Riboflavin status of adolescent vs elderly Gambian subjects before and during supplementation

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 50; no. 4; pp. 825 - 829
• Main Authors: Bates, C J, Powers, H J, Downes, R, Brubacher, D, Sutcliffe, V, Thurnhill, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Elsevier Inc 01-10-1989; American Society for Clinical Nutrition
• Subjects: ABSORCION DE SUBSTANCIAS NUTRITIVAS; ABSORPTION DE SUBSTANCES NUTRITIVES; ADOLESCENCE; ADOLESCENCIA; Adolescent; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Enzyme Activation; Erythrocytes - enzymology; ESTADO NUTRICIONAL; ETAT NUTRITIONNEL; Female; Food, Fortified; GAMBIA; GAMBIE; Glutathione Reductase - blood; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Middle Aged; Nutritional Requirements; Nutritional Status; Other nutritional diseases (malnutrition, nutritional and vitamin deficiencies...); PLASMA SANGUIN; PLASMA SANGUINEO; Riboflavin - administration & dosage; Riboflavin - blood; RIBOFLAVINA; RIBOFLAVINE; Rural Population; Tropical medicine; Gambia; Human; Therapeutic efficiency; Replacement therapy; Rural environment; Diet therapy; Gambia; Africa; Adolescent; Riboflavin; Vitamin deficiency; Elderly; Nutritional status
• ISSN: 0002-9165; 1938-3207
• DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/50.4.825

Riboflavin status was measured by activation coefficient of erythrocyte glutathione reductase (EGRAC) in elderly and adolescent rural Gambians whose intakes were low. Fifty-one adolescents and 52 elderly subjects were each subdivided into six supplementation groups to receive 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.5, or 2.5 mg riboflavin/d on 5 consecutive days weekly for 5 wk. Before supplementation, EGRAC values were grossly abnormal and differed (p less than 0.005) between the two female groups [elderly subjects, 1.94 +/- 0.33 (means +/- SD); adolescents. 1.72 +/- 0.27] but not between the two male groups. With supplementation greater than 0.25 mg/d the values became nearly equal in the two age groups. Only at total intakes between 1.8 and 2.5 mg riboflavin/d did the subjects attain acceptable status, with a mean EGRAC of 1.3–1.4. Clearly there is a need for further study of the discrepancy between observed index values during supplementation and the accepted ranges of normality at intakes close to the recommended amounts.