Hematological, vitamin B12, and folate studies on Seventh-day Adventist vegetarians

Abstract

Hematological, vitamin B₁₂, and folate levels were measured in 562 members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, of whom 431 were vegetarians. Vegetarians had a significantly higher mean serum folate than did non-vegetarians. Serum vitamin B₁₂ levels correlated directly with both meat and egg intake. Subjects with a serum vitamin B₁₂ level of < 160 pg/ml had significantly higher mean MCV and MCH and lower mean total red and white cell counts and red cell folate than the rest of the group. Comparison of the vegetarians with the Busselton population showed similar differences. The prevalence of low hemoglobin levels was not significantly different from that in the Busselton population, and there was no evidence of an excess of iron or folate deficiency among the Seventh-day Adventists. Only one volunteer was found to have suffered from symptomatic dietary vitamin B₁₂ deficiency. A significant positive correlation among MCV, MCH, and age in men was found, apparently due to an increased sensitivity to vitamin B₁₂ deficiency in older men. Young women also appeared more sensitive to the effects of vitamin B₁₂ deficiency.