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Blood In Urine Or Stool Could Indicate Vitamin K Deficiency: Other Common Symptoms To Watch Out For

Your body often sends signals to indicate any underlying health issues, and recognising these signs early is crucial. For instance, blood in urine and stool may point to a vitamin K deficiency.

While bloody urine or stool can occur due to various causes, addressing it promptly is important, especially if it's linked to a lack of vitamin K. Speaking with the OnlyMyHealth team, Dr Ajay Shah, Managing Director of Neuberg Ajay Shah Laboratory, delves into the connection between these two conditions and highlights other common symptoms that can help identify this link.

Also Read: Do You Frequently Bump Into Things And Bruise? Here's What You Should Add In Your Diet

What Causes Vitamin K Deficiency?

Vitamin K deficiency occurs primarily due to a lack of vitamin K-rich foods in your diet. It is mostly found in leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale, and chard. Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps the liver produce clotting factors that cause blood to clot and maintain strong bones and reduce the risk of osteoporosis, especially in older adults.

While it is rare in healthy adults, it can occur in anyone, including infants, during the first few weeks due to low levels in breast milk.

Other factors that lead to vitamin K deficiency include health problems like coeliac disease, Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis, or gallbladder disease that can prevent the body from absorbing vitamin K. Moreover, certain medications, like antibiotics and blood thinners, can also lead to vitamin K deficiency.

Common Symptoms Of Vitamin K Deficiency

According to MSD Manuals, the main symptom of vitamin K deficiency is bleeding (haemorrhage) into the skin, which causes bruises, from the nose, from a wound, in the stomach, or in the intestine. Sometimes bleeding in the stomach can also cause vomiting with blood. Other common symptoms include:

Bleeding gums

Nosebleeds

Blood in urine or stool

Osteoporosis or weakened bones over time

In newborns, bleeding within or around the brain may also occur due to severe vitamin K deficiency. Additionally, if you have a liver disorder, it may increase the risk of bleeding because clotting factors are made in the liver, according to the MSD Manual.

If symptoms do not give you clarity, blood tests that measure prothrombin time (PT) can help diagnose vitamin K deficiency. This particular test helps indicate how long it takes for blood to clot. Prolonged PT suggests impaired clotting, potentially due to low vitamin K levels. Additional tests, like a vitamin K assay, may also help confirm the condition.

Also Read: Vitamin K-Rich Foods To Strengthen Bones And Keep Your Heart Healthy

Why Vitamin K Deficiency Causes Blood In Stool Or Urine

As discussed, vitamin K deficiency can cause blood in stool or urine because it helps our body produce proteins necessary for blood clotting. These clotting factors, including prothrombin (factor II) and factors VII, IX, and X, are important for normal blood clotting. Without adequate vitamin K, the production of these proteins is impaired, leading to a reduced ability for blood to clot properly. This can result in excessive or spontaneous bleeding, even in minor injuries or internally, such as in the gastrointestinal or urinary tracts.

When your body cannot clot blood efficiently, internal bleeding may occur in the stomach, intestines, or urinary system. Gastrointestinal bleeding can cause blood in the stool, which may appear bright red or black and tarry depending on the location and severity of the bleed. Similarly, bleeding in the urinary tract can lead to haematuria, or blood in urine, often appearing as pink, red, or brown discolouration. It is crucial to get immediate medical attention if these symptoms appear, as they can indicate severe vitamin K deficiency or other underlying health conditions.

How To Manage Vitamin K Deficiency Symptoms

To manage or even prevent vitamin K deficiency-associated symptoms, consider the following:

Ensure adequate intake of vitamin K-rich foods.

Stay hydrated and maintain electrolyte balance.

Incorporate regular physical activity to improve muscle health.

Consult a healthcare professional for supplements if needed.

Some of the top food sources of vitamin K include:

Leafy greens like kale, spinach, and Swiss chard

Broccoli and Brussels sprouts

Green beans and peas

Fermented foods like natto (a traditional Japanese dish)

Certain vegetable oils, such as soybean and canola oil

Dr Shah advises consulting a doctor if you experience persistent or unexplained bleeding or bruising even after following proper dietary changes or hydration. Symptoms of bone fragility or fractures and conditions that affect nutrient absorption, such as coeliac disease or Crohn's disease, can all be signs of underlying issues related to vitamin K deficiency, he says, adding that if you are taking medications like blood thinners, it's important to be aware that these drugs can interact with vitamin K levels, potentially exacerbating the deficiency. Monitoring these symptoms and discussing them with a healthcare provider is crucial for early intervention and management, he concludes.

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