Understanding Which Vitamin Deficiency Leads to Hemorrhage

October 27, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Vitamin K deficiency can cause serious, life-threatening bleeding problems, particularly in newborns, a condition known as VKDB. This highlights a crucial nutritional link that answers the question: which vitamin deficiency leads to hemorrhage? The answer, primarily, is Vitamin K, though other deficiencies can also play a role.

Quick Summary

Examines how deficiencies in certain vitamins, most notably Vitamin K, can cause serious bleeding or hemorrhage. Explores the biological mechanisms, common risk factors, and signs of these nutritional issues, offering insight into prevention and management.

Key Points

Vitamin K Deficiency: This is the primary vitamin deficiency that can lead to severe hemorrhage by impairing the liver's production of blood-clotting factors.
Newborn Risk: Infants are especially vulnerable to Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding (VKDB) due to low stores at birth and low Vitamin K levels in breast milk; therefore, a prophylactic shot is standard.
Adult Risk Factors: In adults, Vitamin K deficiency is rare but can be caused by malabsorption issues, liver disease, or prolonged antibiotic use.
Vitamin C and Scurvy: A severe deficiency in Vitamin C can cause bleeding issues like bleeding gums and petechiae by weakening blood vessel walls, but this is less common than Vitamin K-related hemorrhage.
Symptom Recognition: Warning signs of vitamin deficiency-related bleeding include easy bruising, mucosal bleeding (nosebleeds), blood in stool or urine, and excessive bleeding from wounds.
Dietary Prevention: Maintaining a diet rich in green leafy vegetables, some oils, and fermented foods (for K) and fresh fruits and vegetables (for C) is key to prevention.

The Crucial Role of Vitamin K in Blood Clotting

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that is absolutely essential for the body's coagulation process, commonly known as blood clotting. Its primary function is to serve as a cofactor for an enzyme that activates a series of proteins, or clotting factors, produced in the liver. Specifically, Vitamin K activates Factors II (prothrombin), VII, IX, and X, which are all vital steps in the clotting cascade. Without sufficient Vitamin K, these clotting factors remain in an inactive state, rendering the blood unable to clot effectively and leading to uncontrolled bleeding.

Types of Vitamin K

There are two main types of naturally occurring Vitamin K:

Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone): Primarily found in green leafy vegetables, such as kale, spinach, and broccoli, and is the main source of dietary Vitamin K.
Vitamin K2 (menaquinone): Synthesized by bacteria in the intestinal tract and found in smaller amounts in fermented foods and some animal products like cheese, eggs, and liver.

Causes of Vitamin K Deficiency

While Vitamin K deficiency is rare in healthy adults, certain conditions and circumstances can lead to it. The most vulnerable group is newborns, for whom a prophylactic Vitamin K shot is standard procedure.

In newborns:

Limited placental transfer of Vitamin K from mother to fetus.
A newborn's gut is sterile and has not yet developed the bacteria needed to produce Vitamin K2.
Breast milk contains relatively low levels of Vitamin K.

In adults:

Malabsorption Disorders: Conditions like celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, and inflammatory bowel diseases can hinder the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, including Vitamin K.
Liver Disease: As clotting factors are produced in the liver, significant liver damage can impair their synthesis, compounding the effects of Vitamin K deficiency.
Antibiotics: Prolonged use of broad-spectrum antibiotics can kill the intestinal bacteria that produce Vitamin K2.
Poor Diet: Severe malnutrition or extremely low-fat diets can lead to insufficient dietary intake, as Vitamin K is best absorbed with fat.
Medications: Anticoagulants like warfarin intentionally interfere with the Vitamin K cycle to prevent clotting.

Uncontrolled Bleeding and the Symptoms of Deficiency

The most common and dangerous manifestation of Vitamin K deficiency is, predictably, bleeding or hemorrhage. The severity and location of bleeding can vary depending on the individual and the extent of the deficiency.

Symptoms of Vitamin K Deficiency

Easy Bruising: The appearance of bruises, often for no apparent reason.
Mucosal Bleeding: Bleeding from mucous membranes, such as nosebleeds or bleeding gums.
Gastrointestinal (GI) Bleeding: Blood in the stool (appearing dark and tarry) or urine, and sometimes vomiting blood.
Excessive Bleeding: Prolonged bleeding from cuts, injections, or surgical wounds.
Intracranial Hemorrhage: A life-threatening complication, especially in infants with Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding (VKDB).

The Connection Between Vitamin C Deficiency and Hemorrhage

While Vitamin K is the most direct cause, another vitamin deficiency can also lead to bleeding issues: Vitamin C. A severe deficiency of Vitamin C results in a disease called scurvy. Unlike Vitamin K, which affects clotting factors, Vitamin C is crucial for the synthesis of collagen, a protein that provides structure to connective tissues, including blood vessel walls.

Symptoms of Scurvy-Related Bleeding

Bleeding Gums: Swollen, purple, and spongy gums that bleed easily.
Petechiae and Ecchymosis: Small, red or blue spots (petechiae) and larger bruises (ecchymosis) that appear on the skin due to fragile blood vessels.
Impaired Wound Healing: Wounds may not heal properly or may reopen.
Perifollicular Hemorrhage: Bleeding around hair follicles.

Dietary Prevention and Nutritional Sources

Preventing vitamin-related hemorrhage is typically a matter of maintaining a balanced, nutritious diet. For most healthy adults, this provides sufficient amounts of both Vitamin K and Vitamin C. Supplementation or specific dietary planning may be necessary for individuals with risk factors.

Rich Sources of Vitamin K (K1 & K2):

Leafy Greens: Kale, spinach, collard greens, Swiss chard.
Cruciferous Vegetables: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage.
Fermented Foods: Natto (fermented soybeans) is a particularly rich source of K2.
Animal Products: Eggs, cheese, and liver contain smaller amounts of Vitamin K2.

Rich Sources of Vitamin C:

Citrus Fruits: Oranges, grapefruits.
Berries: Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries.
Peppers: Red and green bell peppers.
Cruciferous Vegetables: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts.
Potatoes: A surprisingly good source of Vitamin C.

Comparison of Vitamin K and Vitamin C Deficiency Bleeding


Feature	Vitamin K Deficiency	Vitamin C Deficiency (Scurvy)
Underlying Mechanism	Inactivates liver-produced blood clotting factors (II, VII, IX, X).	Impairs collagen synthesis, leading to fragile blood vessel walls.
Type of Bleeding	Can cause deep, internal bleeding, bruising, and severe GI hemorrhage.	Typically leads to surface-level bleeding like gum bleeding, petechiae, and poor wound healing.
Primary Cause	Poor fat absorption, liver disease, certain medications, or, in infants, insufficient stores.	Inadequate dietary intake of fresh fruits and vegetables.
High-Risk Groups	Newborns, individuals with malabsorption disorders, liver disease, or on anticoagulant medication.	Malnourished individuals, older adults with poor diets, and alcoholics.
Dietary Solution	Ensure sufficient intake of leafy greens, and for some, K2 from fermented foods or supplements.	Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Conclusion: Prioritizing a Nutritious Diet

While multiple factors can cause hemorrhage, a deficiency in Vitamin K is the most direct vitamin-related cause due to its essential role in blood coagulation. Scurvy, from severe Vitamin C deficiency, also causes bleeding but through the weakening of blood vessel structure. A balanced diet rich in a variety of fruits and vegetables is the most effective way for most people to prevent these issues. However, in cases of underlying health conditions or for newborns, medical intervention and supplementation are often necessary to prevent potentially life-threatening bleeding episodes. Anyone experiencing unusual bleeding or bruising should seek prompt medical advice to determine the cause and appropriate treatment. For additional health information, consult reliable sources like the National Institutes of Health for detailed fact sheets on specific vitamins.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, Vitamin K deficiency can cause internal bleeding, known as hemorrhage. In newborns, this can be particularly dangerous, with bleeding occurring in the intestines or even the brain. In adults, it can manifest as bleeding in the GI tract.

VKDB is a serious bleeding disorder in newborns caused by insufficient levels of Vitamin K. It is a potentially life-threatening condition that can be prevented with a single Vitamin K injection given at birth.

Yes, a severe deficiency in Vitamin C can lead to scurvy, a disease characterized by weakened blood vessel walls due to impaired collagen synthesis, which results in bleeding gums, bruising, and poor wound healing.

The initial signs in adults can be subtle and include easy bruising, mucosal bleeding (such as from the nose or gums), and blood oozing from minor cuts or injections.

Newborns are at the highest risk. In adults, those with malabsorption syndromes (like cystic fibrosis or celiac disease), liver disease, or who are on long-term antibiotics or specific anticoagulants are at increased risk.

You can increase your Vitamin K intake by eating more green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, and broccoli. Other sources include soybean oil and fermented foods like natto.

There is no known toxicity associated with high intakes of Vitamin K1 or K2 from food or supplements, and therefore no established upper intake level. This is different from other fat-soluble vitamins where excessive intake can be harmful.