Can vitamin K relieve chronic pain?

If you have chronic pain, toss a spinach or arugula salad for a jolt of vitamin K—a nutrient with potential pain-soothing properties, according to some preliminary research. Vitamin K also helps maintain strong bones and healthy joints. In one study, older adults with ample blood levels of K were less likely to develop osteoarthritis, compared to a low-in-K control group.

You can get all the K you need from dark leafy greens: a cup of raw spinach has 145 micrograms (132 percent of what you need for the day). Caution: Vitamin K also helps with blood clotting, so if you're taking blood thinners, check with your doc before boosting your K intake.

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