Vitamin K
Benefit
Vitamin K is an important factor in bone health and wound healing. Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that makes proteins for healthy bones and normal blood clotting. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, vitamin K helps produce four of the 13 proteins needed for blood clotting.
Vitamin K works with vitamin D to ensure that calcium finds its way to the bones to help them develop properly.
Harm
The main symptom of vitamin K deficiency is excessive bleeding. Keep in mind that bleeding may happen in areas other than at a cut or wound site. The bleeding may also be apparent if someone:
• bruises easily
• gets small blood clots underneath their nails
• bleeds in mucous membranes that line areas inside the body
• produces stool that looks dark black (almost like tar) and contains some blood
In infants, doctors may observe vitamin K deficiency if there is:
• bleeding from the area where the umbilical cord is removed
• bleeding in the skin, nose, the gastrointestinal tract, or other areas
• bleeding at the penis if the baby has been circumcised
• sudden bleeding in the brain, which is extremely dangerous and life-threatening