CSOWM - VITAMINS AND MINERALS EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS |2026/2027 UPDATED |GUARANTEED PASS.
How to replete iron - Answer -150-200 mg of elemental iron daily to 300 mg BID-TID daily. Oral
supplementation should be taken in divided doses separately from calcium supplements, acid
reducing medications, and foods high in phytates or polyphenols
What if iron deficiency does not respond to oral therapy? - Answer -Intravenous iron infusion
should be administered
Iron deficiency markers - Answer -Iron < 50 micrograms/dL; TIBC > 450 micrograms/dL; Ferritin
< 20 micrograms/L (Low H/H; low MCV; Low TSAT)
B12 deficiency markers - Answer -Serum MMA > 0.56 mmol/L; decreased serum B12 (May miss
30-50% of def) <400 pg/mL suboptimal; < 200 pg/mL deficiency; Increased homocysteine,
decreased H/H, increased MCV
How to replete B12 - Answer -1,000-2,000 mcg per day OR 1000 mcg/ week Intramuscular
Folate deficiency markers - Answer -Serum folate < 340 ng/mL ; decreased RBC folate, increased
homocysteine, decreased H/H, increased MCV (Normal serum MMA **)
How to replete folate - Answer -1 mg oral daily until serum levels WNL
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, Zinc deficiency markers - Answer -Plasma zinc < 11 micromol/L ; decreased RBC or WBC zinc,
decreased urinary zinc
How to replete zinc - Answer -60 mg BID daily until WNL
Copper deficiency markers - Answer -Serum copper 11 micromol/L; decreased serum
ceruloplasmin
How to replete copper deficiency - Answer -Mild-Mod = 3-8 mg until WNL; Severe= IV 2-4mg x 6
days
Vitamin D deficiency markers - Answer -25 (OH) D < 20 ng/mL = Deficient; 20-30 ng/mL =
insufficient; Increased Alk Phos, increased iPTH, decreased DEXA
How to replete vitamin D - Answer -50,000 IU /week x 8-12 weeks; 50,000 IU 1-3x per week;
2,000-6,000 IU/day; Severe= 50-150k IU /day; Calcitriol .25-.5 mcg/day
Calcium deficiency markers - Answer -Ionized calcium < 4.48 mg/dL; increased alk phos,
increased iPTH, Decreased Dexa
Corrected calcium - Answer -(0.8 x (4.0- Pt's Albumin)) + Serum Ca
2|Page
ANSWERS |2026/2027 UPDATED |GUARANTEED PASS.
How to replete iron - Answer -150-200 mg of elemental iron daily to 300 mg BID-TID daily. Oral
supplementation should be taken in divided doses separately from calcium supplements, acid
reducing medications, and foods high in phytates or polyphenols
What if iron deficiency does not respond to oral therapy? - Answer -Intravenous iron infusion
should be administered
Iron deficiency markers - Answer -Iron < 50 micrograms/dL; TIBC > 450 micrograms/dL; Ferritin
< 20 micrograms/L (Low H/H; low MCV; Low TSAT)
B12 deficiency markers - Answer -Serum MMA > 0.56 mmol/L; decreased serum B12 (May miss
30-50% of def) <400 pg/mL suboptimal; < 200 pg/mL deficiency; Increased homocysteine,
decreased H/H, increased MCV
How to replete B12 - Answer -1,000-2,000 mcg per day OR 1000 mcg/ week Intramuscular
Folate deficiency markers - Answer -Serum folate < 340 ng/mL ; decreased RBC folate, increased
homocysteine, decreased H/H, increased MCV (Normal serum MMA **)
How to replete folate - Answer -1 mg oral daily until serum levels WNL
1|Page
, Zinc deficiency markers - Answer -Plasma zinc < 11 micromol/L ; decreased RBC or WBC zinc,
decreased urinary zinc
How to replete zinc - Answer -60 mg BID daily until WNL
Copper deficiency markers - Answer -Serum copper 11 micromol/L; decreased serum
ceruloplasmin
How to replete copper deficiency - Answer -Mild-Mod = 3-8 mg until WNL; Severe= IV 2-4mg x 6
days
Vitamin D deficiency markers - Answer -25 (OH) D < 20 ng/mL = Deficient; 20-30 ng/mL =
insufficient; Increased Alk Phos, increased iPTH, decreased DEXA
How to replete vitamin D - Answer -50,000 IU /week x 8-12 weeks; 50,000 IU 1-3x per week;
2,000-6,000 IU/day; Severe= 50-150k IU /day; Calcitriol .25-.5 mcg/day
Calcium deficiency markers - Answer -Ionized calcium < 4.48 mg/dL; increased alk phos,
increased iPTH, Decreased Dexa
Corrected calcium - Answer -(0.8 x (4.0- Pt's Albumin)) + Serum Ca
2|Page
