What Vitamin Deficiency Causes Brain Hemorrhage? An Overview

December 19, 2025 •

4 min read

Newborns with insufficient vitamin K stores are at high risk of developing a potentially fatal bleeding disorder, known as Vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB), which can cause brain hemorrhage. In both infants and adults, a severe deficiency of this crucial nutrient can impair the body's clotting ability and increase the risk of serious intracranial bleeding.

Quick Summary

Severe vitamin K deficiency can cause brain hemorrhage due to its critical role in blood clotting. Other deficiencies, like vitamin C, have been linked to rare cases, while B12 and D are associated with general stroke risk and severity, but not directly as the cause of hemorrhage.

Key Points

Vitamin K Deficiency is the Primary Cause: A lack of Vitamin K is the most direct vitamin deficiency link to brain hemorrhage, specifically by impairing the body's blood clotting ability.
Newborns are Most Vulnerable: Vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB) is a serious concern for newborns, especially late-onset VKDB, which often involves intracranial bleeding in infants who did not receive prophylactic vitamin K.
Vitamin C Deficiency is a Rare Contributor: Severe scurvy, caused by prolonged vitamin C deficiency, can potentially lead to brain hemorrhage due to weakened blood vessel walls, but this is extremely rare.
Other Vitamins Affect Overall Stroke Risk: Deficiencies in vitamins like B12 and D are more broadly associated with increased stroke risk and inflammation, rather than directly causing brain hemorrhages.
Brain Hemorrhage is Multifactorial: While vitamin status plays a role, factors like hypertension, anticoagulant medication use, and underlying vascular malformations are major contributors to brain hemorrhage risk.

The Primary Link: Vitamin K Deficiency and Hemorrhage

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin essential for the synthesis of several proteins needed for blood coagulation. Its deficiency directly impairs the blood's ability to clot, leading to an increased risk of severe and uncontrolled bleeding, including brain hemorrhage.

Vitamin K Deficiency in Newborns (VKDB)

Newborns are particularly vulnerable to vitamin K deficiency for several reasons. Vitamin K does not cross the placenta effectively during pregnancy, and infants are born with low reserves. Furthermore, breast milk contains low levels of vitamin K, and the infant's gut is not yet colonized with the bacteria that help produce it.

Early-onset VKDB: Occurs within the first 24 hours of birth and is often linked to maternal use of certain medications during pregnancy.
Classical VKDB: Manifests between days 2 and 7 and is typically less severe, involving bleeding from the umbilical cord or gastrointestinal tract.
Late-onset VKDB: The most dangerous form, occurring between 2 weeks and 6 months of age, and is most commonly associated with intracranial hemorrhage. This form is often seen in exclusively breastfed infants who did not receive a prophylactic vitamin K shot at birth.

Vitamin K Deficiency in Adults

While rare in healthy adults, vitamin K deficiency can occur due to underlying medical conditions or prolonged medication use. Conditions affecting fat absorption, such as celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, or liver disorders, can impede the body's ability to absorb this vital nutrient. The use of blood-thinning medications like warfarin, which interfere with vitamin K metabolism, is also a significant risk factor for bleeding and hemorrhage.

The Role of Vitamin C and Other Factors

In extremely rare cases, a severe and prolonged deficiency of vitamin C, leading to scurvy, has been associated with intracerebral hemorrhage. Vitamin C is critical for the synthesis of collagen, a protein that maintains the structural integrity of blood vessel walls. Without sufficient collagen, the vessels become fragile and more susceptible to rupture. This connection is typically observed in individuals with severe dietary restrictions or chronic health issues like alcohol use disorder.

Comparison of Key Vitamins and Hemorrhagic Risk


Vitamin	Primary Role Related to Bleeding	Direct Link to Hemorrhagic Stroke	Main Mechanism of Action	At-Risk Population
Vitamin K	Blood Coagulation	Strong and Direct (especially in infants)	Essential for synthesizing clotting factors (II, VII, IX, X)	Newborns, individuals with malabsorption disorders, liver disease, or on certain medications
Vitamin C	Connective Tissue Health	Rare and Indirect	Supports collagen synthesis for vascular integrity	Individuals with severe scurvy due to extremely poor diet, e.g., chronic alcohol abuse
Vitamin B12	Red Blood Cell and Nerve Health	Indirect (related to overall stroke risk)	Regulates homocysteine levels; high levels linked to vessel damage	Elderly, individuals with malabsorption, vegans; associated with ischemic stroke
Vitamin D	Calcium Regulation, Inflammation	Indirect (related to overall stroke risk)	Modulates inflammation and oxidative stress; supports vascular health	Those with limited sun exposure, elderly, darker skin complexion

Associated Risk Factors Beyond Deficiency

While vitamin deficiencies can be contributing factors, it is important to remember that brain hemorrhage is a multifactorial event. Several other significant risk factors exist.

Major Hemorrhagic Risk Factors

High Blood Pressure (Hypertension): The most significant risk factor, as high pressure weakens vessel walls over time.
Anticoagulant Medications: Blood thinners like warfarin dramatically increase the risk of severe bleeding and require careful management.
Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy (CAA): A condition where amyloid proteins build up in the walls of brain arteries, often linked to advanced age.
Blood Vessel Abnormalities: Congenital malformations, such as arteriovenous malformations or aneurysms, predispose individuals to bleeding.
Lifestyle Factors: Chronic alcohol consumption, smoking, and drug abuse (e.g., cocaine) are linked to an increased risk.
Head Trauma: A direct injury to the head is a common cause of brain bleeds, particularly in younger individuals.

Conclusion

In summary, the vitamin deficiency most directly linked to causing brain hemorrhage is vitamin K deficiency, particularly in vulnerable populations like newborns. This is because Vitamin K is an essential cofactor for the synthesis of blood clotting factors. Severe, long-term vitamin C deficiency (scurvy) has also been reported in very rare cases to contribute to hemorrhage by compromising vascular wall integrity. Other vitamins, such as B12 and D, are more broadly associated with overall stroke risk and recovery but do not cause hemorrhage as a primary deficiency symptom. Ultimately, proper vitamin intake is one part of a comprehensive strategy to manage the risk of brain hemorrhage, which includes controlling blood pressure, managing medications, and other important lifestyle choices. You can find more information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the prevention of vitamin K deficiency bleeding in infants.

Frequently Asked Questions

The most common cause of a vitamin deficiency-related brain hemorrhage is a severe lack of Vitamin K, which is essential for blood clotting. This is particularly prevalent in newborns, leading to a condition known as Vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB).

Vitamin K is a cofactor needed to produce essential blood clotting proteins in the liver. When deficient, these clotting factors are produced in insufficient amounts or are inactive, resulting in uncontrolled bleeding, which can manifest as a brain hemorrhage.

Yes, though it is rare in healthy adults. It is a risk for those with conditions that cause fat malabsorption, such as celiac disease or cystic fibrosis, and for individuals taking anticoagulant medications that interfere with vitamin K metabolism.

In very rare and severe cases of prolonged vitamin C deficiency (scurvy), a brain hemorrhage can occur. This is because vitamin C is needed for collagen synthesis, and a lack of it can weaken the integrity of blood vessels throughout the body, including the brain.

VKDB is a serious, life-threatening bleeding disorder that occurs in newborns with low levels of vitamin K. The most severe form, late-onset VKDB, most often involves bleeding into the brain and is a preventable condition.

While deficiencies in Vitamin D and B12 are linked to an increased overall risk of stroke and worse outcomes, they are not typically a direct cause of a hemorrhagic stroke. B12 deficiency is more strongly associated with ischemic stroke risk via increased homocysteine levels.

A vitamin K deficiency is typically diagnosed by blood tests that measure the blood's clotting ability, such as prothrombin time (PT) or international normalized ratio (INR). For infants, elevated levels of proteins induced by vitamin K absence (PIVKA-II) can confirm the deficiency.