NUTRIENT DEFICIENCY RELATED DISORDERS

What Is Vitamin E? Vitamin E is not a single vitamin but naturally occurs as a fat-soluble vitamin family that consists of at least 8 distinct molecules. These molecules include 4 tocopherols (alpha, beta, gamma, and delta) and 4 tocotrienols ...

What Is Iron Deficiency Anemia? Iron deficiency anemia is a blood cell disorder that is characterized by formation of small, pale red blood cells, causing tissue hypoxia. Hypoxia is the inability to meet the demands of the body for oxygen. ...

What Is Increased Susceptibility To Tuberculosis? Tuberculosis (TB), is an infectious disease caused by a bacteria called mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is characterized by chronic bacterial infection most commonly affecting lungs that develops in stages. Increased susceptibility to tuberculosis menas the person’s ...

What Is Osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disorder characterized by diminished bone mass (density) with normal cell appearance but fragile bone strength that prediposes to broken bones, and with high bone turnover. This condition usually goes undetected until late ...

What Are Essential Amino Acids? Amino acids are small molecules, or subunits, that link together in various combinations to make up big, complicated proteins. As such, amino acids are commonly referred to as “the building blocks” of proteins. Q: How ...

What Is Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease? Non-alcoholic fatty liver is a non-inflammatory liver disorder characterized by degenerative changes in the liver caused by excessive accumulation of lipid (fat) in hepatocytes (liver cells) that is called free fatty acid-generated lipotoxicity. Non-alcoholic ...

What Is Thiamin? Thiamin, also called vitamin B1, is an essential vitamin that is required to convert foodstuffs into energy and for the health and proper functioning of the nervous, muscular and cardiovascular systems. In the bloodstream, 90% of active ...

What Is Vitamin D? Vitamin D is the principle regulator of calcium homeostasis (balance) in the body.  This “vitamin” is really a prohormone, meaning it acts like a hormone but is not. Vitamin D does, however, contain cholesterol in its molecular ...

What Is Hypomagnesemia? Hypomagnesemia means the level of magnesium in the bloodstream is too low to meet metabolic needs of the body for this mineral. Q: What are the metabolic needs of the body for magnesium? A: The metabolic needs ...

What Is Secondary Amenorrhea? Secondary amenorrhea is a menstrual disorder characterized by absence of menstruation for more than 3 months in females who had previously menstruated. Menstruation is the shedding of the endometrium (inner lining) of the uterus that occurs two weeks ...

What Is Zincemia? Zincemia means the zinc level in blood plasma is too low to meet metabolic needs of the body for this mineral. Q: How important is a normal blood level of zinc? A: A low blood level of ...

What Are Low Plasma Proteins? Low plasma proteins found in blood indicates an abnormal blood level. Plasma proteins are any of the proteins that constitute about 6% to 7% of the blood plasma in the body. They include albumin, fibrinogen, ...

What Is Vitamin B3 (Niacin)? Niacin is an essential water-soluble B vitamin that is required by all cells of the body. During digestion of food containing it, niacin (the form in food) is changed in the small intestines to the active form niacinamide (niacin ...

What Is Potassium? Potassium is a mineral that is crucial for life being essential for every cell, especially nerve and muscle function. Most potassium is intracellular, meaning it is found within cells while sodium, its opposing mineral (both electrolytes), is ...

What Is Phosphorus? Phosphorus is an essential mineral present in every cell of the body mostly in the form of phosphate. About 85% of phosphorus is present in bone making up a major component of bone formation. As a component of ...