Vitamin K helps blood clotting. A severe deficiency of vitamin K can lead to extreme blood loss after an injury. A low level of vitamin K can also lead to osteoporosis, as this vitamin is essential for the proper absorption and use of calcium in the bones. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, low levels of vitamin K might increase the chances of bone fractures.
Healthy Adults
If you're a healthy adult over 19 years of age, you'll need 90 mcg of vitamin K per day. Teenagers between 14 and 18 need 75 mcg per day. According to MedlinePlus, vitamin K deficiency is not common, mainly because the vitamin is present in a variety of foods, including green leafy vegetables, soybeans and beef liver. Green tea is also a good source of vitamin K.
Adults with Deficiencies
Deficiencies of vitamin K are usually linked to health issues. People with digestive disorders, such as celiac or Crohn's disease, might have trouble absorbing vitamin K. People who have liver disease or undergoing hemodialysis may also have problems absorbing the vitamin. Your doctor can prescribe up to 1,000 mcg per day as a supplement if you have a serious deficiency or problems caused by low vitamin K in your blood.
Children
Children between 9 and 13 years of age need less than 60 mcg of vitamin K to meet their daily needs. Younger children need even less: 55 mcg for children between 4 and 8 and 30 mcg for children between 1 and 3 years of age. Children under 1 should not take vitamin K supplements unless indicated by a doctor. Some newborn babies receive a K1 vitamin injection right after birth to prevent deficiencies. This is only necessary in mothers who are breast-feeding, as breast milk is naturally low in vitamin K.
Sources
Meeting your daily needs of vitamin K is easy because of the high content of some foods. For example, 1 cup of broccoli contains 89 mcg of vitamin K, which is just 1 mcg short of what you need for the whole day. The two best sources of vitamin K are brussels sprouts at 156 mcg per 1 cup and collard greens at 184 mcg per 1 cup.
References
- MedlinePlus; Vitamin K; March 2009
- University of Florida's IFAS Extension; Facts About Vitamin K; R. Elaine Turner, et al.; October 2010
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Vitamin K; June 2009
- Linus Pauling Institute; Vitamin K; Jane Higdon; May 2004
- University of Utah Health Care: Vitamin K Content of Common Foods
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