NUTRIENT DEFICIENCY RELATED DISORDERS

What Is Easy Bruising? Ecchymosis, or easy bruising, is a feature of impaired secondary hemostasis (blood clotting) characterized by subcutaneous bleeding (under the skin) in response to light trauma. Q: What causes easy bruising? A: Easy bruising is the direct ...

What Is Atherosclerosis? Atherosclerosis is a disease of arteries involving the buildup of fatty material called plaque along the walls of medium and large arteries characterized by patchy subintimal thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity of blood vessels. The intima is the ...

What Is Neutropenia? Neutropenia  is a blood disorder characterized by presence of an abnormally low number of neutrophils. Neutrophils are white blood cells (leukocytes) that serves as the primary defense against infections by destroying bacteria in the blood.  Specfically, neutrophils are ...

What Is Hemochromatosis? Hemochromatosis, also called iron overload liver disease, is a common inherited disease in the Caucasian population that is characterized by increased iron deposition within the tissues (overload) associated with injury to them. Hemochromatosis is an autosomal recessive disease, meaning ...

What Is Macrocytosis? Macrocytosis is a blood cell disorder characterized by altered blood cell formation that results in abnormally large erythrocytes (red blood cells) circulating in the bloodstream. The mean corpuscular volume (MCV), which is a measure of the size of ...

What Is Hypophosphatemia? Hypophosphatemia means the level of phosphates in the bloodstream is too low to meet metabolic needs of the body for this mineral. Q: How important is phosphorus in metabolism? A: Phosphorus is crucial to  life, being present ...

What Is Hypoglycemia? Hypoglycemia means the level of glucose within cells is too low to meet metabolic needs of the body for this essential sugar. Q: What are the metabolic needs for glucose? A: Glucose is the most important simple ...

What Is Hypocupremia? Hypocupremia, or low plasma copper, means the level of copper is too low to meet metabolic needs of the body for copper and is characterized by these many features: Impaired energy production causing weakness. Impaired ability as ...

What Is Hypocalcemia? Hypocalcemia, or low plasma calcium, means the level of calcium in blood is too low to meet metabolic needs of the body for calcium. Low blood calcium is characterized by bone and tooth demineralization (loss of calcium ...

What Is Hyperprolactinemia? Hyperprolactinemia is an excess secretion of prolactin hormone causing an elevated blood level that is characterized by its effects on reproduction: in females causing  amenorrhea and in males causing reduced sexual potency. Q: What is prolactin? A: ...

What Are Low Coagulation Factors? Coagulation factors II, VII, IX, X found in blood are essential for normal blood clotting.  Low coagulation factors on blood assay indicate an altered secondary coagulation disorder that is characterized by impaired clot formation. Each coagulation factor ...

What Is Low Cholesterol? Low cholesterol found in blood indicates an abnormal blood level of this essential lipid (fat) that is characterized by decreased production of steroid hormones and bile. Cholesterol is a soft, fat-like substance found in the bloodstream ...

What Is Vitamin K? Vitamin K is a family of fat-soluble vitamins, called K vitamers, that exists in three forms: K1 is a natural form found in plants (phylloquinone); K2, found in some animal foods, is synthesized in the intestine ...

What Is Linoleic Acid? Linoleic acid is an essential omega-6 fatty acid that comes from plant sources. Essential means the body must have it to maintain health and life sustaining functions. Omega-6 fatty acids are polyunsaturated. Among its many vital ...

What Is Glucose? Glucose is the most important simple sugar in human metabolism because it is the primary source of energy for most cells of the body and is particularly required by the brain. Q: Where does glucose get energy? ...