Final answer:
The human body uses vitamin K primarily to produce blood clotting factors, which are essential for minimizing bleeding and facilitating wound healing. Without enough vitamin K, individuals may experience increased bleeding times due to decreased levels of prothrombin.
Step-by-step explanation:
The human body needs vitamin K to produce blood clotting factors. Vitamin K's biochemical role includes increasing the activity of clotting factors, initiating the biosynthesis of proconvertin in the liver for the formation of prothrombin, and acting as a coenzyme for the carboxylation of glutamate.
Deficiency in vitamin K results in increased clotting time and decreased prothrombin levels, leading to continuous bleeding risks, particularly noted during childbirth.
Vitamins A and K are fat-soluble vitamins, meaning they can accumulate in body fat if ingested in excessive amounts.
While vitamin A is important for maintaining eyesight, vitamin K is essential for the clotting of blood. Clotting factors required for this process are secreted mainly by the liver and platelets, and the liver needs vitamin K to produce many of these clotting factors.