Vitamin B-6 status of a group of female adolescents: E-ALAT, microbiological, and HPLC methods

Abstract

The vitamin B-6 status of 11 white adolescent females living in the Blacksburg/Roanoke, Virginia area was evaluated by dietary intakes, coenzyme stimulation of erythrocyte alanine aminotransferase (F-ALAT) activities, and plasma total vitamin B-6 measured microbiologically. Heights and weights of the group were generally within ranges. The vitamin B-6 intakes of the adolescents were 1.47 ± 0.49 mg/day (mean ± SD). Three subjects, or 27.3%, the same subjects classified as inadequate in status by coenzyme stimulation of E-ALAT, were classified as marginal or inadequate in status using ≤ 25 ng/ml total plasma vitamin B-6 levels as the criterion. The plasma pyridoxal, pyridoxine, pyridoxamine and total B-6 vitamer concentrations of subjects having inadequate E-ALAT values were lower, generally significantly, than those of girls with adequate levels. In the subjects with adequate status, the vitamer found in the largest plasma concentration was pyridoxine. A significant correlation (r = 0.82, p < 0.01) was observed between total plasma vitamin B-6 levels determined microbiologically and coenzyme stimulation values.