A physician is most likely to recommend decreased fluid intake in a patient that has renal disease, particularly if they are in any stage of renal failure. This is because a high fluid intake may put undue strain on the already impaired function of the kidney. Increased fluid intake is generally recommended for all of the other conditions listed.

The most common cause of copper deficiency in the United States is gastric bypass. This is due to malabsorption from food. Copper is fairly ubiquitous in soil and in the average American diet. Wilson's disease is a disorder of excess copper, rather than copper deficiency, resulting in a variety of neurological symptoms.   

Vitamin K deficiency can cause a variety of issues related to inability to form blood clots such as petechiae, excessive bleeding, bruising, heavy menses. This vitamin is also an important part of bone and cartilage formation, with deficiency resulting in malformation of developing bones and cartilage, or deposition of calcium into cartilage or arterial walls.

An intake of 1-6 grams of cinnamon has been shown in studies to lower blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes by as much as 25%, possibly due to its ability to improve insulin sensitivity.

The mot common cause of osteomalacia (known as rickets in children) in the United States is vitamin D deficiency. This is due to vitamin D's vital role in calcium absorption, homeostasis, and metabolism. Osteomalacia is categorized by the softening of the bones.

Vitamin C chelates non-heme iron in food while exposed to the acidic pH of the stomach. This chelated iron then becomes more soluble in the alkaline pH of the duodenum, resulting in increased intestinal absorption of iron.

Serotonin, melatonin, and niacin are all synthesized from L-tryptophan, an amino acid prevalent in many foods including chocolate, oats, dates, milk, sesame seeds, eggs, meat, and cheese. L-tyrosine is involved in the synthesis of dopamine. Acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter released at the neuromuscular junction, which stimulates contraction of skeletal muscle. Taurine has many biological functions in the cardiovascular, muscular, and nervous systems, as well as others.

Biotin, or vitamin B7, plays an important role in the health of the hair, nails, and skin. Deficiency generally manifests as alopecia, loss of hair color, brittle nails, and dermatitis.

Offering a treatment plan that includes specific nutrient supplementation and a dietary protocol is a normal part of a nutritional counseling and intervention. Initiating tube feeding is only necessary in cases of anorexia or other forms of malnourishment, but is still within normal procedures. Admonishing patients for their dietary choices, however, would be counterproductive to the nurse's attempt to foster trust and willingness on the part of the patient, and so would be inappropriate in an intervention setting.

Kwashiorkor is a condition of sufficient caloric intake with severe protein malnutrition, often seen in impoverished areas where individuals must survive on carbohydrate-based sources of nutrition. This results in a severe deficiency of albumin, with symptoms such as edema, ascites, fatty liver, and dermal ulceration. Marasmus is a condition not specifically of protein deficiency but of general starvation, which may be due to lack of food security or to intentional fasting or extreme caloric restriction. Pellagra is a condition caused by niacin deficiency, and beriberi is a thiamine deficiency syndrome with neurological, gastrointestinal, and cardiac manifestations.