Vitamin K Deficiency
Assess whether you present clinical signs of vitamin K deficiency: calcifications, easy bruising, nosebleeds, gums, bone density.
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Keeping your balance
Consume green vegetables daily
Green leafy vegetables are the best sources of vitamin K1: fresh parsley (1,640 mcg/100 g), kale, spinach, chard, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. One to 2 servings of green vegetables per day generously cover K1 needs for coagulation.
Integrate fermented foods for K2
Natto (Japanese fermented soybeans) is by far the richest food source of vitamin K2 MK-7 (1,000 mcg/100 g). Aged cheeses (gouda, old emmental), sauerkraut, miso and yolks from free-range eggs complement K2 intake in an enjoyable way.
Maintain your intestinal flora
Intestinal bacteria produce part of vitamin K2 (MK-10 to MK-13 forms). A diverse and balanced flora, maintained by consuming prebiotic fibers (chicory, Jerusalem artichoke, leek) and fermented foods, contributes to maintaining your vitamin K status.
What you can do
Significantly increase green vegetables
Aim for two to 3 daily servings of green leafy vegetables: kale salad, sautéed spinach with ghee, broccoli soup, roasted Brussels sprouts. Vitamin K1 is fat-soluble: always cook your green vegetables with a fat source to optimize intestinal absorption.
Supplement with K2 MK-7
If you take a vitamin K antagonist anticoagulant (warfarin, acenocoumarol, fluindione), do not take vitamin K without your doctor’s advice: it changes its effect. Vitamin K2 in MK-7 form has a long half-life (72 hours) that ensures stable plasma levels. Take it with a meal containing fats, ideally associated with vitamin D3 with which it acts synergistically on bone and calcium metabolism. Doses are set with your doctor or your naturopath, all the more so if you already take a medication.
Restore your intestinal flora
Antibiotics, anti-acids and a fiber-poor diet destroy vitamin K2-producing bacteria in the colon. Restore your microbiota with probiotics (Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium), prebiotics (inulin fibers, FOS) and fermented foods (sauerkraut, kefir, miso, natto).
Use alfalfa as a plant source
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is one of the rare plants naturally rich in vitamin K. In phytotherapy, it is traditionally used to support coagulation and bone remineralization. Consume it as sprouted seeds, fresh juice or dietary supplement.
Check your biological markers
Request testing of prothrombin time (PT) and INR to assess coagulation function (K1), and under-carboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC) testing to assess K2 status. PIVKA-II (under-carboxylated prothrombin) is a very sensitive early marker of hepatic vitamin K deficiency.
What you can do
Supplement with K2 MK-7 over time
If you take a vitamin K antagonist anticoagulant (warfarin, acenocoumarol, fluindione), do not take vitamin K without your doctor’s advice: it changes its effect. Supplementation of vitamin K2 MK-7 is recommended to activate osteocalcin (bone calcium fixation) and MGP (prevention of arterial calcifications). Systematically associate vitamin D3 which acts synergistically with K2 on calcium metabolism. Doses are set with your doctor or your naturopath, all the more so if you already take a medication.
Saturate K1 dietary intake
Consume daily generous portions of dark leafy green vegetables: fresh parsley, kale, spinach, chard, watercress, broccoli, Brussels sprouts. Always paired with a fat source (olive oil, ghee) to optimize absorption of this fat-soluble vitamin. Gentle cooking preserves vitamin K1.
Integrate natto and fermented foods
Natto (soybeans fermented with Bacillus subtilis) is the world’s most concentrated natural source of K2 MK-7 (1,000 mcg/100 g). If its taste troubles you, long-aged cheeses (old gouda, emmental, brie), goose liver and organic egg yolks are more accessible alternatives, though less concentrated.
Necessarily restore the microbiota
Intestinal flora naturally produces vitamin K2 in the colon. Dysbiosis (repeated antibiotics, ultra-processed diet, chronic stress) drastically reduces this endogenous production. Restore the microbiota with targeted probiotics, abundant prebiotic fibers and elimination of dysbiotic factors.
Attention to medication interactions
If you take anticoagulants of the antivitamin K type (VKA: warfarin, fluindione), never change your vitamin K intake without medical advice, as it directly interferes with their mechanism of action. Broad-spectrum antibiotics, antiepileptics and bile-chelating resins also reduce vitamin K status.
Have a comprehensive assessment performed
Request complete coagulation testing (PT, INR, factors II, VII, IX, X), under-carboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC) and PIVKA-II testing to quantify K1 and K2 deficiency. Bone densitometry (DEXA) will assess bone impact. Personalized naturopathic support will coordinate dietary strategy, microbiota restoration and K2-D3 supplementation.
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Related tests
This result is an educational naturopathic self-assessment. It is neither a diagnosis nor medical advice, and it does not replace a consultation. Only a health professional can confirm or rule out a disorder. If symptoms persist, or if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or on any treatment, talk to your doctor before taking any supplement or herbal preparation, and never stop a treatment without medical advice.
How to read this test
Assess whether you present clinical signs of vitamin K deficiency: calcifications, easy bruising, nosebleeds, gums, bone density. Free, 7 questions.
Vitamin K exists in 2 main forms: K1 (phylloquinone), found in green vegetables, ensures blood coagulation; K2 (menaquinone), produced by intestinal flora and present in fermented foods, directs calcium toward bones and away from arteries. A vitamin K deficit results in coagulation disorders (bleeding, bruising) and bone fragility that can lead to osteoporosis.
Strengths
- Rapid identification of clinical signs
- Simple self-assessment test
- Evaluation of hemorrhagic risk and bone fragility
Limitations
- Does not replace blood testing
- Some signs may have other causes
- Limited sensitivity for subclinical deficiencies