Pregnancy support- Vitamin Deficiencies

Vitamin B6 - updated: 03 November 2008

Dietary intake among adults with special reference to vitamin B6

Eur J Clin Nutr. 1997 Nov;51 Suppl 3:S25-31

Brants HA, Brussaard JH, Bouman M, Löwik MR.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the adequacy of the dietary intake in general, and that of vitamin B6 intake especially. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: Dietary intake based on 3 d diet-records was assessed among a random sample of the adult Dutch population (the reference group, n = 300) aged 20-79 y, stratified for age and gender and among a group with a low vitamin B6 intake, selected by means of a food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: Among the reference group, absolute vitamin B6 intake on average amply met the RDA in all age-gender categories, whereas the adequate level of 20 microg vitamin B6 per gram protein, was on average met by men only. The prevalences of a vitamin B6 intake below the minimum requirement (absolute) of 1 mg/d was 1-11% and below the average minimum requirement of 15 microg/g protein was 5-12% for the various age-sex reference groups. Average intake of folate among women of childbearing age did not meet the recommendation of 400 microg/d for those who want to become pregnant. Average intake of iron and iodine was also below recommended levels among women aged 20-49 y. Both absolute vitamin B6 intake and the vitamin B6/protein ratio calculated with the diet records was lower among the low vitamin B6 groups than among the reference groups, indicating that the preselection of groups with low vitamin B6 intakes on the basis of a food frequency questionnaire was successful. Intake of energy and macro- and micronutrients, as well as a nutrient density of the diet were lower among low vitamin B6 groups than among reference groups. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that a low vitamin B6 intake is the result of both the quantity (energy) and quality (nutrient density) of the food consumed. The effects of this are not restricted to vitamin B6 and therefore, the low vitamin B6 groups have a combination of relatively low intakes.

Publication Types:

• random sample of the adult Dutch population

Vitamin B6 status in pregnancy

Am J Clin Nutr. 1973 Dec;26(12):1339-48

Heller S, Salkeld RM, Körner WF.

The vitamin B6 status of 493 pregnant women was investigated by means of the erythrocyte glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase (EGOT) activation test. Of the 458 women with uncomplicated pregnancies, 40 to 60% were found to be suboptimally supplied with vitamin B6 in order to saturate EGOT in comparison with a group of over 300 male and female blood donors. Mothers of higher gravidity were slightly more deficient with respect to enzyme saturation than those of lower gravidity. In the whole group there was otherwise no correlation between vitamin B6 status and various clinical parameters during pregnancy and delivery. Nevertheless, if one assumes that a good maternal vitamin B6 status is of value to the offspring, it is suggested that pyridoxine supplementation is necessary in 50% of the pregnant women in order to maintain normal coenzyme saturation of the enzymes tested.

Publication Types:

• Review

Vitamin B-6 status indices are lower in pregnant than in nonpregnant women but urinary excretion of 4-pyridoxic acid does not differ

J Nutr. 1993 Dec;123(12):2137-41

Trumbo PR, Wang JW.

The cause of reduced plasma pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP) concentration and the validity of plasma PLP concentration as a vitamin B-6 status indicator during pregnancy are not well understood. In this study, pregnant and nonpregnant women consumed a controlled diet for 5 d to exclude dietary intake as a factor in altered vitamin B-6 metabolic utilization. Plasma PLP and pyridoxal (PL) concentrations were significantly lower and higher, respectively, and plasma PL+PLP concentration was significantly lower during pregnancy. When plasma PLP and PL concentrations were normalized based on plasma albumin concentration, the differences were less marked but were still significant. The erythrocyte aspartate aminotransferase activity coefficient was significantly greater in pregnant women which is a further indication of reduced vitamin B-6 concentrations in the blood. No difference was observed in the urinary excretion of 4-pyridoxic acid between the pregnant and nonpregnant women. Results of this study demonstrate that vitamin B-6 status indices are lower during pregnancy without differences in the urinary excretion of 4-pyridoxic acid.

Vitamin B6 status during pregnancy

Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 1980;50(4):403-11

Vir SC, Love AH, Thompson W.

Nutritional status of vitamin B6 was investigated in 20 non-pregnant and 60 pregnant women (in the second trimester, third trimester and early postpartum) by determining the erythrocyte glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (EGPT) index. An EGPT index of greater than 1.15 indicative of vitamin B6 deficiency was noted in 30.0% non-pregnant subjects and in 50.0, 53.1 and 44.4% of pregnant subjects in second trimester, third trimester and postpartum periods, respectively. The deficiency developed at any of the three stages of pregnancy under study. Follow up of individual cases revealed no progressive deterioration in vitamin B6 nutrition with advancement of pregnancy. EGPT index values showed large individual variation during pregnancy. The mean intake of vitamin B6 was lower than the recommended and only 5.9% of subjects reported consuming greater than or equal to 2.5 mg vitamin B6/day. There was no significant correlation between biochemical parameters and vitamin B6 intake/day or vitamin B6/100 g protein/day. No significant relationships were observed between vitamin B6 status and the outcome of pregnancy, or anthropometric measures of neonates.

Publication Types:

• Review

Publication Types:

• Review