☆ 4.6 Article

Riboflavin Is an Important Determinant of Vitamin B-6 Status in Healthy Adults

JOURNAL OF NUTRITION (2020)

Journal

JOURNAL OF NUTRITION

Volume 150, Issue 10, Pages 2699-2706

Publisher

OXFORD UNIV PRESS

DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxaa225

Keywords

vitamin B-6; pyridoxal 5 '-phosphate; riboflavin; biomarkers; dietary intakes; healthy adults

Funding

United Kingdom Food Standards Agency [N05042]
BBSRC [BB/P028241/1] Funding Source: UKRI

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Abstract

Background: Riboflavin is required to generate the active form of vitamin B-6 (pyridoxal 5'-phosphate; PLP) in tissues, but the relevance of this metabolic interaction for nutritional status of vitamin B-6 is unclear because riboflavin biomarkers are rarely measured in human studies. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify the determinants of biomarkers of vitamin B-6 and riboflavin status and to examine the relationship between these nutrients in healthy adults. Methods: Multiple linear regression was performed on observational data in 407 healthy adults aged 18-92 y who did not use B-vitamin supplements. Vitamin B-6 status was assessed by plasma PLP concentrations and erythrocyte glutathione reductase activation coefficient (EGRac) was used as a functional indicator of riboflavin status. Results: Dietary intakes of vitamin B-6 and riboflavin were below the average requirements in 10% and 29% of participants, respectively. Suboptimal status of vitamin B-6 (PLP <= 30.0 nmol/L) was more prevalent in adults aged >= 60 y than in younger participants (i.e., 14% compared with 5%), whereas a high proportion (i.e., overall 37%) of both age groups had deficient riboflavin status (EGRac >= 1.40). In multiple regression analysis, EGRac (P = 0.019) was a significant determinant of plasma PLP, along with dietary vitamin B-6 intake (P = 0.003), age (P < 0.001), BMI (kg/m(2)) (P = 0.031), and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene (MTHFR) genotype (P < 0.001). Significant determinants of EGRac were dietary riboflavin intake (P < 0.001), age (P < 0.001) and MTHFR genotype (P = 0.020). Plasma PLP showed a stepwise decrease across riboflavin status categories from optimal (EGRac <= 1.26) to low (EGRac 1.27-1.39) to deficient status (P = 0.001), independent of dietary vitamin B-6 intake. Conclusions: The findings are consistent with the known metabolic dependency of vitamin B-6 on riboflavin status and indicate that riboflavin may be the limiting nutrient, particularly in older people, for maintaining adequate vitamin B-6 status.

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Vitamin B-6 and riboflavin, their metabolic interaction, and relationship with MTHFR genotype in adults aged 18-102 years

Harry Jarrett, Helene McNulty, Catherine F. Hughes, Kristina Pentieva, J. J. Strain, Adrian McCann, Liadhan McAnena, Conal Cunningham, Anne M. Molloy, Albert Flynn, Sinead M. Hopkins, Geraldine Horigan, Ciara O'Connor, Janette Walton, Breige A. McNulty, Michael J. Gibney, Yvonne Lamers, Mary Ward

Summary: The concentration of vitamin B-6 is lower in older adults, and riboflavin levels affect the status of vitamin B-6, especially in older individuals. The combination of the MTHFR 677TT genotype with riboflavin deficiency leads to a decrease in vitamin B-6 levels. Intake of vitamin B-6, supplement use, and EGRac are associated with PLP levels.

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NUTRITION (2022)