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The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between glucose dosage in parenteral nutrition and reductions in levels of body thiamine in rats. Vitamin-free infusions with differing amounts of glucose were administered to normal or thiamine-deficient rats for 5 days, after which urinary thiamine excretion and the amounts of thiamine in the blood, liver, brain, and skeletal muscles were measured. The total energy dosage was set at three levels (98, 140, and 196 kcal/kg), and the dose of amino acids was constant among all groups. Urinary thiamine excretions on Day 5 decreased with increasing glucose dosage in the infusions. In normal rats, the amount of thiamine in the blood and all organs decreased compared with the diet group; however, no significant differences were found among the infusion groups. In thiamine-deficient rats, on the other hand, the amount of thiamine in the liver and skeletal muscles did not differ significantly among infusion groups; however, the amount of thiamine in the brain and blood decreased with increasing glucose dosage. An organ-specific correlation was found between glucose dosage in infusions and reductions in levels of thiamine. To prevent thiamine deficiencies from affecting the central nervous system, greater caution must be exercised during high-caloric parenteral nutrition. However, a constant supply of thiamine seemed to be essential, irrespective of the amount of energy supplied via parenteral nutrition, to maintain a sufficient level of thiamine in the body., Competing Interests: Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interest exists.

Over the last five decades, many methods to analyze thiamine (vitamin B 1 ) and its phosphorylated forms in urine, whole blood, serum, plasma and erythrocytes have been proposed. Some of the methods are presently used in routine practice, but analytical problems regarding reproducibility, standardization, lack of automation, time consuming procedures for pretreatment and analysis are often discussed. With modern approaches to bioanalysis in clinical research of vitamins, whole processes can be automated, making analysis less time consuming, with reduced consumption of solvents and samples. This review critically discusses various analytical techniques, their advantages and disadvantages that are used for determination of thiamine and its derivatives in clinical practice, with emphasis on accurate, reliable and fast analytical procedures., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

B-group vitamins are involved in the catabolism of 2-oxo acids. To identify the functional biomarkers of B-group vitamins, we developed a high-performance liquid chromatographic method for profiling 2-oxo acids in urine and applied this method to urine samples from rats deficient in vitamins B1 and B6 and pantothenic acid. 2-Oxo acids were reacted with 1,2-diamino-4,5-methylenebenzene to produce fluorescent derivatives, which were then separated using a TSKgel ODS-80Ts column with 30 mmol/L of KH2PO4 (pH 3.0):acetonitrile (7:3) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. Vitamin B1 deficiency increased urinary levels of all 2-oxo acids, while vitamin B6 deficiency only increased levels of sum of 2-oxaloacetic acid and pyruvic acid, and pantothenic acid deficiency only increased levels of 2-oxoisovaleric acid. Profiles of 2-oxo acids in urine samples might be a non-invasive way of clarifying the functional biomarker of B-group vitamins.

Glutathione (GSH), playing roles as both a reducing reagent and protecting ligand, has been successfully employed for synthesizing Cu nanoclusters (CuNCs@GSH) on the basis of a simple and facile approach. The as-prepared CuNCs exhibited a fluorescence emission at 600nm with a quantum yield (QY) of approximately 3.6%. Subsequently, the CuNCs described here was employed as a broad-range pH sensor by virtue of the fluorescence intensity of CuNCs responding sensitively to pH fluctuating in a linear range of 4.0-12.0. Meanwhile, these prepared CuNCs were applied for detections of vitamin B1 (VB1) on the basis of positively charged VB1 neutralizing the negative surface charge of CuNCs, thus leading to the instability and aggregations of CuNCs, and further facilitating to quench their fluorescence. In addition, the proposed analytical method permitted detecting VB1 with a linear range of 2.0×10(-8)-1.0×10(-4) mol L(-1) as well as a detection limit of 4.6×10(-9) mol L(-1). Eventually, the practicability of this sensing approach was validated by assaying VB1 in human urine samples and pharmaceutical tablets, confirming its potential to broaden avenues for assaying VB1., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with tunable structures and properties have recently been emerged as very interesting functional materials. However, the catalytic properties of MOFs as enzymatic mimics remain to be further investigated. In this work, we for the first time demonstrated the peroxidase-like activity of copper-based MOFs (HKUST-1) by employing thiamine (TH) as a peroxidase substrate. In the presence of H2O2, HKUST-1 can catalyze efficiently the conversion of non-fluorescent TH to strong fluorescent thiochrome. The catalytic activity of HKUST-1 is highly dependent on the temperature, pH and H2O2 concentrations. As a peroxidase mimic, HKUST-1 not only has the features of low cost, high stability and easy preparation, but also follows Michaelis-Menten behaviors and shows stronger affinity to TH than horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Based on the peroxidase-like activity of HKUST-1, a simple and sensitive fluorescent method for TH detection has been developed. As low as 1 μM TH can be detected with a linear range from 4 to 700 μM. The detection limit for TH is about 50 fold lower than that of HRP-based fluorescent assay. The proposed method was successfully applied to detect TH in tablets and urine samples and showed a satisfactory result. We believed that the present work could improve the understanding of catalytic behaviors of MOFs as enzymatic mimics and find out a wider application in bioanalysis., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

With the help of non-invasive methods the sufficiency with vitamins C, B1 and B2 in 58 newborns (38-40 weeks of gestation) on breastfeeding as well as on mixed or artificial feeding has been evaluated. Urinary excretion and breast content of ascorbic acid (measured by visual titration), thiamin (by thiochrome fluorimetric method) andriboflavin (fluorimetrically by titration with riboflavin-binding protein) was determined on the 3-10th day after birth. 35 infants were exclusively breastfed. 40% of their mothers regularly took multivitamin supplements during pregnancy and 42.9%--both during pregnancy and after childbirth, 17.1% did not use vitamin complexes either duringpregnancy or after childbearing. The content of vitamins C, B1 and B2 in the breast milk of women who did not additionally intake vitamins during pregnancy and lactation, was reduced compared with that of mothers who took multivitamin supplements, and provided only a half of the needs of their child in these vitamins. All these babies have urinary excretion of vitamins below the lower limit of norm. Among infants whose mothers took multivitamin supplements during pregnancy, but stop taking them immediately after their birth, only 28.6% of newborns were provided with vitamin C, while all the children identified a lack of vitamins By and B2. The insufficiency with vitamins C and B1 was detected in one third of children breastfed by mothers who took vitamins during pregnancy and continued intaking them after birth, adequate supplied with vitamin B2 was 35.7% of the surveyed. Determination of vitamin urinary excretion (perg creatinine) is useful for vitamin status evaluation. The content of vitamins in breast milk can be used for assessment of vitamin status both a nursing woman and her child. Taking into consideration that the diet of a breastfeeding woman is not always the best, there is no doubt about the need to continue multivitamin intake during breastfeeding. The question on the doses of vitamins in vitamin-mineral supplements for lactating women, providing vitamin content of breast milk at an optimal level, or intended specifically for infants, nowadays is extensively discussed.

Fatty liver is caused when rats are given orotic acid of the pyrimidine base in large quantities. The lack of B-group vitamins suppresses the biosynthesis of fatty acids. We investigated how orotic acid-induced fatty liver affects the concentrations of liver, blood, and urine B-group vitamins in rats. The vitamin B6 and B12 concentrations of liver, blood, and urine were not affected by orotic acid-induced fatty liver. Vitamin B2 was measured only in the urine, but was unchanged. The liver, blood, and urine concentrations of niacin and its metabolites fell dramatically. Niacin and its metabolites in the liver, blood, and urine were affected as expected. Although the concentrations of vitamin B1, pantothenic acid, folate, and biotin in liver and blood were decreased by orotic acid-induced fatty liver, these urinary excretion amounts showed a specific pattern toward increase. Generally, as for the typical urinary excretion of B-group vitamins, these are excreted when the body is saturated. However, the ability to sustain vitamin B1, pantothenic acid, folate, and biotin decreased in fatty liver, which is hypothesized as a specific phenomenon. This metabolic response might occur to prevent an abnormally increased biosynthesis of fatty acids by orotic acid.

The purpose of the present work was to study the level of microelements and vitamins in adolescents with diffuse nontoxic goiter. It has been shown that comorbid biliary dyskinesia leads to significant dysregulation of vitamin and mineral metabolism: the level of essential elements was decreased and the level of toxic elements was increased. Comorbid biliary dyskinesia in adolescents with diffuse nontoxic goiter was accompanied by a disbalance of vitamins. The changes found in micronutrients have sex differences.

Objective: To study the nutritional status and differences in vitamin B1, vitamin B2, and niacin of the urban/rural infants in Shandong Province, and to provide scientific basis for infants nutrition interventions., Methods: 106 urban infants and 290 rural infants were selected from a city in Shandong Province. Forty milliliter urinary was collected from each one, which was adjusted to pH 4-5 with concentrated hydrochloric acid immediately. The concentration of thiamine, riboflavin and niacin in the urine was detected by fluorescence method., Results: The insufficient percentages of vitamin B, vitamin B2 and niacin in urban infants were 1.9%, 8.0% and 9.1%, and that in rural infants were 4.5%, 56.7% and 27.1%. The median concentrations of vitamin B1 in urban and rural infants were 495.00 and 420.56 microg/g respectively, in which the 12-month and 24-month groups in urban were higher than that in rural (P<0.05). The medians of vitamin B2 content in urban and rural infants were 303.07 and 70.88 microg/g, and the content of vitamin B2 in urban infants was higher than that in rural infants in each group (P<0.05). The median concentrations of niacin content in urban and rural infants were 6.31 and 4.22 microg/g, and the niacin content of 6month-, 12 month-, 18 month- and 24 month- groups in urban infants were higher than that in rural infants (P<0.05)., Conclusion: There were significant differences in vitamin B1, B2 and niacin content of infants between urban and rural areas, and the nutriture of urban infants was better than the rural infants. More improvement measures should be given to infants in rural areas for the high proportion of vitamin B, and niacin deficiency.

It is thought that increasing energy expenditure increases consumption of vitamin B1, leading to an increase in the requirement of vitamin B1. However, evidence supporting this hypothesis is lacking. To examine the hypothesis, initially, we determined the minimum requirement of vitamin B1 for weaning rats. We found that the minimum requirement of vitamin B1 for optimum growth of weaning rats was around 0.786 mg thiamin/kg diet. Next, rats fed a diet containing the minimum requirement of vitamin B1 were forced to swim until exhaustion. Concentrations of vitamin B1 in the blood and liver as well as urinary excretion of swimming rats decreased significantly compared with those of non-swimming rats (p<0.05), while in rats fed the diet containing a sufficient amount of vitamin B1 (4.720 mg thiamin/kg diet), vitamin B1 amounts in the blood, liver and urine were not affected by swimming. We clearly and firstly showed the reduction of body vitamin B1 following increases in energy expenditure.

Background: Diuretic treatment for heart failure may lead to an increased urinary thiamine excretion and in long-term thiamine deficiency, which may further compromise cardiac function. This study evaluated the effect of high dose thiamine supplementation in heart failure patients., Methods: Nine patients with diuretic treatment for symptomatic chronic heart failure and a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <40% were randomly assigned to receive thiamine (300 mg/day) or placebo for 28 days. After a wash-out of 6 weeks, the patients crossed-over to a second treatment period. The primary outcome was a change in LVEF., Results: Mean age was 56.7 ± 9.2 years (range 44.9-75.4 years). Baseline LVEF was similar for both treatment groups (29.5% in the thiamine group and 29.5% in the placebo group, P = 0.911). After 28 days of thiamine treatment, the LVEF increased to 32.8% which was significantly (P = 0.024) different from the LVEF in the placebo group (28.8%). This corresponds to a treatment effect for LVEF of 3.9% in absolute terms., Conclusions: This study suggests that thiamine supplementation has beneficial effects on cardiac function in patients with diuretic drugs for symptomatic chronic heart failure. Subclinical thiamine deficiency is probably an underestimated issue in these outpatients.

Background/aims: Appropriateness of the vitamin doses in Japanese commercial multi-vitamin preparations for parenteral nutrition therapy was investigated in patients with gastrointestinal tract disorder by evaluating the vitamin status (blood concentrations and urinary excretions of vitamins B1, B2, B6, and C) of them., Methodology: Commercial multivitamin preparations were administered continuously with a commercial PN solution over 5 days to 10 patients with gastrointestinal tract disorder. Blood concentrations of vitamins B1, B2, B6, and C were measured on the mornings of day 1, day 4, and day 6. Urinary excretions were measured in 24-h urine collections collected after day 3 and after day 5., Results: Blood concentrations of vitamins B1, B2, and B6 increased but remained within or slightly above the normal throughout the study, and urinary excretion values were normal in all patients. However, blood vitamin C concentration surpassed the lower limit of normal (5.5 microg/mL) only on day 6. Urinary vitamin C excretion was below normal (20.0 mg/day) in all and 7 patients on days 3 and 5, respectively., Conclusions: In patients with gastrointestinal tract disorder, the doses of vitamins B1, B2, and B6 of Japanese commercial multi-vitamin preparations are adequate but that of vitamin C (100 mg/day) is inadequate and should be increased.

Assessment of actual nutrition in girls with metabolic syndrome revealed excess dietary energy value due to the higher intake of fat and carbohydrates (mono- and disaccharides in particular) and the low intake of vitamin E. The vitamin status of the majority of girls with metabolic syndrome showed varying blood and urinary vitamin E, C, and B, deficiencies.

The inclusion of wheat bran (at a dose of 2,3 and 4,6% of the dry weight) in the semi-synthetic diet of rats under combined deficiency of vitamins (20 and 50% of the adequate level) did not have a significant effect on vitamins C, B1 and B2 liver levels, riboflavin blood plasma level, and thiamine and riboflavin urinary excretion. The consumption of bran in high dose has been accompanied by a decrease of retinol blood plasma level on 19-28% but it has no effect on liver retinol palmitate content. Bran intake in both doses resulted in a deterioration of rats sufficiency with vitamin E, which had been confirmed by a simultaneous significant decrease of blood plasma alpha-tocopherol concentration on 31-40%, and its liver level on 23-43%. The results obtained indicate the advisability of vitamin E enrichment of diets with a high content of dietary fiber.

Sulbutiamine (isobutyryl thiamine disulfide) is a lipophilic derivative of thiamine used for the treatment of asthenia and other related pathological conditions. It is available over-the-counter in several countries either as a component of nutritional supplements or as a pharmaceutical preparation. The presence of sulbutiamine in urinary doping control samples was monitored to evaluate the relevance of its use in sports. As one of the sulbutiamine metabolites has very close retention time and the same characteristic ion (m/z 194) as the main boldenone metabolite, the raw data files generated from the screening for anabolic steroids were automatically reprocessed to identify the samples containing sulbutiamine. It was found that of ca. 16 000 samples analyzed in the Russian laboratory during 2009, about 100 samples contained sulbutiamine. It is important to note that most of these samples were collected in-competition, and sulbutiamine concentration was estimated to be greater than 500 ng/ml. This may indicate that sulbutiamine was intentionally administered for its ergogenic and mild stimulating properties., (Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

We hypothesized that 24-hour urinary excretion of water-soluble vitamins might correlate with their intake in free-living Japanese elderly females aged 70 to 84 years. We performed a cross-sectional study composed of 37 healthy, elderly, Japanese females living freely. All foods and the corresponding weights consumed for 4 consecutive days were recorded accurately. A 24-hour urine sample was collected on the fourth day, and the urinary content of water-soluble vitamins was measured. The urinary levels of all vitamins, except for B(12) (r = 0.01; P = .936), were correlated positively with the mean intake over the recent 4 days (vitamin B1: r = 0.62; P < .001; vitamin B2: r = 0.57; P < .001; vitamin B6: r = 0.37; P < .005; niacin: r = 0.54; P < .001; niacin equivalents: r = 0.54; P < .001; pantothenic acid: r = 0.59; P < .001; folate: r = 0.55; P = .001; and vitamin C: r = 0.53; P < .001). Mean estimated intakes of water-soluble vitamins calculated using urinary concentrations and recovery rates showed 96% to 107% of their 3-day mean intake, except for vitamin B12 (65%). We conclude that urinary levels of water-soluble vitamins, except for B12, reflected their recent intake in free-living Japanese elderly females and could be used as a measure of their intake during the previous few days both for group means and for individual rankings within a group., (2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A simple, sensitive, and novel method has been developed and validated for the separation and simultaneous quantitation of seven structurally different drugs-pipemidic acid and ofloxacin quinolone antibiotics, pseudoephedrine decongestant, piroxicam anti-inflammatory, thiamin, pyridoxine, and cobalamin-in a mixture by capillary zone electrophoresis. Factors affecting the separation were pH, concentration of buffer, and applied voltage. Separation was carried out in < 9 min with a 50 mM sodium tetraborate buffer, pH 10, and an applied voltage of 30 kV in an uncoated silica capillary tube. The carrier electrolyte gave baseline separation with good resolution, reproducibility, and accuracy. Calibration plots were linear over at least three orders of magnitude of analyte concentrations, and the lower LODs were within the range of 1-5 microg/mL. Detection was performed by UV absorbance at 230 nm. The method was validated for the analysis of drugs in pharmaceutical preparations and in urine samples with RSD of 0.5-2.4% and recovery of > 99%.

Aims/hypothesis: High-dose supplements of thiamine prevent the development of microalbuminuria in experimental diabetes. The aim of this pilot study was to assess whether oral supplements of thiamine could reverse microalbuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes., Methods: Type 2 diabetic patients (21 male, 19 female) with microalbuminuria were recruited at the Diabetes Clinic, Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan, and randomised to placebo and treatment arms. Randomisation was by central office in sequentially numbered opaque, sealed envelopes. Participants, caregivers and those assessing the outcomes were blinded to group assignment. Patients were given 3 x 100 mg capsules of thiamine or placebo per day for 3 months with a 2 month follow-up washout period. The primary endpoint was change in urinary albumin excretion (UAE). Other markers of renal and vascular dysfunction and plasma concentrations of thiamine were determined., Results: UAE was decreased in patients receiving thiamine therapy for 3 months with respect to baseline (median -17.7 mg/24 h; p < 0.001, n = 20). There was no significant decrease in UAE in patients receiving placebo after 3 months of therapy (n = 20). UAE was significantly lower in patients who had received thiamine therapy compared with those who had received placebo (30.1 vs 35.5 mg/24 h, p < 0.01) but not at baseline. UAE continued to decrease in the 2 month washout period in both groups, but not significantly. There was no effect of thiamine treatment on glycaemic control, dyslipidaemia or BP. There were no adverse effects of therapy., Conclusions/interpretation: In this pilot study, high-dose thiamine therapy produced a regression of UAE in type 2 diabetic patients with microalbuminuria. Thiamine supplements at high dose may provide improved therapy for early-stage diabetic nephropathy., Trial Registration: CTRI (India) CTRI/2008/091/000112., Funding: Pakistan Higher Education Commission.

Objective: To investigate 24-h urinary thiamine as a potential biomarker for thiamine intake for use in validation studies to assess the validity of dietary intake data collected by self-reporting dietary methods., Subjects: Seven male and six female healthy participants living for 30 days in a metabolic suite under strictly controlled conditions consuming their usual diet as assessed beforehand from four consecutive 7-day food diaries kept at home. During the 30-day study, all 24-h urine specimens were collected, validated for their completeness and analysed for thiamine., Results: Thirty-day mean (+/-s.d.) calculated thiamine intake was 2.22+/-0.55 mg/day. Thirty-day mean (+/-s.d.) urinary excretion of thiamine was 526.5+/-193.0 microg/day (24.7+/-8.10% of intake). There was a highly significant correlation between individuals' 30-day means of thiamine intake and their mean excretion level (r=0.720; P=0.006), where 1 mg of thiamine intake predicted 268.2 microg of thiamine in urine. The correlations between intake and excretion remained significant when measurement from a single 24-h urine collection was used (r=0.56)., Conclusion: Twenty-four-hour urinary thiamine can be used as a concentration biomarker for thiamine intake in dietary validation studies.

Urinary B1 (vitamin B1) excretion is commonly determined in 24-hr urine specimens to obtain an estimate of nutritional status. The aim of our study was to investigate whether B1 in random urine specimens, corrected for the urine creatinine (Cr), can be substituted for B1 in 24-hr urines. Collection of such hour urines is often fraught with errors; an alternative method is described here. All urine specimens voided over 24 hr were collected from 32 healthy adults as were the first-morning urines from 30 healthy Japanese women. The B1 excretion was expressed as the ratio of B1 to Cr. Although the B1 excretion was expressed as the B1/Cr ratio, the B1 excretion varied with the urine volume and the time of urine collection. The B1/Cr ratio in random urine specimens not collected at a fixed time may mislead the evaluation of the nutritional status. We found that the B1/Cr ratio in the first-morning urine correlated significantly with the ratio in 24-hr urines (r=0.970, P<0.001) and also with the concentration of total B1 (B1 plus its phosphate esters) in whole blood (r=0.733, P<0.001). We conclude that the B1/Cr ratio in 24-hr urines could be estimated by measuring the ratio in the first-morning urine.

Background: In vitro studies indicate that yoghurt bacteria are able to generate several water-soluble vitamins and therefore yoghurt could be a good source of these micronutrients. However, whether lactobacilli or other viable bacteria release the synthesized vitamins or utilize vitamins from their surroundings is a matter of debate. This study was carried out to investigate whether probiotic and traditional yoghurt bacteria are able to influence the status of different B vitamins (B(1), B(2), B(6)) in young healthy women., Methods: In this investigation, female volunteers consumed 100 g/day of probiotic (n = 17) or conventional yoghurt (n = 16) for 2 weeks (T1-T2) and 200 g/day for another 2 weeks (T2-T3). A wash-out phase lasting 2 weeks followed. Plasma and urine concentrations of thiamine (vitamin B(1)), riboflavin (B(2)) and pyridoxine (B(6)) were analyzed using HPLC. The functional parameters, i.e. the erythrocyte transketolase (alpha-ETK) expressed as TPP (thiamine pyrophosphate) effect, erythrocyte glutathione reductase (alpha-EGR) and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (alpha-EGOT) were determined photometrically., Results: The plasma levels of vitamin B(1) increased significantly in both the probiotic (p < 0.001) and the control group (p < 0.01) when consuming 200 g yoghurt/day (T2-T3) and decreased to the baseline levels after the wash-out phase (T3-T4). Urinary excretion of thiamine and the TPP effect did not significantly change in either the probiotic or the control group during the period of daily yoghurt consumption (T1-T3). The plasma concentration of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) decreased significantly (p < 0.001) after consuming 100 g yoghurt/day (T1-T2) while plasma concentrations of flavin mononucleotide (FMN) (probiotic: p < 0.01, control: p < 0.001) and free riboflavin increased significantly (probiotic: p < 0.01, control: p < 0.001). Afterwards, the levels of these parameters remained unchanged to the end of the study in both tested groups. The urinary excretion of riboflavin and alpha-EGR remained unaffected throughout the study in both the probiotic and the control group. The average status of vitamin B(6), evaluated by its plasma level, urinary excretion and alpha-EGOT was unaffected by daily intake of 100 g (T1-T2) and 200 g yoghurt (T2-T3), respectively, for 4 weeks (T1-T3)., Conclusion: The results of the present study indicate that daily consumption of 200 g of both, probiotic and conventional yoghurt for 2 weeks can contribute to the total intake of vitamin B(1) and B(2) reflected by increased levels of plasma thiamine and free riboflavin in healthy women. The diminished plasma FAD and increased FMN concentrations, observed during the period of daily yoghurt consumption in both groups, may be the result of enhanced immune function and an oxidant/antioxidant imbalance, caused by the daily intake of lactic acid bacteria. Since the long term status parameters of all three investigated vitamins (B(1), B(2), B(6)) remained unaffected during the investigation the changes in plasma concentrations seem more likely the result of regular yoghurt consumption as a fermented dairy product, rather than of the specific intake of probiotic bacteria., (Copyright (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Objective: Antarctic expeditioners face extremes of environmental conditions along with isolation which affect normal human activity at a polar station. Diets of polar expeditioners consist of products that have been kept in storage for more than a year. Processing and preservation adversely affect the nutritive value of the food products, especially water-soluble vitamins. This study was conducted to determine water-soluble vitamin status of Antarctic expeditioners consuming processed canned food., Methods: Twenty-two healthy male volunteers age 26 to 56 years (39.5+/-8.5, mean+/-SD) participated in the study. The study was conducted in 3 phases: at Goa, India (phase I), 48 hours after arriving in Antarctica (phase II) and after 1 month in Antarctica (phase III). Water-soluble vitamin status in erythrocytes was assessed at each phase with evaluation of riboflavin, thiamine, and pyridoxine status. Urinary N-methyl nicotinamide and methylmalonic acid (MMA) levels were measured to assess niacin and vitamin B(12) status. Blood plasma assays were used to assess ascorbic acid status., Results: No significant changes in riboflavin, thiamine, and pyridoxine status in erythrocytes and urinary excretion levels were observed after 1 month in Antarctica. Vitamin C levels decreased significantly (P<.001) after 1 month in Antarctica compared with basal values (1.31+/-0.076 mg/dL during phase I to 0.81+/-0.063 mg/dL during phase III). However, these levels were still within the normal reference range., Conclusion: This study found no water-soluble vitamin deficiencies in participants consuming processed and canned food after 1 month in Antarctica.

Long-term thiamine deficiency has been largely documented, whilst little is known about effects of short-term depletion/repletion periods on thiamine vitamers status. Rats were submitted to short-term depletion (8 days) followed by different durations of repletion (3 or 14 days) with thiamine from bread (whole wheat bread or white bread, whole B and white B respectively) or corresponding controls. Short-term depletion drastically decreased plasma thiamine (-97%) and its urinary excretion (-77%). TDP (thiamine diphosphate) was strongly affected in liver (-67%) but less affected in cerebellum (-38%) or kidneys (-45%). Short-term repletion (3 days) with whole B diet or its control restored TDP at initial values in cerebellum and kidneys. A longer repletion (14 days) was required to restore liver TDP. Comparison of the diet groups indicates that thiamine status in tissues of rat fed whole B or white B diet was comparable to that of rats fed purified thiamine. Plasma thiamine concentration could not be restored at initial values in the bread groups or respective controls. In conclusion, thiamine in whole wheat bread appears effective in preventing marginal deficiencies and plasma thiamine is a less reliable indicator of thiamine status than tissue TDP levels.

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of B vitamins-fortified foods on primary school children. A controlled trial was conducted in 101 normal primary school children aged 9-11 years. They were randomly assigned to supplemental control group (S-control, n=36), riboflavin supplementation group (+riboflavin 0.625 mg/day, n=32), and B vitamin compound supplementation group (+riboflavin 0.625 mg/day, +thiamin 0.512 mg/day, +nicotinic acid 0.365 mg/day, +folic acid 0.13 mg/day, n=33) based on school classes. Urinary riboflavin excretion and erythrocyte glutathione reductase activity coefficient (EGRAC) along with erythrocyte transketolase activity (ETKA) were used to evaluate B vitamin levels in the children. AYP index, an index reflecting the brain performance ability, was chosen to assess the children's study abilities. Health education was carried out to help children and their parents adopt scientific dietary concepts. The urinary riboflavin excretion was higher in two supplementation groups (435.24 +/- 153.3 microg/g creatinine, 374.6 +/- 144.6 microg/g creatinine) than in S-control group (235.1 +/- 86.2 microg/g creatinine). Average values of EGRAC were lower in two supplementation groups (0.90 +/- 0.11, 0.80 +/- 0.10) than in S-control group (1.08 +/- 0.25). At the same time, the percentage of thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP%) decreased from 63.69 +/- 28.04 to 42.16 +/- 16.31 in B vitamin compound supplementation group. Meanwhile, AYP index increased at the end of the supplementation in two supplementation groups. B vitamins supplementation can significantly increase B vitamin level in children. Biochemical activities of riboflavin and thiamin can improve with the intake of fortified foods. The effect of B vitamin compound supplementation is better than that of single riboflavin supplementation when the effect of riboflavin's biofunction is considered. In addition, micronutrient supplementation appears to assist children's study abilities.

Background: A vegetarian diet is considered to promote health and longevity and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer. However, a vegetarian diet may be deficient in some nutrients. Exclusion of animal products in vegetarian diets may affect the status of certain B-vitamins, and further cause the rise of plasma homocysteine concentration., Objective: The nutritional status of various B-vitamins (B(1), B(2), B(6), B(12), folic acid) and the concentration of homocysteine in blood plasma of omnivores (n = 40), vegetarians (n = 36) and vegans (n = 42) in Austria was evaluated., Methods: The evaluation was done using the functional parameters erythrocyte transketolase (ETK), glutathione reductase (EGR) and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (EGOT) activation coefficients. Enzyme activity was measured photometrically. The quantity of vitamins B(1), B(2) and B(6) in urine and the concentrations of vitamin B(6) and homocysteine in plasma were determined by HPLC methods with fluorescence detection. Plasma concentration of vitamin B(12) and folic acid were measured with radioimmunoassay., Results: Most of the subjects showed a satisfying vitamin B(1) status. Vegans presented a significantly lower mean plasma vitamin B(12) concentration than omnivores and vegetarians and deficiency in 2.4% of the volunteers but the highest mean value of plasma folate among the investigated groups. A deficient status of folate was found in 18% of omnivores and in approximately 10% of vegans and vegetarians. The status of riboflavin is considered to be deficient in about 10% of omnivores and vegetarians and in over 30% of vegans. According to the activation coefficient of GOT, approximately one third of all subjects showed vitamin B(6) deficiency. Elevated homocysteine concentration in plasma was observed in 66% of the vegans and about 45-50% of the omnivores and vegetarians. Vegan subjects had significantly higher mean plasma homocysteine levels than omnivores., Conclusion: Thiamin and folate need not be a problem in a well-planned vegan diet. Vitamins B(12) and B(2) may need attention in the strict vegan diet, especially regarding elevated homocysteine levels in plasma. Pyridoxine status appeared to be independent of the diet., (Copyright 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

To acquire the data concerning the tolerable upper intake level which prevents health problems from an excessive intake of pantothenic acid, an animal experiment was done. Rats of the Wistar strain (male, 3 wk old) were fed on a diet which contains 0%, 0.0016% (control group), 1%, or 3% calcium pantothenate for 29 d. The amount of weight increase, the food intake, and the organ weights were measured, as well as the pantothenic acid contents in urine, the liver and blood. Moreover, to learn the influence of excessive pantothenic acid on other water-soluble vitamin metabolism, thiamin, riboflavin, a vitamin B6 catabolite, the niacin catabolites, and ascorbic acid in urine were measured. As for the 3% addition group, enlargement of the testis, diarrhea, and hair damage were observed, and the amount of weight increase and the food intake were less than those of the control group. However, abnormality was not seen in the 1% addition group. The amount of pantothenic acid in urine, the liver, and blood showed a high correlation with intake level of pantothenic acid. It was only for 4-pyridoxic acid, a vitamin B6 catabolite, in urine that a remarkable difference was observed against the control group. Moreover, the (2-Py+4-Py)/MNA excretion ratio for these metabolites of the nicotinamide also indicated a low value in the 3% pantothenic acid group. As for the calcium pantothenate, it was found that the 3% level in the diet was the lowest-observed-adverse-effect-level (LOAEL) and the 1% level was the no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL).

We investigated the levels of water-soluble vitamins except for vitamin B6 in the blood and urine of Japanese college male (n = 10) and female (n = 10) students. They consumed for 7 d a semi-purified diet based on Japanese Dietary Reference Intakes to assess the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for water-soluble vitamins and to present some new normal values for blood and urine levels of water-soluble vitamins in Japanese. The blood and the 24-h urine samples were collected on the last day of the experiment and measured. The values of total vitamin B1 in whole blood, total vitamin B2 in whole blood, total cyanocobalamin in serum, total nicotinamide in whole blood, total pantothenic acid in whole blood, total folates in serum, total biotin in serum, and ascorbic acid in plasma were 104+/-17 pmol/mL (mean+/-SD), 216+/-25 pmol/mL, 0.34+/-0.05 pmol/mL, 59.1+/- 5.0 nmol/ mL, 2.45+/-0.37 nmol/mL, 15.6+/-4.6 pmol/mL, 8.3+/-0.5 pmol/mL, and 62+/-10 nmol/mL, respectively, in males, and 90+/-23, 234+/-18, 0.67+/-0.20, 61.9+/-6.0, 2.48+/-0.30, 30.2+/-8.6, 8.4+/-0.3, and 67+/-14, respectively, in females. There was a significant difference in the values of cyanocobalamin and total folates between men and women. The urinary excretion of vitamin B1, vitamin B2, cyanocobalamin, sum of the catabolic metabolites of nicotinamide, pantothenic acid, folates, biotin, and ascorbic acid were 665+/-114 nmol/d, 562+/-325 nmol/d, 93+/-31 pmol/d, 84+/-26 micromol/d, 9.3+/-2.3 micromol/d, 19.4+/-2.8 nmol/d, 83+/-18 pmol/d, and 148+/-51 micromol/d, respectively, in males, and 495+/-212, 580+/-146, 145+/-49, 83+/-19, 16.9+/-1.3, 22.7+/-2.7, 83+/-23, and 140+/-51, respectively, in females. There was a significant difference in the urinary excretion of cyanocobalamin, pantothenic acid and total folates between men and women. These values will be useful for the nutritional assessment of water-soluble vitamins for Japanese, although the examination period was short. In future, an experiment with various age groups and re-evaluation by repeated experiments will provide more accurate values.

In man, neurotoxicity associated to ifosfamide treatment can be reversed by intravenous thiamine administration. Trying to explain this clinical finding, we decided to study possible changes in thiamine availability and activation in patients exposed to ifosfamide. Free thiamine and its phosphate esters levels were measured in plasma, erythrocytes and urine by an ion-pair HPLC method with pre-column derivatization, which allowed separation of the fluorescent compounds in less than 10 min. The method was validated by linearity, sensitivity and reproducibility studies, whose values met the demands for bioanalytical assays. This method was applied to assess thiamine status in cancer patients exposed to ifosfamide therapy for advanced disease.

We have reported that the administration of bisphenol A to rats reduces the conversion ratio of tryptophan to nicotinamide. In the present paper, we show that bisphenol A, a monomer of polycarbonate plastics, inhibits the enzyme activity of kynurenine 3-hydroxylase. Namely, the conversion ratio of tryptophan to nicotinamide is reduced through the inhibition of kynurenine 3-hydroxylase activity by bisphenol A.

In order to investigate the effect of vitamins-minerals supplementation on the nutritional status of Chinese women, 252 villagers aged 20-50 years old were selected as the participants in the study in Longli County, Guizhou Province. Within Twenty two weeks, half of the participants received the supplements and half had placebo. The results showed that in comparison with the control, the women with supplementation represented a higher urine excretion of vitamin B1 and B2 after a loading dosage and, a higher concentration of serum iron and zinc and a lower prevalence of anemia. They kept their facial moisture and grease better than those of the controls. They also felt better in sleeping, having appetite, and doing physical activities. The results indicated that the supplementation of vitamins-minerals might improve the nutritional status of rural Chinese women.

Background: Thiamine supplementation is necessary in patients with thiamine deficiency syndromes. Experimental evidence suggests that tissue uptake and the elimination of thiamine are dose-dependent., Aim: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of different i.v. infusion rates of thiamine on blood concentrations of thiamine and its active metabolite thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) and on renal excretion of thiamine., Methods: Twelve healthy subjects received in a two-period block randomized study 150 mg thiamine intravenously over either 1 or 24 h., Results: The maximum blood concentrations (Cmax) of thiamine were significantly higher after the more rapid infusion (RI; 2300 ng/mL) than after the slower infusion (SI; 177 ng/mL). The AUC of thiamine was identical after both infusion protocols. There was a slightly (10%) increased AUC of TPP (P < 0.08) after SI, whereas C(max) values were comparable. Urinary excretion of thiamine was significantly decreased from 83.6% of the applied dose after RI to 57.6% after the SI., Conclusions: Our data suggest an increased tissue uptake of thiamine when it is given as an SI compared with a RI of the same dose. It is concluded, therefore, that an SI of thiamine may be superior to RI or bolus injections to treat severe deficiency syndromes.

It has been shown that vitamin C and B2, calcium and phosphorus daily intake strongly correlated with their urinary excretion in children 5-8 years old (Moscow) from the decreased bone mineral density risk group. Hour urinary calcium, phosphorus, creatinine excretion values for adequately supplied children has been determined. Vitamin and mineral status evaluation by means of estimation of vitamins and minerals consumption and urinary level (except vitamin B2) give relatively coincided results. Difference between these methods of nutritive status assessment attains 8-25 per cent. Thus these methods are substituted for group nutritive status evaluation.

The results of investigation about providing 96 children at the age of 11-12 with vitamins in different ecological-biogeochemical zones of Chuvashia are presented in this article. The actual nutrition of children was estimated, by questionnaire-weight Pokrovsky's method and the level of excretion of vitamins B1, B2 and ascorbic acid with urine was studied by fluorescent method. The deficiency of riboflavin (66% in girls and 97% in boys) and ascorbic acid deficiency (30% in children) was revealed in the daily ration, the quantity of thiamin was sufficient. The providing the organism of children with investigated vitamins is low in Chuvashia. There is the link between ecological-biogeochemical characteristics of Chuvashia and providing with vitamins B1, B2 and C, their quantity in food being the same.

A continuous flow sensor for the determination of thiamine was constructed by using controlled-reagent-release technology in a FIA-CL system. The analytical reagents, luminol and KIO(4), were both immobilized on an anion-exchange column. The CL signal produced by the reaction between luminol and KIO(4), which were eluted from the column through H(2)O injection, was decreased in the presence of thiamine. The decreased CL intensity was linear with thiamine concentration in the range 3.3 pmol ml(-1)-6.7 nmol ml(-1); and the limit of detection was 1.0 pmol ml(-1) (3.). The whole process, including sampling and washing, could be completed in 0.5 min with a relative standard deviation of less than 3.0%. The flow sensor showed remarkable stability and could be easily reused over 80 h. The sensor proposed was tested in determination of thiamine in pharmaceutical preparation and human urine samples.

Diuretic therapy entails decreased plasma concentrations of thiamine and riboflavine. Vitamins eliminated with urine more rapidly when diuresis accelerates. This process is not related to diuresis cause. A linear relationship exists between diuresis intensity and amount of eliminated thiamine and riboflavine. Thus it is shown that diuretic therapy provokes thiamine and riboflavine elimination from the body.

Thiamine requirements for humans are generally expressed as absolute values per day (mg/d) or in relation to total caloric intake. Limited data are available on the relation between thiamine requirements and the intake of carbohydrates. This study was performed to investigate the influence of stepwise increases of carbohydrate intake on the status of thiamine in healthy volunteers under isocaloric conditions. During an adaptation phase of four days, the carbohydrate intake of twelve healthy volunteers (6 male, 6 female) was 55% of total energy intake. During the subsequent intervention periods, carbohydrate intake was increased to 65% of total energy for four days and to 75% for another four days. Thiamine intake, total energy intake, and physical activity were kept constant throughout the study. HPLC analysis was used to measure thiamine in plasma, urine and feces. Erythrocyte transketolase activity (ETK) was determined enzymatically. During the intervention periods thiamine decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in plasma (from 19.3 +/- 3.3 to 16.4 +/- 4.0 nmol/l) as well as in urine (from 72 +/- 56 to 58 +/- 21 mumol/mol creatinine). ETK and feces content of thiamine remained unchanged. An increase of dietary carbohydrate intake from 55% to 65% and 75%, respectively, of total caloric intake for four days per period at isocaloric conditions causes a decrease of plasma and urine levels of thiamine without affecting enzyme activities.

Two reversed-phase chromatographic methods for the separation of thiamine and related compounds are compared. The first procedure is based on the ion-pair technique using an octadecylsilica column, while the second uses a new amide-based stationary phase, which avoids the need to form ion-pairs, leading to narrower peaks and a simpler mobile phase. Analyses were performed by gradient elution and a photo-diode array was used for detection. Specificity was demonstrated by the retention characteristics, UV spectra and by comparing the peak purity index with commercial standards. The procedures were applied to the determination of thiamine-related compounds in pharmaceutical preparations and urine. No preliminary sample treatment was required.

Despite modern pharmacologic agents in the therapy of heart failure, the prevalence of heart failure is increasing worldwide. In the vitamin B1 deficiency disease beriberi, cardiac symptoms may represent the central feature. Two new studies confirmed that all diuretics lead to increased urinary thiamin excretion depending on the urinary flow rate. In a subject at risk, such as an elderly patient, chronic diuretic treatment may lead to a subclinical thiamin deficiency. Whether subclinical thiamin nutriture is a modulator of the prevalence and/or severity of heart failure is not known; however, it seems to be plausible from the metabolic point of view.

A capillary zone electrophoresis method with high-sensitivity cell (Z-cell) has been developed for the determination of thiamine in biological media (plasma, urine, saliva). The urine samples were diluted (1:1, v/v) in water and were directly injected into the apparatus. For the quantitative assay of thiamine in plasma it is necessary to precipitate the protein component. Good results were achieved by treating the sample with acetonitrile (1:3, v/v). Using a capillary with high sensitivity cell led to an approximately nine-fold improvement of the detection limit compared to standard capillaries and four-fold improvement compared to capillary with bubble cell. The samples in the biological media were analysed using a calibration curve for thiamine concentrations between 0.1 and 200 microg ml(-1). The detection limit, the effective mobility and the relative standard deviation of the migration times and of the peak areas were determined.

Long-term furosemide therapy is associated with increased urinary loss of thiamine. To examine the mechanism of furosemide-induced urinary thiamine loss, we measured urinary excretion of thiamine in rats in response to increasing doses of furosemide, acetazolamide, chlorothiazide, amiloride, mannitol, and extracellular fluid (ECF) volume loading by saline infusion. All animals were in normal thiamine balance as reflected by a thiamine pyrophosphate effect (TPPE) of 2.25% +/- 0.60% (mean +/- SEM), and all had normal renal function. Urinary flow increased in response to diuretic administration in a dose-dependent manner, reaching (mean) peak urinary flow rates of 283 to 402 microL/min. Fractional excretion of sodium (FE(Na)) exhibited the same pattern, reaching peak values of 12.3% to 23.2%. Urinary thiamine excretion increased in proportion to the incremental doses of diuretic agents, reaching (mean) maximal values of 7.44 to 9.34 pmol/min, with no significant difference (P = .11) between the various diuretics tested nor in response to saline loading. None of the diuretics tested differed in the effect on thiamine excretion, which was clearly flow dependent and only partially related to fractional sodium excretion. Urinary flow rate, being the single significant predictor, explained 78% (R2 = 0.78) of the variability in thiamine excretion rates. These findings indicate that urinary thiamine loss is caused by a nonspecific, flow-dependent mechanism common to all of the diuretics tested.

Prolonged furosemide treatment is associated with urinary loss of thiamine and thiamine deficiency in some patients with congestive heart failure and low dietary thiamine intake. In the rat, diuretic-induced thiamine urinary loss is solely dependent on increased diuresis and is unrelated to the type of diuretic used. We studied the effects of single intravenous doses of furosemide (1, 3, and 10 mg) and of normal saline infusion (750 mL) on urinary thiamine excretion in 6 volunteers. Over a 6-hour period, furosemide induced dose-dependent increases in urine flow and sodium excretion rates (mean +/- SD), from 51 +/- 17 mL/h at baseline to 89 +/- 29 mL/h, 110 +/- 38 mL/h, and 183 +/- 58 mL/h (F = 10.4, P < .002) and from 5.1 +/- 2.3 mmol/h to 9.4 +/- 6.8 mmol/h, 12.1 +/- 2.6 mmol/h, and 20.9 +/- 10.6 mmol/h (F = 6.3, P < .005) for the three doses, respectively (104 +/- 35 mL/h and 13.0 +/- 6.2 mmol/h for the saline infusion). During this period the thiamine excretion rate doubled from baseline levels (mean of four 24-hour periods before the diuretic interventions) of 6.4 +/- 5.1 nmol/h to 11.6 +/- 8.2 nmol/h (F = 5.03, P < .01, for all four interventions, no difference being found between them), then returning over the following 18 hours to 6.1 +/- 3.9 nmol/h. The thiamine excretion rate was correlated with the urine flow rate (r = 0.54, P < .001), with no further effect of the type of intervention or sodium excretion rate. These findings complement our previous results in animals and indicate that sustained diuresis of >100 mL/h induces a nonspecific but significant increase in urinary loss of thiamine in human subjects. Thiamine supplements should be considered in patients undergoing sustained diuresis, when dietary deficiency may be present.

Vitamin level in blood plasma and erythrocytes and a rate of urinary excretion of vitamin metabolites were analysed in children suffering from phenylketonuria. It has been shown that vitamin B1 metabolism and therefore the criteria of the adequate sufficiency with this vitamin does not differ from those for healthy people. Increased riboflavin urinary excretion under its decreased plasma and erythrocyte levels has been demonstrated for PKU children. In consequence of this the indexes of sufficiency significantly differ from those of the healthy adequately supplied with this vitamin children and are equal to 4 ng of riboflavin per 1 ml of blood plasma and its urinary excretion more than 50 mg/h. The necessity for the redetermination of vitamin B2 diet optimal content under this disease and its biochemical validation are discussed.

To evaluate the thiamine status of the population consuming the refined cereals and its products, we studied thiamine concentration in 23 food samples and human urine, and three-day dietary survey was conducted. The results showed that the thiamine content in the staple food was much lower than that in the raw material. The thiamine intake from diet was below to 80% RDA in 42.8% investigated families and the thiamine energy ratio was lower than 0.5 mg/4186.8 kJ in 71.5% of them. For the ratio of urinary tiamine (mg)/urinary inosine (g), 51.3% subjects exhibited decreased excretion, especially in the school-age children. We conclude that those people who take the refined cereals and its products as a staple food, is in the risk of thiamine deficiency.

Experimentally induced lead poisoning especially under simultaneous iron deficit leads to the development of secondary thiamine insufficiency. Erythrocyte riboflavin content and erythrocyte glutathion reductase and aspartate aminotransferase activities have been demonstrated to be increased. Lead treatment is accompanied with the increase of urinary excretion of riboflavin, 4-pyridoxic acid and 1-vtthylnicotinamide in rats fed with adequate diet. Thus lead intoxication and iron deficiency influence vitamin B group metabolism.