Vitamin K Deficiency

Vitamin K deficiency is a lot more common than you might think. We might actually be faced with minor deficiencies and not even be aware of this. Unfortunately, vitamin K deficiency can be dangerous and we have to make sure that we are not suffering from it. The problem is that there are some situations that can lead towards such a reality. Since vitamin K deficiency can result in a hemorrhagic disease we have to understand what can easily trigger it.

Vitamin K antagonists poisoning is really easy to get, especially for small children. A lot of rodenticides that are on the market today contain substances that actually create vitamin K deficiency. This is done in order to cause bleeding death for the rodents. Unfortunately sometimes we might end up being in contact with these dangerous substances. Special caution must be shown when small children are in the area. They can easily go where they shouldn’t and come in contact with rodenticides. Keep in mind that new formulas will be so strong that it will last for a long time. Proper cleaning is crucial for avoiding complications.

We also need to think about people that suffer from most liver diseases. Our liver is responsible for synthesizing bile acids. They are then secreted in our small intestine. This is where they aid in lipids absorption. Unfortunately vitamin K needs lipid absorption in order to work. If you are suffering from liver diseases you can end up with impaired absorption and even deficiency of vitamin K. You should also consider the fact that many clotting factors are actually synthesized in our liver. This can have an even more damaging impact on our body.

We have to think about intestinal diseases now. It is highly probably that lipid malabsorption is exhibited when faced with such conditions. This can easily cause vitamin K deficiency. We must also analyze the baby as he/she is just born. An infant that is at birth has no vitamin K in the liver. Sometimes we might be faced with hemorrhagic diseases that can even lead to death. In most situations the infant will receive a vitamin K supplement in order to combat the possibility of developing hemorrhagic diseases.

In order to combat vitamin K deficiency we can either add more vitamin K rich foods in our diets or consider purchasing a good vitamin K supplement. The good news is that vitamin K deficiency is actually not that common. There are not many people that will be faced with such a condition. It you are not faced with the situations mentioned above there is a huge chance that you will never need to buy vitamin K supplements. On the other hand, if they are needed then we recommend that you only take the supplements under medical supervision. This is because the reason why you are taking them is probably serious and you surely want to tackle all possible complications as soon as they appear.

For people that only suffer from a slight vitamin K deficiency we should mention that it is not likely that you need special vitamin K supplements. We recommend that you always look at the label and choose multi vitamin supplements that also include vitamin K. It is usually put in but there is also a big chance that it is not since some manufacturers do not consider it that special. By only buying vitamin supplements from manufacturers that create complete formulas you will make a big step towards avoiding all kinds of nutrient deficiencies, including vitamin K. Always read the labels and the instructions carefully so that you will not be faced with toxicity.