Vitamin K is named after the first letter in the German word "koagulation," according to the Linus Pauling Foundation, and indeed, coagulation is what vitamin K is all about. According to "Vitamin and Mineral Requirements in Human Nutrition," blood clotting is the only clear purpose for vitamin K that has been established by science.
Sources
Vitamin K is an essential nutrient, which means it is not produced by your body and must be obtained by dietary sources. Two forms of vitamin K exist in nature. One is produced by plants such as lettuce and cabbage and is called phylloquinone, or vitamin K1. The other is synthesized by bacteria and comes in numerous different types. This type of vitamin K is called menaquinone, or vitamin K2, and is present in certain fermented foods such as cheese, and a Japanese product called natto. A synthetic form of vitamin K also exists. It is referred to as menadione, or K3, and it is not used in humans, according to the American Cancer Society.
Clotting Factors
Vitamin K works in association with a number of proteins called clotting factors, which are essential to staunching the flow of blood. These clotting factors work in conjunction with each other in a chain of reactions that take place in a specific order to produce a blood clot. Four different clotting factors, numbered II, VII, IX and X, are directly dependent on vitamin K in order to perform properly, according to "Vitamin and Mineral Requirements in Human Nutrition." If one or more of these factors is deficient, clotting is not properly supported.
Deficiencies
Deficiencies in vitamin K are rare, according to MayoClinic.com, but when they occur, serious symptoms can result, including bruising, nosebleeds, bloody defecation, heavy menstrual periods and bleeding gums. In infants, bleeding caused by vitamin K deficiency can cause fatal hemorrhaging in the skull. In order to meet your daily requirement of vitamin K, the average adult male must receive 120 mcg per day, according to Linus Pauling, while adult females require 90 mcg. This is usually easily obtained in the diet.
Considerations
Your newborn baby may receive vitamin K in order to ward off potential bleeding problems. According to MayoClinic.com, the administration of vitamin K to infants is a routine occurrence. Doctors can prescribe vitamin K capsules or tablets, or can administer it by injection.
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