A 23-year-old man has been consuming large quantities of raw egg whites as part of his current body-building routine. He has developed a rash and severe muscle pain. Blood work indicates he has anemia. His diet prevents intestinal absorption of a vitamin leading to inhibition in the synthesis of which of the following?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Raw egg whites contain avidin, which binds to biotin (vitamin B7) and prevents its absorption. Biotin is essential for fatty acid synthesis, and its deficiency can lead to symptoms like rash, muscle pain, and anemia.  The avidin in egg whites complexes with biotin preventing its absorption from the intestines. Biotin is a cofactor for enzymes involved in carboxylation reactions. Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) is the rate-limiting enzyme of de novo fatty acid synthesis. Therefore, a deficiency in biotin absorption from the gut would be expected to have a negative effect on fatty acid synthesis.

A 23-Year-Old Man Has Been Consuming Large Quantities of Raw