Nutritional status in a healthy elderly population: riboflavin

Riboflavin status in 270 free-living and healthy elderly was determined from dietary intake (3-day food records) and erythrocyte glutathione reductase activity coefficients (EGR-AC). High EGR-ACs (greater than 1.35) indicate poor riboflavin nutriture. Mean dietary intakes of riboflavin were 1.86 +/- 0.64 (SD) for males and 1.58 +/- 0.69 mg/day for females. Approximately 45% of the population were taking some supplemental riboflavin and total riboflavin intakes ranged from 0.65 to 165 mg/day. The mean EGR-AC for those taking supplemental riboflavin was significantly lower than that of the nonsupplemented group (1.06 and 1.16, respectively). Only three subjects had EGR-ACs greater than 1.35. A significant correlation was found between total riboflavin intake and EGR-AC (r = 0.53). In a separate population of 667 volunteers between the ages of 20 and 87 yr, a significant decrease in mean EGR-AC with age was found. The mean EGR-AC for those over 60 yr and not taking a supplement was 1.16 +/ 0.10 compared to 1.23 +/- 0.11 for those from 20 to 29 yr old. Inadequate riboflavin nutriture appears to be more of a problem for younger than older adults.