What are the Causes of Vitamin K Deficiency | Vitamin K (Phylloquinone)

What are the Causes of Vitamin K Deficiency | Vitamin K (Phylloquinone) | Symptoms of Vitamin K deficiency | Side Effects of Vitamin K intake

It is a fat-soluble vitamin and it is also known as antihaemorrhagic factor.

Dam discovered this vitamin after studying haemorrhagic disease in chickens in 1930 and 1933.

Two naturally occurring vitamins K are vitamin K1 (phyllouinone, phytonadione) and vitamin K2 (flavinoquinone, farnoquinone Activity is apparently related to the presence of methyl group at 2 positions in the quinonoid ring. Synthetic vitamin K is called vitamin K2 (commercially menadione).

It is fat-soluble; heat stable and can stand cooking. Vitamin K1 is yellow viscid oil, but vitamin K2 is a yellow, crystalline solid. The K vitamins are readily destroyed by light, alkali & alcohol.

What are the Causes of Vitamin K Deficiency ?

Vitamin K deficiency decreases levels of prothrombin and other vitamin K–dependent coagulation factors, causing defective coagulation and, potentially, bleeding.

Etiology

Worldwide, vitamin K deficiency causes infant morbidity and mortality. Vitamin K deficiency causes hemorrhagic disease of the newborn, which usually occurs 1 to 7 days postpartum. In affected neonates, birth trauma can cause intracranial hemorrhage. Neonates are prone to vitamin K deficiency because of the following:

* The placenta transmits lipids and vitamin K relatively poorly.
* The neonatal liver is immature with respect to prothrombin synthesis.
* Breast milk is low in vitamin K, containing about 2.5 μg/L (cow’s milk contains 5000 μg/L).
* The neonatal gut is sterile during the first few days of life.

Symptoms of Vitamin K Deficiency ?

Deficiency Symptoms of vitamin K:

1. Unusual bleeding, such as from the gums, nose, or gastrointestinal tract.

2. Nosebleeds.

3. Unexplained bruising.

4. Eye hemorrhages.

Defective blood coagulation and haemorrhages. In vitamin K deficiency, the prothrombin content of blood is decreased and the blood clotting time is considerably prolonged. Deficiency of vitamin K may lead to Alzheimer’s disease.

What are the Side Effects of Vitamin K intake ?

Vitamin K deficiency is very rare. It occurs when the body can’t properly absorb the vitamin from the intestinal tract. Vitamin K deficiency can also occur after long-term treatment with antibiotics.

Individuals with vitamin K deficiency are usually more likely to have bruising and bleeding.

PAIN AND DISCOMFORT: Overdosing on vitamin B2 can cause your skin to itch whilst overdosing on vitamin A can lead to the more serious symptom of diarrhea.

CELL AND ORGAN DAMAGE: Consuming too much vitamin K can also damage your liver and red blood cells.
 
BONE RELATED PROBLEMS: Overdosing on certain vitamins can lead to a variety of bone related problems. Among all vitamins vitamin K is one of them which also effects the Bone related problems.