Urinary 4-pyridoxic acid, plasma pyridoxal phosphate, and erythrocyte aminotransferase levels in oral contraceptive users receiving controlled intakes of vitamin B6

Abstract

Fifteen women who had used combination type oral contraceptives (estrogen plus progestogen) and 9 control women who had never used these agents were given a diet deficient in vitamin B6. After 1 month, this diet was supplemented daily with 0.8, 2.0 or 20.0 mg of pyridoxine hydrocholride for an additional month. At weekly intervals, measurements were made of urinary 4-pyridoxic acid, plasma pyridoxal phosphate, and erythocyte alanine and aspartate aminotransterases. No significan differences were observed between oral contraceptive users and controls in any of the above measured indices. The data suggest that if the use of oral contraceptives of the combined estrogen-progestogen type does alter the requirement for vitamin B6, the effect is a mild one and of doubtful clinical significance to the majority of women taking these steroid preparations. The amount of vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine) needed to maintain normal levels of the above indices of vitamin B6 nutrition in these subjects were between 0.8 and 2.0 mg/day.