Vitamin K, also known as mephyton, is a vitamin produced by friendly bacteria in your intestines. It also occurs naturally in some foods. The primary purpose of vitamin K is to facilitate blood clotting, which can help prevent excessive wound bleeding. It can also help prevent bleeding of peptic ulcers, organs and intestinal walls. Although vitamin K deficiencies are rare, several simple strategies can help you correct a deficiency and treat thin blood. Talk to your doctor before boosting your vitamin K intake.
Consume foods rich in vitamin K. These include spinach, kale, avocados, strawberries, dairy products, meats and broccoli, cabbage and asparagus.
Take a multivitamin supplement containing vitamin K. Most multivitamin supplements available in the United States contain about 25mcg of vitamin K, or about 31 percent of the recommended daily intake for adults.
Take a vitamin K supplement. These supplements are available in tablet and capsule form, and are available in dosages as high as 5mg. However, dosages this high are typically unnecessary unless you have a malabsorption disorder or an underlying disease that causes significant vitamin deficiency.
Tips
If you have a severe vitamin K deficiency, you may need vitamin K injections to correct this problem. Vitamin K injections should only be administered by a physician.
Warnings
Contact your doctor if you notice bleeding from your gums or if skin wounds bleed excessively. Your doctor may diagnose vitamin K deficiency and may examine you for underlying causes.
