Reference no: EM133281750

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.

1. 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.

2. When Amanda suspects that her iron is low, she immediately makes dietary changes. Explain the misconceptions she has about iron intake and absorption. You will need to defend your answer using specific facts, data, and other information drawn from the textbook and at least one other supplemental source.