Effect of vegetarianism and smoking on vitamin B₁₂, thiocyanate, and folate levels in the blood of normal subjects

Abstract

Vitamin B₁₂, thiocyanate, and folate levels in the blood were estimated in 69 apparently normal subjects, of whom 26 were non-vegetarian non-smokers, 19 non-vegetarian smokers, 15 vegetarian non-smokers, and nine vegetarian smokers. The serum total (cyanide-extracted) B₁₂ level (value A) ranged from 105 to 728 pg/ml, with a mean of 292 pg/ml. The highest values were found in non-vegetarian non-smokers and the lowest in vegetarian smokers. There was no significant difference in value A between smokers as a group and non-smokers as a group. On the other hand, in vegetarians value A was very significantly lower than in non-vegetarians regardless of their smoking habits. It is suggested that A may represent both the protein-bound and free forms of vitamin B₁₂ in the blood, and B mainly the free B₁₂, which may be the physiologically active form. The plasma thiocyanate level varied from 1.0 to 15 μmol/100 ml, being, as expected, much higher in smokers (mean 8.20 μmol/100 ml) than in non-smokers (mean 2.02 μmol/100 ml). There was a rough correlation between falling B₁₂ levels and rising thiocyanate levels. The serum folate level ranged from 2.75 to 15.75 ng/ml, and was slightly but significantly higher in vegetarians (mean 6.60 ng/ml) than in non-vegetarians (mean 4.79 ng/ml), reflecting the greater content of folate in a vegetarian diet.