CNC Special Populations & Supplementation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A pregnant client in her second trimester asks about omega-3 supplementation. Which form is MOST appropriate?
- Fish oil high in EPA only
- Algae-based DHA supplement (Correct answer)
- Cod liver oil at high doses
- Flaxseed oil as primary source
Correct answer: Algae-based DHA supplement
Algae-based DHA is the safest omega-3 source during pregnancy, avoiding mercury risk and providing the critical DHA needed for fetal brain development.
Question 2: Which supplement is contraindicated for a client with chronic kidney disease (CKD) Stage 3?
- Vitamin D3 at 1000 IU/day
- Creatine monohydrate (Correct answer)
- Magnesium glycinate
- Probiotic supplement
Correct answer: Creatine monohydrate
Creatine increases creatinine production, which impairs the ability to monitor kidney function and may worsen CKD progression.
Question 3: An 8-year-old athlete asks about protein supplementation. What is the BEST guidance?
- Whey protein isolate up to 20g/day is safe
- Protein needs should be met through whole food sources (Correct answer)
- Casein protein before bed optimizes growth
- BCAA supplements support athletic development
Correct answer: Protein needs should be met through whole food sources
Children's protein needs are easily met through whole foods, and protein supplements are unnecessary and potentially harmful for pediatric athletes.
Question 4: Which nutrient requires increased supplementation in exclusively breastfed infants?
- Calcium
- Vitamin D (Correct answer)
- Iron from birth
- Vitamin C
Correct answer: Vitamin D
Breast milk contains insufficient vitamin D, so exclusively breastfed infants require 400 IU/day vitamin D supplementation per AAP guidelines.
Question 5: A postmenopausal woman asks about supplements to reduce bone loss. Which combination has the strongest evidence?
- Calcium + Vitamin D (Correct answer)
- Magnesium + Boron
- Vitamin K2 alone
- Collagen peptides + Silica
Correct answer: Calcium + Vitamin D
Calcium combined with vitamin D has the strongest evidence base for reducing bone loss in postmenopausal women and is the standard clinical recommendation.
Question 6: A client with type 2 diabetes wants to use cinnamon supplements. What should you tell them?
- Cinnamon can replace metformin if taken at 3g/day
- Some evidence suggests modest blood sugar reduction, but it does not replace medication (Correct answer)
- Cinnamon supplements have no effect on blood glucose
- High-dose cinnamon is safe and has no drug interactions
Correct answer: Some evidence suggests modest blood sugar reduction, but it does not replace medication
Some clinical trials show cinnamon may modestly reduce fasting glucose, but it cannot replace prescribed diabetes medications and should be used only as an adjunct.
Question 7: Which population is at HIGHEST risk for vitamin B12 deficiency requiring supplementation?
- Endurance athletes consuming high carbohydrate diets
- Long-term strict vegans over age 50 (Correct answer)
- Adolescents consuming dairy products
- Sedentary adults eating mixed diets
Correct answer: Long-term strict vegans over age 50
Older strict vegans face a compounded risk — no dietary B12 from animal products and age-related decline in intrinsic factor production needed for B12 absorption.
CNC Special Populations & Supplementation 2
A pregnant client in her second trimester asks about omega-3 supplementation.
Which form is MOST appropriate?