NTA NTA Supplementation & Herbal Medicine 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which form of magnesium supplement is most bioavailable and least likely to cause digestive upset?
- Magnesium oxide
- Magnesium glycinate (Correct answer)
- Magnesium sulfate
- Magnesium carbonate
Correct answer: Magnesium glycinate
Magnesium glycinate is chelated with glycine, offering superior bioavailability and minimal laxative effect compared to forms like oxide or sulfate.
Question 2: What is the primary therapeutic use of adaptogenic herbs such as ashwagandha in nutritional therapy?
- Stimulating the immune system to fight acute infections
- Supporting the body's resilience to physical and psychological stress via HPA axis modulation (Correct answer)
- Directly lowering blood pressure through vasodilation
- Increasing digestive enzyme secretion in the stomach
Correct answer: Supporting the body's resilience to physical and psychological stress via HPA axis modulation
Adaptogens like ashwagandha help modulate the HPA axis and reduce the physiological impact of chronic stress, supporting adrenal health and overall resilience.
Question 3: Which supplement is commonly recommended to support gut lining integrity, especially in cases of leaky gut?
- Vitamin B12
- L-glutamine
- Zinc carnosine
- Both B and C are correct (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Both B and C are correct
Both L-glutamine (primary fuel for enterocytes) and zinc carnosine have strong evidence for supporting intestinal mucosal integrity and reducing hyperpermeability.
Question 4: What is the recommended daily adequate intake of vitamin D3 for most adults according to functional medicine standards?
- 200–400 IU/day
- 600–800 IU/day
- 2,000–5,000 IU/day (based on blood levels) (Correct answer)
- 10,000–15,000 IU/day regardless of serum levels
Correct answer: 2,000–5,000 IU/day (based on blood levels)
Functional practitioners typically recommend 2,000–5,000 IU/day of vitamin D3 for adults, adjusted based on serum 25-OH vitamin D levels to achieve optimal ranges of 50–80 ng/mL.
Question 5: Which herbal remedy is most commonly used in nutritional therapy to support liver detoxification?
- Echinacea
- Milk thistle (silymarin) (Correct answer)
- Valerian root
- St. John's Wort
Correct answer: Milk thistle (silymarin)
Milk thistle contains silymarin, a flavonoid complex with hepatoprotective properties that supports liver cell regeneration and phase II detoxification pathways.
Question 6: Why is it important for a nutritional therapy practitioner to consider drug-nutrient interactions when recommending supplements?
- Supplements always enhance the effectiveness of pharmaceutical drugs
- Some supplements can alter drug metabolism, absorption, or efficacy, causing adverse effects (Correct answer)
- Drug-nutrient interactions are only relevant for fat-soluble vitamins
- Supplements have no pharmacological activity and cannot interact with medications
Correct answer: Some supplements can alter drug metabolism, absorption, or efficacy, causing adverse effects
Many supplements affect cytochrome P450 enzymes, drug absorption, or pharmacodynamics — for example, St. John's Wort reduces blood levels of many medications.
NTA NTA Supplementation & Herbal Medicine 1
Which form of magnesium supplement is most bioavailable and least likely to cause digestive upset?