Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin. This means that vitamin K is absorbed into the tissues of the body. Vitamin K is needed for healthy development of proteins for blood clotting and bone health. It is important to consume vitamin K; however, consuming too much or too little can cause health problems. The amount of vitamin K needed to support good health varies by age.
Step 1
Provide your baby with 2.5 mcg of vitamin K in her diet each day. This amount is needed from ages 7 to 12 months. Read the label of your baby's formula and food to determine how much vitamin K they contain.
Step 2
Ensure that your 1- to 3-year-old child consumes at least 30 mcg per day. At this age, he may enjoy fortified cereals that contain various concentrations of vitamin K.
Step 3
Increase your child's daily intake of vitamin K to 55 mcg between ages 4 and 8. One cup of cooked broccoli contains 220 mcg of vitamin K. Feeding your child even 1/4 of this amount can meet this recommendation for consumption.
Step 4
Incorporate foods into your family's diet that help your child consume 60 mcg of vitamin K every day. A child between ages 9 and 13 needs this amount. One cup of raw spinach contains 145 mcg, and one cup of raw shredded lettuce has 62.5 mcg.
Step 5
Give your child a daily multivitamin that contains at least 75 mcg of vitamin K, from ages 14 to 18. Before doing so, check with your child's physician to ensure that a multivitamin is beneficial for her.
Step 6
Increase daily vitamin K consumption to 120 mcg if you are a male adult and 90 mcg if you are a female adult. As you age, the functions of vitamin K become increasingly important to lessen the impact of injury and disease. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends that women who are pregnant or lactating consistently consume 90 mcg every day.
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