Question

Amanda is a 20-year old college student who is on the college tennis team. To stay lean and perform her best, she now only eats low-fat, nutrient-dense foods and is mostly vegetarian, although she still eats eggs and nonfat dairy. At the start of the year, Amanda was in the best physical condition of her life, but lately she’s noticed that she’s feeling fatigued and is having difficulty finding the energy for class every day and is experiencing shin splints that are inferring with tennis. She’s also looking pale, gets frequent headaches and is irritable. This may be because she’s having trouble sleeping lately. This winter has also been particularly cold, and Amanda can’t seem to warm up. She’s getting a bruise with every little bump and any little cut becomes infected and takes a long time to heal. Amanda suspects that because of her diet, she may need iron and begins taking a 60 mg iron supplement daily. Because she’s heard that vitamin C enhances iron absorption, she takes the supplement with her morning orange juice. She also tries to eat more iron-rich foods while maintaining her vegetarian diet. She loves spinach and eats it daily.

Amanda quickly begins to feel better, but this doesn’t last long. After a month, her symptoms return, and additional symptoms develop. Amanda was constipated when she first began iron supplementation, but lately, she’s experiencing nausea and diarrhea.

Question 2: Identify four of Amanda’s symptoms that are indicative of iron deficiency and explain what functions of iron are compromised to cause these symptoms. Support your answer with data, facts, key terminology, specific examples and other information drawn from the textbook and at least one other supplemental source.

Answer 1

The symptoms of Amanda's symptoms are

• Pale
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Irritability
• Cold intolerance
• Easy bruising

Iron is an important component for the formation of the hemoglobin. This hemoglobin is generally found in the redwood cells.In simple hemoglobin is formed with iron absorption. When there is low iron this cannot happen so hemoglobin levels decrease which is responsible for the red color of blood cells making it pale and the patient looks pale.Decrease hemoglobin means the oxygen carried by it is also decreased to the concerned organ like brain causing severe headache. When it does reach the cells it cause fatigue. The temperature regulations is altered making the individual to feel cold very easily.