Question

1. How many retinol activity equivalents (RAE) are in 100 μg of beta-carotene from a food source?

2. A vitamin supplement states that it contains 20 milligrams of tocopherol equivalents. How much alpha-tocopherol is in the supplement?

3. A friend of yours has been on a long-term antibiotic regimen. As far as fat-soluble vitamins are concerned, what advice would you give your friend?

4. A friend of yours is complaining about poor night vision and dry eyes. When you look at your friend's eyes you notice triangular gray spots on the eyes. What is your diagnosis?

5. An uncle of yours has recently had a heart attack and his physician has prescribed that he take an anticoagulant medication. Your uncle has read that vitamin E inhibits blood clotting and has decided to take vitamin E so as to make sure he will not have another heart attack. What should you tell your uncle?

6. Get out a map. Assume that I have fair skin and live in Chicago. How many months of the year is skin synthesis of vitamin D probably insufficient to meet my needs?

7. How is Vit D activated once in the body?

8. Which of these snacks provides the highest levels of retinol activity and alpha-tocopherol: 1 whole banana and a cup of fresh orange juice or 1 cup of dry roasted almonds and 1 cup of unsweetened black coffee?

9. Elderly individuals often receive much less than the recommended amounts of zinc; therefore they may also be at risk of a secondary deficiency of which fat-soluble vitamin? Explain your answer.

10. You have a friend who despises all dairy products and who is so fair-skinned that they burn whenever they go out in the sun without wearing sun block with an SPF of at least 15. Other than supplements, how could your friend meet their need for vitamin D?

11. You have a very lazy friend who cares only about getting a sufficient amount of all the fat-soluble vitamins from a single food item. Your friend, who is, to say the least, a rather odd individual, does not care about any other health aspects of their diet. What single food item would you recommend that your friend consume?

Answer 1

1.

• 1 mcg RAE = 2 mcg supplemental beta-carotene
• 1 mcg RAE = 12 mcg beta-carotene from food source

So that 12 mcg of beta carotene =1mcg of retinol activity equivalents

100mcg of beta carotene =100/12 mcg of RAE.

=8.33mcg of RAE.