Nutrients are essential components of enzymes and co-enzymes necessary for their function, such as the necessity of zinc for alcohol dehydrogenase that activates vitamin A, of the necessity of Vitamin C for proline hydroxylase, involved in collagen synthesis. Over 100 million Americans take supplements.
Nutritional therapy saves lives, costs.
Hospital diets may be nutritionally deficient. Todd EA et al. Nursing home patients are frequently nutritionally deficient. Serum cholesterol and hemoglobin were the most sensitive nutritional indicators. The prevalence of protein-calorie undernutrition increased in direct proportion to degree of functional impairment, and to frequency of intercurrent infection.