Vitamin E, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, and folate status of gastric bypass surgery patients.

The vitamin E, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, and folate status of 22 gastric bypass subjects aged 23 to 60 years was evaluated before surgery and at 6 and 12 months after surgery. Before surgery, 77% of subjects had adequate plasma vitamin E levels; 36%, adequate plasma pyridoxal phosphate levels; 100%, adequate plasma vitamin B-12 levels; and 45%, adequate plasma folate levels. The food intake of all subjects was sharply reduced after surgery. After surgery, subjects were classified into three vitamin supplement groups on the basis of average daily vitamin supplement intake. Subjects taking higher levels of supplements containing the vitamins in question had significantly higher plasma concentrations of the vitamins than those taking low or moderate levels. The mean plasma vitamin values in the moderate supplement group were indicative of adequate status for all vitamins, but plasma vitamin B-12 levels at 12 months post-surgery were significantly lower than pre-surgery levels. In the low supplement group, mean plasma vitamin levels were in or near marginal or deficient ranges. The majority of subjects consuming supplements of vitamin E, vitamin B-6, and folate near the US RDA maintained normal vitamin status. Subjects taking more than 100 micrograms vitamin B-12 daily had adequate vitamin B-12 status. Significant correlations (r = .67 to .94) were observed between vitamin supplement levels and the respective plasma vitamin concentrations.