Vitamin K deficiency is rare in adults but common in infants. It can cause excessive bleeding due to low levels of blood clotting proteins. Learn about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of vitamin K deficiency . Being vitamin K deficient affects the circulatory system, immune system, brain, and more. Learn how symptoms of vitamin K deficiency present. Vitamin K deficiency results from extremely inadequate intake or fat malabsorption. Risk of bleeding is increased by use of coumarin anticoagulants. Deficiency is particularly common among breastfed infants. It impairs clotting. Diagnosis is suspected based on routine coagulation study findings and confirmed by response to vitamin K . Treatment consists of vitamin K given orally or, when fat malabsorption is the cause or when risk of bleeding is high, parenterally. Vitamin K is an essential fat-soluble vitamin which is important to bone and heart health, as well as blood clotting and brain function. A deficiency of vitamin K is rare in healthy adults due to its presence in a variety of common dietary sources, including green leafy vegetables, oils and grains. While newborn babies are particularly at risk, people of any age can develop a vitamin K deficiency , which may be triggered by a number of factors, including liver disease, malnutrition and as a ...
