Vitamin B-6 intakes and plasma B-6 vitamer concentrations of men and women, 19-50 years of age.

The vitamin B-6 intakes and plasma B-6 vitamer levels of healthy nonsupplemented men and women, 19-24 and 25-50 years, were compared. The subjects did not take nutrient supplements or medications or use tobacco products. Subjects were grouped as follows: eight, 19-24 y men; nine, 25-50 y men; 11, 19-24 y women; and 13, 25-50 y women. The estimated vitamin B-6 intakes, obtained via 24-h recalls followed by 2-d food records, of the two groups of men were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those of the two groups of women. Thirty-five percent of the women reported consuming less than the Estimated Average Requirement for vitamin B-6. The four gender: age groups had similar B-6 vitamer concentrations of plasma pyridoxal-5'-phosphate, 4-pyridoxic acid, pyridoxine, pyridoxamine, and pyridoxamine-5'-phosphate. Males 25-50 y had significantly higher (P < 0.05) plasma pyridoxal concentrations than the two groups of females. All subjects had pyridoxal-5'-phosphate concentrations indicative of vitamin B-6 adequacy. Generally the plasma B-6 vitamer concentrations of these men and women, 19-24 and 25-50 years of age, all having adequate vitamin B-6 status, were similar.