Optimizing vitamin supplementation via reference interval update of vitamins A, E, B1, and B6 using HPLC

Area of Science:

• Clinical Chemistry
• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Vitamins are essential micronutrients vital for metabolism.
• Monitoring vitamin levels is crucial for identifying deficiencies and guiding supplementation.
• Existing reference values may not accurately reflect current adult populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To update and establish reliable reference values for vitamins A, B1, B6, and E.
• To assess vitamin levels and related ratios in an adult population.
• To compare newly derived reference values with existing manufacturer-provided values.

Main Methods:

• Liquid chromatography was employed for direct vitamin analysis.
• A cohort of 146 adults (ages 21-64, 64% female) was studied.
• Reference values for vitamins A, E, B1, B6, and specific ratios were calculated.

Main Results:

• Updated reference ranges were established for vitamins A (1.1-2.8 μmol/L), E (18.9-42.2 μmol/L), B1 (85.9-181.6 nmol/L), and B6 (57.0-165.7 nmol/L).
• Reference ranges for corrected vitamin ratios (B1/hemoglobin, E/cholesterol, E/total lipids) were also determined.
• The derived reference values showed significant differences compared to manufacturer values.

Conclusions:

• New, reliable reference values for key vitamins in adults have been established.
• These updated values are essential for accurate clinical interpretation and deficiency diagnosis.
• While general population use of corrected ratios is not advised, they may aid in specific clinical contexts.