If a person undergoes antibiotic treatment that kills off most of her normal intestinal bacteria, she would be vulnerable to a deficiency of
a. fiber.
b. cellulose-degrading enzymes.
c. vitamin K and B vitamins.
d. essential amino acids.
e. water reabsorption.
C
Rationale: Intestinal bacteria are an important source of vitamins B1, B2, B12, and K. If you kill off your normal intestinal flora, you may compromise this source of vitamins. Humans do not rely on bacteria to degrade cellulose (choice b) and while some of the bacterial walls may contribute to insoluble fiber (choice a), they are not an important source of fiber. Essential amino acids are supplied by the diet. If anything, bacteria may use them for their own protein synthesis (choice d). Certain pathogenic bacteria (cholera for example) prevent water absorption (choice e).
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