Determination of vitamin B₆ intake and transaminase activity in preadolescent girls

Abstract

The vitamin B₆ nutriture of 8- to 10-year old girls living in southwest Virginia was investigated by determination of pyridoxine intake and measurement of serum glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (SGOT) and serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) activity. The 24-hour recall method was used to obtain dietary intakes of energy, protein and vitamin B₆ for 48 subjects. Although protein and caloric intake were not correlated to the subjects' height and weight, the subjects' positions in established height and weight percentile rankings indicated a normal population was represented. For pyridoxine, the mean intake was 1.1±0.4 mg. This is 92% of the RDA for girls age 8 to 10.

Transaminase values obtained by colorimetric determinations were reported for 28 of the subjects. Mean values for SGPT and SGOT were 6.7±3.4 and 18.5±6.2 Sigma Frankel Units, respectively. Values obtained for SGOT had a correlation of 0.378 (significant at 0.05 level) to SGPT activity. No significant correlation was found between protein intake and units of SGPT or SGOT. Low negative correlations were observed between vitamin B₆ intake and SGOT and SGPT. Transaminase activity by this method of measurement cannot be used to assess the vitamin B₆ nutriture of children. The necessity of determining actual requirement, or developing a better method of measurement of vitamin B₆ status in children was discussed. More data on vitamin B₆ requirement and measurements of vitamin B₆ status is needed before recommendations for or against vitamin B₆ supplementation can be made.