Vitamin K deficiency can be caused by any of the following:
*A poor diet
*Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis
*Liver disease that interferes vitamin K storage
*The use of antibiotics, cholesterol-lowering drugs, mineral oil, aspirin and blood thinners
About one-half of the vitamin K may be provided by bacterial synthesis. Consequently, vitamin K deficiency may occur in adults subjects treated with antibiotics with antibiotics for extended period.
Low blood levels of vitamin K are associated with insulin release and glucose regulation problems, and may lead to low bone density in women.
Supplementing the diet with this vitamin enhances then bone building process by attracting calcium to the bone.
Supplemental vitamin K also reduces the amount of calcium in the urine and frees up more calcium to be used by the bone-building process.
The cardinal sign of vitamin K deficiency is an abnormal bleeding tendency, accompanied by prolonged prothrombin time; these signs disappear with vitamin K administration.
Vitamin K deficiency
