Thiamin, biotin, B12, folate, pantothenate, riboflavin, nicotinate, B6, vitamins A, E, C, and beta-cartene was estimated in the blood of 174 mothers and in the cord blood of their neonates at parturition. A vitamin profile of normal preganancy was established for mother and neonate. This was based on values obtained from 95 percent confidence limits in 74 mothers not taking oral vitamins and 133 mothers ingesting various vitamin supllements. Circulating vitamin levels in 38 neonates born to mothers with no laboratory evidence of hypovitaminemia was persented. The higher incidence of hypobitaminemia in gravidas not taking vitamins was folate, thiamin, vitamins A, C, B12, BL and nicotinate in descending order. Ingestion of vitamins supplements reduced the incidence of hypovitaminemia. A similar relationship held for neonates from these mothers. However, despite vitamin ingestion thiamin, folate, vitamins C, A, B6, B12 and nicotinate hypovitaminemia was evident. There was an approximate 1:2-5 ratio between mother and neonate blood vitamins; vitamins A, B6, E, and beta-carotene were exceptions. Vitamin B6 ran parallel, while vitamins A, B6, E, and beta-carotene ratios reversed in favor of the mother at an approximate ratio of 2:1, 4:1 and 7:1, respectively. It is concluded that vitamin profile for mother and neonate, taking into account values established from a lorge gravid population, should now permit an evaluation of the effects of hypoviteminemia on the outcome of pregnancy and infant health.

The vitamin profile of 473 elderly persons was compared with that of 204 healthy volunteers (controls). Of the 473 elderly, 327 (mean age 87) lived in nursing homes, and 146 (mean age 77) lived at home. The 204 controls were in the 20–50 year age group. The circulating levels of biotin, pantothenate, riboflavin, vitamins A, B6, B12, C, E, folate, thiamine, nicotinate, and carotenes were determined in all groups. Hypovitaminemia was not obvious for biotin, pantothenate, riboflavin, vitamins A, E, and carotenes in either the institutional or non‐institutional elderly. Thiamine, vitamin C and vitamin B12 levels were strikingly depressed in the non‐institutional elderly as compared with the institutional population or the controls. Over 30 percent of the institutional elderly had vitamin B6 and nicotinate hypovitaminemia compared to the controls. Both the institutional and the non‐institutional elderly showed depressed levels of folate and vitamin B12. Vitamin supplementation reduced the percentage of folate and B12 deficits. The marked vitamin deficits in the institutional population, in descending order of incidence were: vitamin B6, nicotinate, vitamin B12, folate, thiamine, and ascorbate, whereas the pattern for the non‐institutional elderly was: vitamin B12, thiamine, ascorbate, vitamin B6, nicotinate, and folate. In the 473 elderly studied, vitamin B6, nicotinate, and vitamin B12, in that order, were the most common deficits; folate, thiamine and ascorbate deficits comprised a lesser percentage. The role of vitamin deficits and the effects upon the aging population are discussed.

This study surveyed serum concentrations of vitamins, electrolytes, and trace elements in subjects seropositive for HIV-1 by ELISA and confirmatory Western blot. Thirty subjects (26 males, 4 females) were recruited at a hospital clinic. Seventeen were classified as having mild or severe ARC (AIDS-related complex), 7 had AIDS, and 6 were asymptomatic. Eight had experienced weight loss of 10 pounds or more in the past 6 months. Most (93%) were anergic to skin test antigens. Percentages of subjects with below normal plasma concentrations include: zinc-30%, calcium-27%, magnesium-30%, carotenes-31%, total choline-50%, and ascorbate-27%. Eighty-seven percent of the subjects had at least one abnormally low value. Percentages with above normal values include: folate-37% and carnitine-37%. Some subjects with above normal values for plasma vitamins reported self-supplementation, usually with large doses. The results suggest that one or more abnormally low concentrations of the plasma micronutrients studied here are likely to be present in the majority of HIV seropositive patients.

Severe alcoholic liver disease involves leakage of total B12 from liver tissue into the plasma. Holo TC I and III concentration increases in plasma; this preserves the high plasma B12 from being excreted. However, plasma holo TC II B12 distribution is decreased, indicating that there is a depression of exogenous B12 entering the plasma and tissues. In severe liver disease, liver tissue B12 binding and storage by TC is disrupted and causes B12 to leak out of the liver into the circulation. Eventually liver disease could produce enough severe tissue B12 deficits to cause metabolic dysfunction despite elevated plasma total B12. Elevation of plasma B12, accompanied by a lowering of holo TC II distribution, seemed to be a useful index of liver disease severity suggesting preventive treatment.

Vitamin E was administered orally (400 IU twice a day) to adult male humans for 28 days as either dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate (all-rac-alpha-tocopheryl acetate) or d-alpha-tocopheryl acetate (RRR-alpha-tocopheryl acetate). Plasma alpha-tocopherol rose rapidly and fell at the same rate following cessation of supplementation with both forms of vitamin E. No significant differences in plasma alpha- or gamma-tocopherol levels were found between the two forms of vitamin E following their administration. The results confirm the currently accepted biopotencies of 1.0 IU/mg and 1.36 IU/mg, respectively for the two forms of vitamin E. Supplementation with either form of alpha-tocopheryl acetate resulted in depressing plasma gamma-tocopherol to less than 1/3 of initial levels; also the gamma/alpha ratio was depressed to less than 1/7 of the initial value. The study suggests that the gamma/alpha vitamin E ratio might also serve as a sensitive index of alpha-tocopherol ingestion.