Mid term

Question 1

What are the units fore reporting gut microbes?

Answer 1

CFU/mcg/feces

Question 2

Why are gut microbes reported in units of bacteria / microgram?

Answer 2

To express data in integers - easier to understand

Question 3

What small set of microbes serve as ‘bellwethers’ in the gut microbiome?

Answer 3

1) Methanobrevibacter smithii
2) desulfovibrio piger
3) Akkermansia muciniphila

Question 4

What product of Desulfovibrio piger is thought to confer cardiovascular disease protection?

Answer 4

Hydrogen sulfide

Question 5

What does desulfovibrio piger require for growth and what bacteria supports D. piger growth?

Answer 5

1) Condroitin sulfate

2) Clostridium

Question 6

Why do you want strong levels of butyric acid in stool?

Answer 6

Butyric acid is primary energy source for colonocytes - Food for GI

Question 7

Which target can confer protection against intestinal inflammatory responses when it is present at normal levels?

Answer 7

Clostridium spp.

Question 8

what is the most dominant genus of bacteria in feces?

Answer 8

Bacteroides phyllum

Question 9

what region of the gut has the greatest increase in bacteria growth?

Answer 9

Cecum

Question 10

why is robust growth needed of commensal bacteria to sustain healthy microbiome?

Answer 10

excreted via feces w/ each bowel movement

Question 11

what microbe is needed for infants?

Answer 11

bifidobacterium longum

Question 12

What are the 5 markers of intestinal permeability?

Answer 12

1) lactulose/mannitol ratio
2) lippopolysaccharides
3) occludin
4) zonulin
5) actomyosin network

Question 13

what are the markers of inflammation and immunology on stool testing?

Answer 13

1) calprotectin (IBS/IBD)
2) eosinophil proteinx
3) secratory IgA (SIgA)

Question 14

Why is the term folic acid inappropriate?

Answer 14

Synthetic pro-vitamin; must be converted to tetrahydrofolic acid

Question 15

What form of Vitamin D is used for assessment?

Answer 15

25-hydroxyvitamin D serum (L)

bone specific collagen fragments - urine (H)

Question 16

What are the two forms of Vit. K?

Answer 16

K1 = phylloquinone, plants
K2 = menaquinone, animal tissue

Question 17

What is the most sensitive marker for Vit. K?

Answer 17

under-carboxylated osteocalcin, plasma (elevated > 20%)

Question 18

How does low selenium and selenoproteins indicate low functioning thyroid gland?

Answer 18

Normal functioning of the thyroid gland is dependent on the selenoproteins iodothyronine deiodinase

Question 19

What amino acid is important with chronic thyroid

insufficiency?

Answer 19

Tyrosine

Question 20

What are zinc fingers?

Answer 20

Zinc / Protein complexes that interact w/ DNA/RNA and regulate cellular processes

Question 21

What minerals compete with Iron for absorption?

Answer 21

Zinc
Copper
Manganese

Question 22

What are the roles of Amino Acids?

Answer 22

Protein synthesis
hormone/neurotransmitter production
detoxification
antioxidant protection digestion

Question 23

Why supplement Vit. D w/ Vit. K?

Answer 23

Vitamin K catalyzes y-glutamyl carboxylation of PTH. PTH stimulates Vit. D synthesis in Kidney

Question 24

What is the most active form of Vit. E?

Answer 24

Alpha tocopherol

Question 25

What process is restricted by falling cellular levels of CoQ10?

Answer 25

Electron transport chain for oxidative phosphorylation

Question 26

How does lipoic acid support oxidation?

Answer 26

Lipoic acid recycles antioxidants (glutathione and Vit. C)

Question 27

What conditionally essential nutrient is associated with blood sugar dysregulation?

Answer 27

Lipoic Acid

Question 28

What markers are indicative of lipoic acid deficiency?

Answer 28

elevated pyruvate and lactate

Question 29

What is the role of Carnitine?

Answer 29

Carnitine shuttle - transport fatty acids into the mitochondria

Question 30

What are relevant biomarkers for Carnitine?

Answer 30

Adipate Suberate Ethylmalonate

Question 31

Homocysteine is a marker for what water soluble vitamins?

Answer 31

B9 | B12

Question 32

What flips conversion down trans-sulfation pathway vs. trahnsmethylation?

Answer 32

Increased oxidative stress | B6 required

Question 33

What two non-essential amino acids are required for creatine phosphate?

Answer 33

Arginine | Glycine

Question 34

What is produced from methyltransferase enzyme activity?

Answer 34

80% - creatine production | 30% - lecithin production

Question 35

What abnormal patterns indicate a person is generally deficient in essential fatty acids?

Answer 35

low across the board

Question 36

what pattern of fatty acid profile is correlated with metabolic syndrome?

Answer 36

'>' sign in saturated fatty acids. | Elevated C16, C18, C20 fatty acids and low levels of others.

Question 37

Fatty acid nomenclature

Answer 37

ALA 18:3n3 | 18 carbon chain, 3 double bonds starting at the 3rd carbon

Question 38

what are the branched chain amino acids?

Answer 38

leucine Isoleucine Valine

Question 39

what is the function of BCAA?

Answer 39

Peptide/protein synth Muscle tissue Source of energy synthesis of enzymes/proteins

Question 40

What might elevated BCAA indicate?

Answer 40

B6 deficiency Excessive supplementation Excessive exercise

Question 41

What are key functions of threonine?

Answer 41

Synthesizes glycine & serine (B6 required) | Stimulates thymus gland -immunity

Question 42

What are the functions of lysine?

Answer 42

Calcium absorption Carnitine synthesis growth/repair of muscle lowers triglycerides

Question 43

What AA produces tyrosine?

Answer 43

Phenylalanine

Question 44

What is Tyrosine a precursor to?

Answer 44

Thyroid hormone Melanin Catecholamines (Dopa, dopamine, norepi, epi)

Question 45

What is tryptophan a precursor to?

Answer 45

Serotonin Melatonin Niacin (kynurenine pathway)

Question 46

what fatty acid pattern is associated with hypertriglycerima?

Answer 46

``` Higher fatty acid levels across the board low lysine (carnitine depressed) ```