What Happens if You Don’t Have Any Vitamin K in Your System?
If you are someone who is concerned about inexplicable bruising, or if you seem to bruise dramatically with seemingly no reason, you will discover that one factor that you will want to consider is the possibility of having a vitamin K deficiency. The concerns of bruising, particularly as we mature, is something that we must face head on. The reality is that there are a variety of reasons why bruising can become a concern, and you may not know how to deal with the situation A deficiency in vitamin K is something that can take place in people of any age, and although it is most common in young people and pregnant women, it is still a situation that you should be aware of.
What might be the symptoms that originate from a vitamin K deficiency? When you are examining vitamin K, take into account what your body uses it for. Its prime function is to cause your blood to coagulate, and it is absolutely essential when it comes to sustaining optimum bone density. It is very much a part of the functioning of a variety of the proteins that are involved in blood clotting. It plays a critical role in the development of a healthy fetus, and maintaining the proper intake of vitamin K during pregnancy helps your infant develop into a healthy individual. As you can see, a deficiency of vitamin K can become the cause of some extreme consequences.
Unusually heavy menstrual bleeding is known to be one side effect of having a vitamin K deficiency, as well as nose bleeds, anemia, bleeding of the gums, hematomas and a thinning of the blood. A deficiency of vitamin K can also make you bruise very easily, to the point where you can’t even recall how the bruise got there in the first place. When looking at a vitamin K deficiency, you’ll find that most of the harmful effects have to do with a lack in your body’s ability to cause the blood to clot. If you discover that you are afflicted by any of these symptoms, try to determine whether a vitamin K deficiency is something that you need account for.
How do you determine if you are at risk for a vitamin K deficiency? Vitamin K is generally not a problem for adults because it can be found in a wide variety of foods, but if you are prescribed anticonvulsants, it may interfere with the vitamin K that is present in your system. It should also be noted that people who have disorders involving the malabsorption of fat can be subject to having a vitamin K deficiency. Some foods that can augment the amount of vitamin K present in your body include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, wheat bran, cereals and soya beans.
We all want to remain healthy, and if we have noticed any of the symptoms that are outlined above, we need to take the time and speak to our physician about our condition. We may be that being subject to bruising easily can indicate another, more serious condition, so we need to constantly be aware of what our body is telling us. It is most important that we pay attention to the signs that our body gives us when something is going wrong, so we should be diligent.