Abstract: | |
Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the homocysteine and cobalamin status of German vegans and determine whether the intake of very small amounts of foods of animal origin can improve this status. Design and setting: Cross-sectional study, Germany. Subjects: The dietary and nutritional intakes of 131 vegans (73 women, 58 men; age range: 20.2-82.1 years) were evaluated using a general questionnaire and two food-frequency questionnaires. Results: The prevalence of inadequate cobalamin status in volunteers of the German Vegan Study was 28.2%, and that of hyperhomocysteinaemia, 38.1%. Moderate vegans were affected to a lesser extent than were strict vegans. Duration of veganism and cobalamin concentration were inversely correlated (Spearman's r= - 0.175, P = 0.047). Folate concentration and erythrocyte aspartic acid aminotransferase activity were not correlated with plasma homocysteine concentration, but duration of veganism correlated positively with homocysteine concentration (Spearman's r= 0.319, P < 0.001). Cobalamin and homocysteine concentrations were inversely correlated (when controlling for duration of veganism; r= -0.602, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Cobalamin status needs to be improved in order to minimise the risk of hyperhomocysteinaemia.
|
|
License of this version: | Es gilt deutsches Urheberrecht. Das Dokument darf zum eigenen Gebrauch kostenfrei genutzt, aber nicht im Internet bereitgestellt oder an Außenstehende weitergegeben werden. Dieser Beitrag ist aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich. |
Publication type: | Article |
Publishing status: | publishedVersion |
Publication date: | 2004 |
Keywords english: | Cobalamin, Folate, Homocysteine, Pyridoxine, Veganism, aminotransferase, cobalamin, folic acid, hemoglobin, homocysteine, pyridoxine, cyanocobalamin, folic acid, adult, aged, article, cardiovascular disease, dietary intake, erythrocyte, female, Germany, hematological parameters, hemoglobin determination, human, hyperhomocysteinemia, male, mean corpuscular volume, nutritional status, priority journal, questionnaire, risk factor, vegetarian, vitamin blood level, vitamin deficiency, blood, body mass, cross-sectional study, cyanocobalamin deficiency, Germany, middle aged, prevalence, vegetarian diet, Animalia, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Body Mass Index, Cross-Sectional Studies, Diet, Vegetarian, Female, Folic Acid, Germany, Homocysteine, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Nutritional Status, Prevalence, Vitamin B 12, Vitamin B 12 Deficiency |
DDC: | 610 | Medizin, Gesundheit |