Can Vitamin K Reduce The Dark Circles Under Your Eyes?
Have you tried everything under the sun to get rid of the dark circles under your eyes?
Do you have several eye creams that promised results?
Have you ever wondered what's in them?
One of the newest vitamins added to creams for your eyes has been vitamin K. It doesn't seem like a potent vitamin, since we don't hear about it that much, so can it really work?
What Does Vitamin K Do In The Body
Most people know vitamin K because it helps blood clotting. We needed to produce prothrombin, protein and clotting factor that prevents us from bleeding to death. It's essential for people who take blood-thinning medications or are prone to blood clots to avoid vitamin K supplementation or a diet high in vitamin K foods.
Vitamin K can help prevent osteoporosis, memory function, and heart health. It has a lot of functions, but what you really don't hear a lot about is your skin health.
Most people are not deficient in vitamin K, especially if you eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. But, it's another reason to get more delicious fruits and vegetables in every day.
What Science Says For Vitamin K And Under Eye Circles
Unfortunately, science really doesn't say a whole lot. There's been a couple of studies that show vitamin K might be beneficial.
A 1999 study shows a combination of vitamin K and retinol helped people who got pulse-dyed laser treatment reduce the discoloration after faster. It cut the healing time by about half. This type of treatment is usually used to get rid of spider veins, warts, and vascular lesions.
It's extrapolated from the study that vitamin K might help reduce under-eye circles when used regularly.
A 2004 study showed similar results. People who used an under-eye gel with vitamin K, retinol, and vitamin C and E showed reduced dark circles and wrinkles.
Great news, right?
The big problem with these studies is if we don't know if vitamin K did it or the combination of other antioxidants. And they were both used as topical creams.
Still, the beauty industry has jumped on the trend and started adding vitamin K to its various products.
If you are on blood thinners or have clotting problems, you'll want to avoid these products. But, if you don't have these issues, you shouldn't have much of a problem because vitamin K is init.
Should You Try A Vitamin K Enhanced Eye Cream?
If you're looking for proven results, you'll need to keep looking. So far, the only reports of vitamin K creams working is anecdotal. That's not to say they don't work, we just don't have proof.
We know retinol does work, and many eye creams have retinol because of that.
So, you can try these or try some of the more well-known ways to help reduce dark circles under your eyes.
- Getting more sleep and relaxation is one of the best ways. When you're tired, you get dark circles, and so many people don't get enough sleep.
- Dehydration is also a major factor. Simply drinking more water can help reduce the dark circles under your eyes. Especially in warmer weather, drinking more water is important.
- Avoid caffeine. Caffeine helps dilate your blood vessels, and the skin under your eyes easily shows this increased blood flow, which can increase the shadow look.
How To Get Vitamin K More Naturally
Vitamin K is easy to get from your diet.
Green leafy vegetables are the best source of vitamin K, so fill up on the salad. Rotate through the various ones such as kale, spinach, turnip and beet greens, collards, Swiss chard, mustard, lettuces, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, and any leafy herb like cilantro, parsley, and basil.
Eggs, meat, and 100% whole grains contain some vitamin K, as well.
Your salad is the best way to get in your leafy greens. Although vitamin K creams popularity grows, there's not much to show they actually work. Your best bet is to eat your leafy greens to get your vitamin K, get more sleep, and drink more water to reduce the circles under your eyes.