Vitamin K Deficiency: Signs, Symptoms & More

As seen in WOWMD

Written by WOWMD Staff

When you think of vitamins, which ones pop up in your head? You probably think of

vitamin C because everyone knows it’s good for the immune system and helps keep you from getting sick. You might have also thought of vitamin E, which is essential for skin health and beauty. You may have even thought of retinol, also known as vitamin A, for healthy eyesight.

But it’s likely that most people don’t think of vitamin K when they think of vitamins that they are familiar with. Still, vitamin K plays an important role in many vital bodily functions and processes. So the question becomes, ‘Are you getting enough vitamin k?’ If not, how would you even know? Vitamin K2 deficiency is not often talked about and the symptoms can be hard to spot. So in the following article, we will be talking all about vitamin K deficiency and the importance of this nutrient.

Key Takeaways

• Vitamin K is a nutrient that plays a role in transporting calcium to the bones and teeth in conjunction with vitamin D.

• Vitamin K also plays a role in cardiovascular health by ensuring proper blood clotting.

• Signs of deficiency of vitamin K can be hard to spot but include excessive bleeding and weak bones or teeth.

• People with certain health conditions and people on certain medications may be more at risk of vitamin K deficiency.

  
  

Signs and Symptoms of Vitamin K Deficiency

So how can you tell if you aren’t getting enough vitamin K? Vitamin K deficiency is not very common in adults, but if you have certain health conditions or are taking certain medications, your risk of this deficiency may increase. Let’s take a look at the common signs of vitamin K deficiency and K2 deficiency symptoms:

Excessive Bleeding

Since vitamin K plays a key role in blood clotting, excessive bleeding is often the first sign of vitamin K deficiency. When you are wounded and draw blood, it will take a long time to clot if you are deficient in vitamin K.

Easily Bruised Skin

Vitamin K is essential for blood health and when you are deficient in this vitamin, it may cause irregular bruising or cause you to bruise more easily than normal.

According to Dr. Markus Ploesser, MD, an integrative medicine physician and psychiatrist at Open Mind Health, “People with a vitamin K deficiency may bruise easily, even with minor impacts, due to impaired blood clotting. Vitamin K is essential for activating clotting factors that help blood vessels heal. Without sufficient vitamin K, small blood vessels can break and cause discoloration under the skin.”

Read the full article here.