A fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for the formation in the liver of substances that promote blood clotting. Good sources are green vegetables, vegetable oils, egg yolk, cheese, pork, and liver. Vitamin K is also manufactured by bacteria in the intestine. Dietary deficiency rarely occurs. Deficiency may develop in people with malabsorption, certain liver disorders, or chronic diarrhoea. It may also result from prolonged treatment with antibiotics. Newborns lack the intestinal bacteria that produce vitamin K and are routinely given supplements to prevent deficiency. Vitamin K deficiency may cause nosebleeds and bleeding from the gums, intestine, and urinary tract. In rare, severe cases, brain haemorrhage may result. Excessive intake of vitamin K is not known to cause harmful effects.
Vitamin K |
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