Nature has its way of fulfilling all our nutritional requirements in the form of vegetables, livestock, and herbs. But sometimes, we tend to consume the right type of food that our body wants. Very often, we ignore what our body has to say. Vitamin K is a vital nutrient for any blood clotting problem.
Lack of vitamin K may lead to excessive bleeding. We have ample resources to manage the scarcity of vitamin K, but sometimes we also have to take it in medicines and injections for a quick effect. There are lots of benefits of Vitamin K injections that you may consider if your doctor prescribes one.
Vitamin K Deficiency
Before we learn about the various benefits of vitamin K injections, we need to know why we may need this. Vitamin K injection is prescribed if the doctor thinks you don't have an adequate amount of this vitamin present in your body.
There may be various reasons to have vitamin K deficiency in adults and kids. Let us first learn about the causes of its scarcity in the body and then its symptoms.
1. Predominant Causes of Vitamin K Deficiency
Vitamin K deficiency may result from a very low intake of food, fat malabsorption, or usage of coumarin anticoagulants. Compared to infants who are not breastfed, those who have a greater risk of deficiency. It prevents blood from adequately clotting.
When there is a serious danger of bleeding or fat malabsorption, vitamin K is given intravenously instead of orally.
2. Symptoms
A lack of vitamin K may cause a variety of different symptoms in its victims. The most prominent sign is heavy or constant bleeding.
The following are some other indications that may indicate heavy bleeding:
It's possible that the patient may bruise readily.
If you do not get enough vitamin K in your diet, you may notice the formation of tiny blood clots beneath your nails.
Insufficiency in vitamin K may cause stools that are very dark in color, almost like tar, or that include blood.
Dosage of Vitamin K Injections
The form of vitamin K that is found in food is known as vitamin K1 (phylloquinone). Some sources of this nutrient include soybeans, green leafy vegetables including collards, spinach, and greens salad, as well as vegetable oils.
The fat in meals helps the body absorb it more effectively. Vitamin K is present in a more concentrated form in infant formula. Following the neonatal period, microorganisms in the stomach begin to produce vitamin K, which the body will eventually absorb and put to use.
If not taken in the form of vegetables, the patient may have to rely on the benefits of vitamin K injections. The appropriate dosage of the medications in this vitamin category will be customized for each individual.
If your doctor has given you specific instructions, be sure to follow them. In general, the oral dose restricts the usage of this vitamin to 5 to 10 milligrams for children and 5-15 milligrams for adults and teenagers in a day. However, consult with your doctor and take vitamin K as per the direction.
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Vitamin K Injections for New-Borns
Haemorrhagic disease of the new-born (HDN) is a viral disease in new-borns. Low levels of this vitamin in new-borns can cause severe bleeding, which may lead to significant damage to them. Vitamin K injections are given to new-borns to prevent this type of disease.
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Benefits of Vitamin K Injections
Apart from replenishing the scarcity in the body, vitamin k has several other things to offer. These are:
Your bone health will improve, and you will be less likely to get osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease that develops when bone density decreases. The affected patient's body absorbs more bone tissue but produces less to replace it. Generally, this bone disorder develops gradually and can cause a break in the hip, wrists, or spinal vertebrae, even from a cough or sneeze.
Vitamin K is associated with good cognitive function. Studies have found that adults who took vitamin K showed improvement in better verbal episodic memory. They can recall better than adults who don't take vitamin K. This vitamin also can help with age-related dementia and Alzheimer's in older people.
People with high blood pressure may develop mineralization. One of the benefits of vitamin K injections is that it keeps mineralization at bay. In mineralization, excessive minerals are stored in the arteries and reduce the heart's health as it can't freely pump-up blood through the body.
Uses of Vitamin K Injections
If the patient has Hypoprothrombinaemia, a vitamin K injection is given to prevent and control blood flow with a low level of prothrombin.
On the other hand, if an individual lacks too much vitamin K in his or her body, a vitamin K injection will help it to balance.
Before you start taking vitamin K, tell your doctor if you have any allergies and entire medical history, such as blood disorders, kidney disease, liver disease, etc.
After taking vitamin K through injection or oral pills, if you notice some weakness or bone pain, immediately ask your doctor. If you breastfeed your new-born, ensure you have a consultation prior to taking vitamin K injections.
Side Effects of Vitamin K Injections
Your doctor prescribed this medicine for you based on the belief that the benefits to you outweigh the harms. In most cases, patients using this medicine have no adverse effects.
It is unusual for this medication to have particularly serious side effects. However, if you have a severe allergic response, such as a rash, itching, or swelling, particularly of the face, tongue, or neck, severe dizziness, or breathing difficulties, you immediately seek emergency medical attention.
If you witness any rare side effects, such as dry mouth, diarrhea, tiredness, or pain in the area of injection, do not hesitate to call your doctor.
Also, if you are a pregnant woman or taking other medicines, tell your doctor about it. This will help you avoid any kind of health hazard that may happen from overmedication.
Conclusion
To sum up, you need to consult with your pharmacist or doctor about your current health condition, medical history, or family history. Until your doctor knows you better, prescribing vitamin intake may be difficult. If taken at the right time and with the proper amount, you can leverage the benefits of vitamin K injections and live the healthy life you ever wanted.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Is Vitamin K shots mandatory for babies?
Your doctor may tell whether a new born baby needs vitamin K doses right after birth. Various countries have different rules. In America, the baby has to take vitamin K shots within 6 hours after birth.
Q2. Is Vitamin K found in breast milk?
No, breast milk has a low level of vitamin K. That is why doctors can prescribe vitamin K shots right after birth.
Q3. How long does it take Vitamin K to work?
After injection, it starts to work within 6-10n hours, but it will take 1-2 days to be in its optimal functioning stage.
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