Hey, don’t forget about vitamin K!

You know how important it is to get certain vitamins in your diet, like vitamins A, D, and C, but what about the commonly-overlooked vitamin K? Despite the fact it rarely gets mentioned in health articles, vitamin K is important to the body–particularly to the blood and skeletal system.

Harvard University indicates national data suggests that only about one in four Americans meets the goal for vitamin K intake from food, and those most at-risk for vitamin K deficiency are people who fail to include enough green, leafy vegetables in their diets.

Diet isn’t the only way the body gets vitamin K, however; the bacteria in the intestines makes vitamin K, and this is why some people on long-term antibiotics (which kill intestinal bacteria) may become vitamin K deficient.

SEE ALSO: List of vitamins you should take to stay healthy

So what’s so important about vitamin K?

Lots of things. First and foremost, the body needs vitamin K to make make four of the 13 proteins needed for blood clotting. Without vitamin K, an individual may find themselves prone to certain bleeding disorders such as easy bruising, frequent nose bleeds, or bleeding from the gums. This bleeding occurs because the body lacks the ability to clot.

Individuals who are deficient in vitamin K may also suffer bone issues. The University of Maryland Medical Center states,”Your body needs vitamin K to use calcium to build bone. People who have higher levels of vitamin K have greater bone density, while low levels of vitamin K have been found in those with osteoporosis.

There is increasing evidence that vitamin K improves bone health and reduces risk of bone fractures, particularly in postmenopausal women who are at risk for osteoporosis. In addition, studies of male and female athletes have also found that vitamin K helps with bone health. However, some studies have found that vitamin K didn’t help with bone density.”

A report from the Nurses’ Health Study suggests that women who get at least 110 micrograms of vitamin K a day are 30 percent less likely to break a hip than women who get less than that amount. Similarly, women who ate a serving of lettuce or other green, leafy vegetable a day cut the risk of hip fracture in half when compared with eating one serving a week.

SEE ALSO: What vitamins should I take to stay healthy?

Vitamin K is also essential to newborns who are naturally deficient. In countries like the United States and Great Britain, infants are automatically administered a vitamin K injection while in the hospital.

How do I know if I’m deficient in vitamin K?

Detecting vitamin K deficiency can be difficult because the symptoms mimic many other conditions, but according to an article on NewsMax, you may have vitamin deficiency if:

• You bruise easily and bruises take longer than a few days to clear.
• You have heavy menstrual bleeding or bleeding from other areas like the nose or gums.
• Delayed blood clotting with an injury.
• Anemia.
• Calcium-related issues like hardening of the arteries or soft spots in bones.
• Developmental deformities in children.

While you can supplement your diet with vitamin K, you should consult with your doctor before starting this vitamin. No known side-effects at the standard dosage are known, but research on vitamin K alone is limited.

Foods that provide vitamin K

Just to make sure your diet is adequately stocked with vitamin K items, make sure to include these in your meals:

• Kale
• Dandelion greens
• Spinach
• Collard greens
• Spring onions
• Brussels sprouts
• Broccoli
• Asparagus
• Cabbage
• Prunes
• Pickled cucumbers