Other over-the-counter dietary supplements, in addition to vitamins C, K, D, and some of the Bs, can lead to frequent bruising. Some botanical supplements, including ginkgo, ginseng, ginger and garlic, can act as natural blood thinners. That can be beneficial, but it may also make it more difficult for your blood to clot leading to easier bruising after an acute trauma to your skin (and potential other problems).
Even omega-3 fatty acids, saw palmetto or vitamin E can contribute to bruising, due to their potential effects on blood platelets, says this article.
Other Possible Causes of Bruising
Medications—If you’re on prescription blood thinners or regularly take aspirin or ibuprofen, your body might have trouble with blood clotting. In addition, steroids can make your skin more fragile and some antibiotics or antidepressants may also be the reason you’re more easily bruising. Aging—you’ve heard of being thin-skinned? In this case, we’re not talking about having your feelings easily hurt. The fact is that as you age, your skin gets thinner as you lose the fatty layer underneath. Aging also causes your blood vessels to weaken. The sun—years of basking in the sun may lead to weakening the walls of your blood vessels which, in turn, makes your skin more susceptible to frequent bruising. Medical conditions—diabetes, blood diseases (e.g., hemophilia) and blood cancers (e.g., leukemia, lymphoma) and iron deficiency anemia may make you more prone to blood vessel damage, blood clotting problems, or inefficient blood circulation. Excessive bruising may also be a sign that you have a serious medical problem like one of these conditions. Contact sports injuries—muscle contusions are the second leading cause of sports injuries (strains, being the first), according to this post. These bruises, which occur in children too, can be caused by a direct blow to the body causing surface skin damage, and possibly to deeper tissue. The term bruise and contusion are pretty much the same thing. Continue reading…
