What Can Cause Individuals To Bruise Easily?

Vitamin Deficiencies

Certain vitamin deficiencies in an individual can cause them to bruise easier than others. Vitamins are an important part of an individual's diet required for their body to carry out numerous important processes. Ascorbic acid or vitamin C enhances antioxidant and immune system activity in the body, and it is required to produce a protein called collagen that can be found in the skin, hair, and nails. Vitamin K is extremely important because it functions as an enzyme cofactor required for the coagulation cascade to take place. Without adequate amounts of vitamin K, easy bruising can occur because the coagulation process is impaired. Vitamin B9 (folic acid) is important because it works with other vitamins such as vitamin C and vitamin B12 to assist with the production, use, and breakdown of proteins. Vitamin B12 is important for actions related to proteins, and a deficiency causes elevated levels of a compound called homocysteine in the affected individual's blood. Homocysteine disables the DNA repair process and causes blood vessels to become damaged. A shortage of vitamins C, K, B9, or B12 can result in easy bruising because they have roles involving blood vessels and bleeding.

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