Vitamin B-6 status of tobacco smokers, chewers, and nonusers

Abstract

Vitamin B-6 status measurements of young men (x¯±SD, 20.6±1.5 y) who were users and nonusers of tobacco were determined. The subjects included 9 men who had smoked for a mean of 2.4 pack-years (packs daily x years), 11 who had chewed for a mean of 3.3 chew-years (chews daily x years), and 15 nonusers of tobacco. All subjects had acceptable hemoglobin and hematocrit values. The protein and vitamin B-6 intakes and the vitamin B-6/protein ratios of the three groups of subjects as estimated by 24-h recalls and 2-d food records were similar, although the differences in vitamin B-6 intakes of the three groups approached significance (P<0.06) with the intakes of nonusers being the highest. The mean daily vitamin B-6 intake of smokers and chewers was 1.9 mg while that of nonusers was 3.0 mg. Three smokers, two chewers, and one nonuser had vitamin B-6/protein (mg/g) ratios below 0.016. HPLC-derived plasma pyridoxal-5′-phosphate (PLP) levels of the three groups were similar although the mean value for nonusers was the highest. All subjects had plasma PLP levels indicative of adequate status with two possible exceptions. HPLC-derived blood cell PLP values of the groups were similar as were randomly collected urinary 4-pyridoxic acid/creatinine ratios. There were no significant differences between the measured vitamin B-6 parameter values of young men who were smokers, chewers, and nonusers of tobacco.