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.

Despite vitamin supplementation, a vitamin profile of pregnancy indicates that vitamin deficits exist during the trimesters. Also, combination hypovitaminemias of deficient vitamins were noted; this indicates that a vitamin deficit during pregnancy does not occur in isolation.

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.

A placebo-controlled double-blind trial of the effects of daily micronutrient supplements on circulating vitamin and trace metal concentrations and delayed-hypersensitivity skin test (DHST) responses was conducted. Subjects, aged 59-85 y, were randomly assigned to placebo (n = 27) or micronutrient (n = 29) treatment groups. DHST and circulating concentrations of nine micronutrients were measured before and after 6 and 12 mo of micronutrient ingestion. For the micronutrient group, there were statistically significant increases at 6 and/or 12 mo in the mean serum concentrations of ascorbate, beta-carotene, folate, vitamin B-6, and alpha-tocopherol. There was a significant increase at 12 mo in the number of subjects in the placebo group with one or more low concentrations. DHST responses to a panel of seven recall antigens were significantly increased at 12 mo in the micronutrient group but not the placebo group. This study demonstrates that daily supplementation with low-to-moderate doses of micronutrients can prevent low concentrations of some micronutrients and can improve DHST responses in healthy, independently living older adults.

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.