Gadsden State Community College - HEC 140 Case Study 11A: Low Serum Vitamin D Joan is a 90-year-old Caucasian woman who has recently been diagnosed with osteoporosis after a recent fall that broke her hip

Gadsden State Community College - HEC 140

Case Study 11A: Low Serum Vitamin D

Joan is a 90-year-old Caucasian woman who has recently been diagnosed with osteoporosis after a recent fall that broke her hip. She is 64 inches tall and weighs 115 pounds. Lately she has been complaining about muscle pain in her legs. She eats a limited diet due to a chronic low appetite. A recent blood test shows Joan's serum vitamin D level is below normal. Her daily diet includes juice or fruit and toast with butter for breakfast; cottage cheese and fruit for lunch; and salad or frozen vegetable with meat or poultry for dinner. She dislikes most fish except canned tuna and she often drinks a glass of fortified milk before going to bed at night. Although she lives in New Mexico, she spends most days indoors. Joan has been taking a blood-thinning medication since she was discharged from the hospital.

She takes a daily multivitamin that contains 400 IU vitamin D and 15 mg vitamin E.

1)What is 7-dehydrocholesterol?

2. Where does the final hydroxylation necessary for the activation of vitamin D occur?  

kidney Of the foods Joan eats, which is the best source of vitamin D?                                     

3. If Joan wants to increase her intake of Vitamin A, which of the following foods would be best?       

4. Because Joan is concerned about skin cancer, she uses a sunscreen when she is outside. At what SPF level will sunscreen start to interfere with vitamin D synthesis?   

5. Joan is taking a vitamin E supplement that provides 15 mg. What is the UL for vitamin E in mg⁄day?

6. Since she is on a blood thinner, Joan has been warned about her intake of foods rich in vitamin K. Which of the following food groups is rich in vitamin K?