57 percent more likely to suffer hip fractures.

However, hip fractures was not associated with vitamin k2.

The study published recently in the journal Bone involved 1569 men and 1238 women aged 71 to 75 years in Western Norway.

Vitamin k1, also known as phylloquinone is the major form of vitamin k.  Vitamin k1 is found high in green leafy vegetables and some vegetable oils including olive oil, canola oil, cooked broccoli, raw kale, raw spinach, raw Swiss chard and raw parsley.

Low intake of vitamin k has already been linked earlier with high risk of osteoporotic fracture, vascular calcification and cardiovascular disease.

The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine suggests that an adult at the age fo 19 or older should have intake of 120 mcg  of vitamin k per day.