Search

As the age of the population of developed countries continues to increase, the level of the minimal allowances of nutrients which prevents dietary deficiency in individuals of advanced age is becoming progressively more important. The Recommended Dietary Allowances are not necessarily adequate for all individuals of advanced age. The current study attempts to relate the dietary ingestion of Vitamin B-6 with measures of the status of B-6 in the body (blood level of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate and the enzyme, aspartate aminotransferase activity). The study was carried out as part of the Dutch Nutritional Surveillance System and included 539 individuals in the study population. Participants were aged 65-79, living independently, caucasian, and apparently healthy (not bedridden and not near the end of life), and mentally and physically able to participate. Volunteers were first visited at home, where demographic variables and data were collected. A few days later they met with a physician who administered a questionnaire, and took blood samples. The patients also met with dietitians who took a dietary history which focused on the previous two weeks. The data show a relationship between ingested doses of B-6 and the expression of this vitamin in the various blood measures. The data also suggest that many of the elderly require supplementation of Vitamin B-6 that could be obtained by changes in food consumption habits. Prospective studies on the effect of supplementation on both morbidity and mortality could offer much help in planning a proper dietary strategy for our aging population.