You must always make sure to maintain a healthy diet. It is quite important that you do so, but it may not always be possible to include all the necessary nutrients such as Vitamin K and potassium in your diet. Although it can be challenging to maintain a healthy diet, it is not impossible, right? 

Vitamin K and potassium are essential elements for the proper functioning of the human body. This article is all you need if you are here to learn about the difference of vitamin K vs potassium.

Vitamin K and potassium have some differences which is making them unique. So, what exactly are the differences between vitamin K and potassium?  

Over the course of this article, we are going to discuss how these two nutrients work. As you know, these two elements are quite similar, but each one has its properties and functions that make them unique.  

What Is Vitamin K?

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin and a nutrient your body stores within fatty tissues and the liver. Vitamin K is necessary for your body to produce proteins and function properly. Vitamin K helps your body to activate certain proteins. 

By activating these proteins within your blood, vitamin K helps you to maintain blood coagulation. Moreover, it increases your bone density. Researchers have also identified that vitamin K helps prevents osteoporosis, especially in postmenopausal women. 

What Is Potassium?

Unlike vitamin K potassium is not a vitamin, it is a mineral in the human body that functions as an electrolyte. This electrolyte is essential for your body to conduct electricity. Pretty much all your cells and tissues require electrolytes to function adequately.

Potassium helps your body to regulate fluid; it is also responsible for sending nerve signals within your body to help regulate muscle contraction. That is why if you eat a banana, it helps you with muscle soreness. This is because bananas are high in potassium. 

Your body requires a specific amount of potassium in your daily diet so that you can function properly. Potassium significantly reduces your risk of stroke. Also, if you consume a diet rich in potassium, then it may help in reducing your blood pressure as well! 

Is Vitamin K The Same as Potassium?

First, you need to know what exactly your body requires. If you do not know how to pick the right food, how will you keep your diet balanced? It is very easy to get confused, this is because many of the vitamins and minerals have similar names. 

You may get confused between vitamin K with potassium, However, you need to keep in mind that these two nutrients are NOT the same. The reason behind this confusion is that potassium goes by the symbol K on the periodic table. The naming convention of these two micronutrients may be quite similar, but their functionality is NOT the same. 

Vitamin K is not Potassium. These two nutrients are considered essential nutrients to the human body, but they are not the same type of compound. Vitamin K is a vitamin, whereas potassium is a mineral. 

Vitamin K Vs Potassium

As you know, vitamin K and potassium have nutrients that are essential for the human body. Your body requires nutrients to function properly. The human body cannot produce potassium on its own but can make moderate amounts of vitamin K. 

As the human body cannot make an adequate amount of these nutrients on its own, so, is important for you to intake these nutrients through food. These micronutrients share some common benefits, such as maintaining bone density and ensuring heart health. Your body needs sufficient amounts of Vitamin K and potassium to ensure healthy living.

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Comparison Between Vitamin K And Potassium

Vitamin K and Potassium share some similar types of benefits for your body, but they are not the same. 

Potassium is not a vitamin it contains a mineral that functions as an electrolyte within the body to conduct electricity. The human body requires electrolytes to function in almost every cell and tissue to perform adequately. 

Potassium is one of the seven micro-minerals which plays a vital role in the proper functioning of your kidneys, the heart, and the muscles and distributes messages through the nervous system. 

Potassium reduces your risk of stroke and prevents high blood pressure. Do you know how? That’s because if you have a high potassium intake and less sodium intake, this may reduce the risk of cardiac arrest and stroke. 

Vitamin K is a group of fat-soluble vitamins. It is the most important compound that comprises vitamins K1 and K2. It plays an important role in blood clotting and ensures proper bone density. This essential element prevents excessive bleeding. Also, Vitamin K helps regulates your blood calcium levels.   

Among the two important compounds of vitamin K, vitamin K1 is found in leafy greens and some other vegetables. Whereas vitamin K2 is found largely in cheeses, eggs, and meats.

Differences between vitamin K and potassium

Vitamin K	Potassium
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin. The human body needs this nutrient to function properly and maintain blood coagulation.	Potassium is not a vitamin. It is the third most abundant mineral in your body and a powerful electrolyte. The human body needs electrolytes to conduct electricity.
The human body can produce a moderate amount of vitamin k. Vitamin K is mostly found in plant-based foods like green vegetables.	The human body can not produce potassium on its own. So, you must consume potassium-based foods to maintain your body functioning properly.
The approximate intake of vitamin K for adults is 1 microgram/day for each kilogram of your body weight. For example, if you weigh around 50 kg you would need 50 micrograms of Vitamin K daily.	Potassium is an essential mineral, and 98% of the potassium is inside your cells. Daily intake of potassium depends on your health status and activity levels.

Food sources that are rich in vitamin K 

• Green leafy vegetables, especially spinach and kale
• Pumpkins, broccoli, and carrots
• Chicken liver and ground beef
• Cheese
• Soybeans
• Fruits- grapes and blueberries
• Eggs 

Food sources rich in potassium

• Dairy products
• Fruits- bananas, oranges, tomatoes, and squash 
• Potatoes
• Chicken breasts, and turkey breasts
• Kidney beans and asparagus
• Salmon and tuna

FAQs

1. Do vitamin K and potassium have the same benefits?

No! Vitamin K and potassium have some similar benefits to the human body, but they are not the same.

2. What does potassium do to your body?

Potassium is a mineral and a powerful electrolyte that helps your body to regulate fluids.

3. Are vitamin K essential for your body?

Yes! Vitamin K is essential for your body. The human body needs vitamin K to produce the protein for blood clotting and healthy bone density.  

4. Which food contains vitamin K and potassium?

Some foods contain vitamin K such as green vegetables. These are very high in essential vitamins. Besides eggs, beef liver, vegetable oil, fish, cabbage, and cauliflower, broccoli contains vitamin K.

Better sources of potassium are avocado, potatoes, bananas, kiwi, carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, squash, peas, and dairy products.

Final Thoughts

As you all know, Vitamin K and potassium are both essential micronutrients, but each has a unique set of purposes for your body. The basic benefits of these two are similar, but the major sources of vitamin K and potassium are different. Apart from the similarities, these micronutrients work in different ways for your body.