If you bump against the furniture and your leg turns black and blue the next day, there's no cause for concern. If you're bruising very easily or finding too many bruises in your body, then you might be suffering from a vitamin deficiency. According to natural health expert Dr. Ray Sahelian, certain supplements such as fish oil and ginger can increase susceptibility to bruising, so you might need to reduce their dosage to reduce your bruising.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is a blood-clotting agent. Because bruises are caused when capillaries and blood vessels break, having enough vitamin K in your body can help capillaries become stronger so they don't break so easily. In the form of cream, vitamin K can also help fade bruises when you apply the cream directly over the bruise. Leafy green vegetables are a good source of vitamin K, or you can take a supplement -- 8 mcg per day is a good dosage, according to website Mother Nature.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C works by strengthening the skin around the capillaries. Vitamin C helps especially well when you take it along with vitamin K, as vitamin K will strengthen the blood vessels, while vitamin C strengthens the skin around them. In combination, this reduces the incidence and seriousness of bruises. Good sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits and green leafy vegetables.
Vitamin B-12
Lack of vitamin B-12 can lead to pernicious anemia and thrombocytopenia, a bleeding disorder that causes the skin to bruise easily. With pernicious anemia, not enough oxygen reaches the tissues, including the skin, so the capillaries break more easily. Vitamin B-12 deficiency is common in strict vegans who eat no animal products whatsoever. Vitamin B-12 is not available in vegetables, so vegans might need a supplement.
Other Nutrients
Zinc helps with skin repair, so it's a good addition to a bruise-healing regimen. Seafood and lean meats are good sources of zinc, or you can try taking a supplement of 15 mg per day. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, supplements of comfrey, arnica and calendula can also help speed up the healing of bruises, as well as prevent them from forming so easily.
References
- RaySahelian.com; "Bruising"; Dr. Ray Sahelian
- DiagnoseMe: Bruising Susceptibility
- Arizona Telemedicine Program; "Vitamin B-12 Deficiency: Pernicious Anemia"; Carolyn Bangert et al; 1998
- Mother Nature: Fading Out the Black and Blue
- Health911: Bruises
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Herbs and Supplements for Bruising
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