Question

case : The mother of a 17 year old girl brings her daughter to the doctor after she experiences a number of fainting spells and lethargy. The mother states that her daughter eats practically nothing and is obsessed with exercise and losing weight. Her daughter states that she feels fat if she eats more. The girl is 5’6” and weighs 90 pounds. Physical examination shows loose skin folds and an abnormally low percentage of body fat.

1- What vitamin supplements would you recommend that she take? Consider all the pathways that are active in her current state. List these pathways and the cofactors and the corresponding vitamins needed by the enzymes in each of these pathways.

Answer 1

In her case, due to excessive dieting and exercise, she has lost most of the fat and her body is not getting appropriate nutrition for better growth and development. In this case she has low amount of fat concentration in her body, the most recommended Vitamin in Vitamin B-12 and it supports RBC production. It helps in improving the appetite and helps in gaining the overall fat content and body weight. Looking at her condition, she mostly likely might be suffering from anorexia nervosa. It is important to also supplement the food with Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and B6(pyridoxine)

Some of the pathways related to it:-

Orexigenic Pathway - In this the pathway that is responsible for stimulating the appetite is suppressed and gradually starts to become suppressed.

Ketogenic Pathway - It leads to formation of ketone bodies since the stored glycogen is all exhausted and the body starts to degrade fat. The ketone bodies start to build up in the blood circulation due to prolonged starvation.

Formation of lactic acid – Due to improper diet and lack of nutrients and more exercise, the lactic acid cycle or pathway is also more prominent.