How likely is a vitamin K deficiency?
With healthy humans a Vitamin K deficiency is rather improbable in this country – the need can be covered simply by the nutrition. There are, however, certain risk groups in which too low a vitamin K level can develop. In this context, newborns would be the first to be mentioned.
These receive only little vitamin K through the placenta and they also lack those intestinal bacteria that are capable of producing vitamin K. After the birth and with the following preventive medical examinations newborn children receive therefore by default a Vitamin K prophylaxis to 2 mg Vitamin K each. The production of Vitamin K by intestine bacteria can be disturbed, if humans take antibiotics over a longer period. A further medicine income, which can accompany with a Vitamin K deficiency, concerns the so-called Cumarine, also admits as Vitamin K antagonists.
These inhibit the coagulation activity in the blood and prevent for example the development of thromboses. An exemplary active substance would be Marcumar. In this context an “artificial” vitamin K deficiency occurs. Ultimately, various diseases can also affect the vitamin K balance, either by disrupting the absorption of the vitamin or by influencing the metabolism of the vitamin. These diseases include : Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis lipid metabolism disorders chronic liver diseases functional disorders of the bile bile alcoholism celiac disease
- Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis
- Lipometabolic disorders
- Chronic liver diseases
- Bile dysfunction
- Alcoholism
- Coeliac condition
What are the symptoms of vitamin K deficiency?
In general, a slight vitamin K deficiency manifests itself, for example, through tiredness and headaches. However, since vitamin K affects the coagulation system, a deficiency also favors bleeding into tissue or generally increases the tendency to bleed. Bleeding from the nose or gums then becomes more likely or an incision (e.g. when preparing food) bleeds longer than usual. Finally, a deficiency can also result in an increased risk of bone fractures, since vitamin K affects the proteins that are responsible for calcium incorporation and, accordingly, bone density.
