The truth about vitamin K for dark circles…
There are countless cosmetic skin conditions people have to deal with during their lifetimes. For almost all of them, we have a broad array of treatments to address them. However dark circles are different… you see there’s not much out there to treat them… except for vitamin K.

The history behind vitamin K treatment and why it works…
This vitamin was first discovered in 1929 in a study on birds, relating to their circulatory system and how this previously unknown substance affected blood clotting. It was found that vitamin K had unique properties which could help support healthy circulation.

Eventually, scientists realized it could also be beneficial in the topical form when applied to bruises, veins that looked like “spiders” and even under eye dark circles. You see, these are all cosmetic dermatological problems stemming from the capillaries directly below the skin’s surface not working as they should.

How vitamin K for dark circles works…
So how does vitamin K for dark circles actually help? Well, as you already know, the layer of skin underneath your eyes is extremely thing. So the underlying blood capillaries have a very thin cover – much thinner than elsewhere on your body. When these capillaries aren’t working properly (because they’re swollen, enlarged, blocked, etc) they can create the phenomenon we simply refer to as dark circles under eyes.

Vitamin K is reportedly known to help support healthy circulation in this area when applied in the form of a topical cream. Over a period of several weeks, it can often improve the appearance by reportedly helping to restore and rejuvenate these problematic dark capillaries.

What’s my personal opinion on this matter?
It may not be the magic bullet that works for everyone, but it is the best option we have to date. There is no surgery or anything else yet to fix this problem, so for now, this is our only effective means of addressing the issue. Using vitamin K for dark circles (usually in a 5% strength) has been known to be extremely beneficial for countless women and men across the globe. This is why it has been used for decades now and it’s popularity only continues to grow every year. It may not completely eliminate dark circles for everyone, but I do believe everyone should at least give vitamin K eye cream for dark circles a shot.

What Does Vitamin K Do?
Reportedly the benefits of this nutrient are that it promotes healthy blood clotting, prevents calcification of heart valves/blood vessels, and helps to inhibit bones from fracturing and/or weakening. It is needed for a synthesis process which takes place in certain brain and nervous system fats. There is also research which points to vitamin K possibly helping to prevent oxidative damage, especially in the nerve cells.

In the beauty industry, this vitamin (in a topical cream form) is known for its ability to help with various cosmetic circulatory problems, such as over-prominent and malfunctioning capillaries which contribute to dark circles under the eye and spider veins on the body.

What Are The Natural Vitamin K Sources?
Vitamin K1 (phylloquinones) is produced by plants and is found in vegetables, particularly those which are green and leafy like kale, spinach, and collard greens.  It is also found in tomatoes, carrots, romaine lettuce, and other foods. I read one place that roughly 90% of our K intake comes from plants, so if you consume healthy amounts of veggies like these, a vitamin K deficiency is probably unlikely.

Vitamin K2 (menaquinones) is made in our large intestine by bacteria. The vast majority of healthy adults produce enough, however if you have an abnormal abdominal system, take certain medications, or have an unhealthy liver due to drinking, deficiency is more likely.

What Are The Vitamin K Deficiency Symptoms?
First of all I would like to point out that the only way to know for sure is to talk to your doctor and get tested. I do not have a medical education so please do not interpret anything  here as advice/guidance.

Bleeding Problems: bleeding gums, frequent bloody noses, excessive menstrual blood, digestive system bleeding
Circulatory Problems: you may be deficient if you have calcification (hardening) of the valves in the heart and/or your blood vessels
Susceptible To Bruising: everyone is susceptible to bruising, but if you bruise very easily, then it may be due to a vitamin K deficiency
Weak Bones: although there are a number of other deficiencies and conditions linked to fractures and brittle bones, not enough vitamin K has also been associated with such

An Important Note About Vitamin K Supplements
The Institute of Medicine has not set a Tolerable Upper Limit – or intake limit – for the natural form of vitamin K because reportedly no adverse side effects were associated with high intakes. However, a synthetic form – K3 or menadione – has been linked to dangerous side effects. That form is no longer allowed to be sold in the US, but many manufacturers still use other synthetic forms. This is why I specifically buy natural vitamins which use Vitamin K2.

There are actually different types:

Vitamin K1 – This is typically in leafy greens and other vegetables. According to one paper I read, even when someone consumes 500 times the recommend daily dosage of this form, it is not toxic (but check with a doctor to make sure that is correct).

Vitamin K2 – This is actually made in your large intestines by bacteria. It is also produced during the fermentation process involved with making some foods. Therefore, rarely do people have a deficiency of it. However if the intestines aren’t working properly or there are excessive antibiotics being used for periods of time (which kills bacteria) then there could be a deficiency.

Vitamin K3, K4, and K5 – These are synthetically created and not naturally found anywhere. Because of this, there are many who advise against consuming them. One source I read said that there have been cases where a baby suffered a toxic dose of K3 and that sounds pretty scary to me, so I think I would have to agree with those that say it’s best to stick to the natural forms of vitamin K: 1 & 2.

Health Benefits of Vitamin K
First of all I would like to say that not all of the benefits listed below are “official” and some may be incorrect. I’m only summarizing the information I’ve read elsewhere, so you should most definitely speak with a doctor about any of these alleged benefits.

Hemorrhaging: Because it is known to help your body have normal blood clotting, it has been shown to be beneficial with some times of hemorrhaging.

Bones: There has been a large body of research over the years which links vitamin K with healthy bones. Supposedly it promotes a process known as calcium binding, and in turn, that assists with osteoporosis. There have been a study that point to increased vitamin K consumption resulting in less age-related hip fractures. However like many things in life, there are educated people on both sides of the argument as to what (if any) the alleged bone benefits of vitamin K are, so that is why it’s important to ask your doctor in order to make a decision.

Under Eye Dark Circles: There are a number of other benefits it is linked to, including vitamin K eye cream; many say it works wonders as a dark circles eye cream. Being that these pesky things are probably the number one sign of aging, you should definitely look into this if you have dark circles because they make you look tried and older.

Hopefully this answers your basic question as to what is vitamin K. Of course like any topic though, there is so much information about there that you will need to do your own research.