Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Water-soluble vitamins: Research update

  • Published:
Current Sports Medicine Reports

Abstract

For more than 50 years, the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences has been reviewing nutrition research and defining nutrient requirements for healthy people, referred to as the recommended dietary allowances (RDA). As new nutrition research is published, the importance of vitamins as vital nutrients is underscored, and new physiologic roles and applications to human health are examined and considered with regard to updating the RDA. Each year a substantial amount of research is published on vitamins. This article examines and summarizes noteworthy research published on individual water-soluble vitamins (excluding vitamin C) in the past 12 months, provides relevant background information on these vitamins, and offers critical reviews as appropriate.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References and Recommended Reading

  1. Whitney EN, Cataldo CB, Rolfes SR: Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thompson Learning; 2002:322–328.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bailey LB, Moyers S, Gregory III JF: Folate. In Present Knowledge in Nutrition, edn 8. Edited by Bowman BA, Russell RM. Washington, DC: ISLI Press; 2001:214–229.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine: Folic Acid. Dietary Reference Intakes: Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B-6, Vitamin B-12, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, and Choline. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 1998:193–305.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Higdon J: An Evidence-Based Approach to Vitamins and Minerals. New York: Thieme; 2003:6–14.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Botto LD, Lisi A, Robert-Gnansia E, etal: International retrospective cohort study of neural tube defects in relation to folic acid recommendations: are the recommendations working? BMJ 2005, 330:571. Retrospective cohort study with data from over 13 million births in Europe and Israel from 1988 to 1998, identifying cases of neural tube defects and policies and recommendations regarding folic acid; as well as data showing no detectable improvement in incidence of NTD resulting from issuing recommendations on folic acid supplementation.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Charles D, Ness AR, Campbell D, etal: Taking folate in pregnancy and risk of maternal breast cancer. BMJ 2004, 329:1375–1376.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Hall MH: Folic acid deficiency and congenital malformation. J Obstet Gynaecol Br Commonw 1972, 79:159–61.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Oakley GP, Mandel JS: Commentary: folic acid fortification remains an urgent health priority. BMJ 2004, 329:1376.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Shrubsole MJ, Jin F, Dai Q, etal: Dietary folate intake and breast cancer risk: results from the Shanghai Breast Cancer Study. Cancer Res 2001, 61:7136–7141.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Ray JG: Meta-analysis of hyperhomocysteinemia as a risk factor for venous thromboembolic disease. Arch Intern Med 1998, 158:2101–2106.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Nelen WL: Hyperhomocysteinaemia and human reproduction. CCLM 2001, 39:758–763.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Hoffer LI: Methods for measuring sulfur amino acid metabolism. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 2002, 5:511–517.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Dekker GA, de Vries JI Doelitzsch PM, etal: Underlying disorders associated with severe early-onset preedampsia. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1995, 173:1042–1048.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Lowering blood homocysteine with folic acid based supplements: meta-analysis of randomised trials. Homocysteine Lowering Trialists’ Collaboration. BMJ 1998, 316:894–898.

  15. Brattstrom L: Vitamins as homocysteine-lowering agents. J Nutr 1996, 126(4 Suppl):1276S-1280S.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Boushey CJ, Beresford SA, Omenn GS, Motulsky AG: A quantitative assessment of plasma homocysteine as a risk factor for vascular disease. Probable benefits of increasing folic acid intakes. JAMA 1995, 274:1049–1057.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Connor S, Ojeda L, Sexton G, et al: Diets lower in folic acid and carotenoids are associated with the coronary disease epidemic in central and eastern Europe. J Am Diet Assoc 2004, 104:1793–1799.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Lange H, Suryaprana H, De Luca G, et al: Folate therapy and in-stent restenosis after coronary stenting. N Engl J Med 2004, 350:2673–2681.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Herrmann HC: Prevention of cardiovascular events after percutaneous coronary intervention. N Engl J Med 2004, 350:2708–2710.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Patrick TE, Powers RW, Daftary AR, et al: Homocysteine and folic acid are inversely related in black women with preeclampsia. Hypertension 2004, 43:1279–1282.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Breteler MMB: Vascular risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease: an epidemiologic perspective. Neurobiol Aging 2000, 21:153–160.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Quadri P, Fragiacomo C, Pezzati R, et al: Homocysteine, folate, and vitamin B-12 in mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer disease, and vascular dementia. Am J Clin Nutr 2004, 80:114–122. Recent research showing the lowest folate tertile were found to have significantly higher adjusted odds ratios for mild cognitive impairment and dementia, whereas hyperhomocysteineemia was significantly associated with dementia and Alzheimer disease.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Ghadirian A, Ananth J, Engelsmann F: Folic acid deficiency and depression. Psychosomatics 1980, 21:926–929.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Wolfersdorf M, Konig F: Serum folie acid and vitamin B-12 in depressed inpatients [in German]. Psychiatr Prax 1995, 22:162–164.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Tolmunen T, Hintikka J, Voutilainen S, et al: Association between depressive symptoms and serum concentrations of homocysteine in men: a population study. Am J Clin Nutr 2004, 80:1574–1578.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Martínez M, Henning S, Alberts D: Folate and colorectal neoplasia: relation between plasma and dietary markers of folate and adenoma recurrence. Am J Clin Nutr 2004, 79:691–697.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. van Meurs JBJ, Dhonukshe-Rutten RAM, Pluijm SMF, et al: Homocysteine levels and the risk of osteoporotic fracture. BJM 2004, 350:2033–2041.

    Google Scholar 

  28. McLean RR, Jacques PF, Selhub J, et al: Homocysteine as a predictive factor for hip fracture in older persons. BJM 2004, 350:2042–2049.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Whitney EN, Cataldo CB, Rolfes SR: Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thompson Learning; 2002:310–313.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Babaei-Jadidi R, Karachalias N, Kupich C, et al: High-dose thiamine therapy counters dyslipidaemia in streptozotocininduced diabetic rats. Diabetologia 2004, 47:2235–2246.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Rivlin RS: Riboflavin. In Present Knowledge in Nutrition, edn 8. Edited by Bowman BA Russell RM. Washington, DC: ISLI Press; 2001:191–198.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Higdon J: An Evidence-Based Approach to Vitamins and Minerals. New York: Thieme; 2003:27–32.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Whitney EN, Cataldo CB, Rolfes SR: Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thompson Learning; 2002:314–316.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Schoenen J, Leneaerts M, Bastings E: High dose riboflavin as a prophylactic treatment of migraine: results of an open pilot study. Cephalalgia 1994, 14:328–329.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Schoenen J, Jacquy J, Lenaerts M: Effectiveness of high-dose riboflavin in migraine prophylaxis. A randomized controlled trial. Neurology 1998, 50:466–470.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Boehnke C, Reuter U, Flach U, et al: High-dose riboflavin treatment is efficacious in migraine prophylaxis: an open study in a tertiary care centre. Eur J Neurol 2004, 11:475–477.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Liu J, Raine A, Venables PH, Mednick SA: Malnutrition at age 3 years and externalizing behavior problems at ages 8, 11, and 17 Years. Am J Psychiatry 2004, 161:2005–2013. Birth cohort study tracking subjects through adolescence, demonstrating malnutrition (riboflavin deficiency, protein malnutrition, and iron deficiency) in the first few years of life leads to antisocial and aggressive behavior.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Whitney EN, Cataldo CB, Rolfes SR: Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thompson Learning; 2002:316–319.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Rivlin RS: Riboflavin. In Present Knowledge in Nutrition, edn 8. Edited by Bowman BA Russell RM. Washington, DC: ISLI Press; 2001:199–206.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Higdon J: An Evidence-Based Approach to Vitamins and Minerals. New York: Thieme; 2003:15–22.

    Google Scholar 

  41. Groenen PMW, van Rooij IALM, Peer PGM, et al: Low maternal dietary intakes of iron, magnesium, and niacin are associated with spina bifida in the offspring. J Nutr 2004, 134:1516–1522.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Morris MC, Evans DA, Bienias JL, et al: Dietary niacin and the risk of incident Alzheimer’s disease and of cognitive decline J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2004, 75:1093–1099.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. McCormick DB: Vitamin B-6. In Present Knowledge in Nutrition, edn 8. Edited by Bowman BA Russell RM. Washington, DC: ISLI Press; 2001:207–213.

    Google Scholar 

  44. Whitney EN, Cataldo CB, Rolfes SR: Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition, Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thompson Learning; 2002:321–322.

    Google Scholar 

  45. Higdon J: An Evidence-Based Approach to Vitamins and Minerals. New York: Thieme; 2003:48–55.

    Google Scholar 

  46. Friso S, Girell D, Martinelli N, et al: Low plasma vitamin B-6 concentrations and modulation of coronary artery disease risk. Am J Clin Nutr 2004, 79:992–998. A case control study demonstrating that low concentrations of PLP are also associated with high CRP concentrations; and low PLP and elevated hsCRP and fibrinogen are related to higher risk of coronary artery disease.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Higdon J: An Evidence-Based Approach to Vitamins and Minerals. New York: Thieme; 2003:56–64.

    Google Scholar 

  48. Whitney EN, Cataldo CB, Rolfes SR: Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thompson Learning; 2002:328–330.

    Google Scholar 

  49. Stabler SP: Vitamin B-12. In Present Knowledge in Nutrition, edn 8. Edited by Bowman BA Russell RM. Washington, DC: ISLI Press; 2001:230–240.

    Google Scholar 

  50. Kirke PN, Molloy AM, Daly LE, et al.: Maternal plasma folate and vitamin B12 are independent risk factors for neural tube defects. Q J Med 1993, 86:703–708.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Groenen PMW, van Rooij IALM, Peer PGM, et al: Marginal maternal vitamin B12 status increases the risk of offspring with spina bifida. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2004, 191:11–17.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Tucker KL, Hannan MT, Qiao N, et al: Low plasma vitamin B12 is associated with lower BMD: the Framingham Osteoporosis Study. J Bone Miner Res 2005, 20:152–158. Framingham Offspring Osteoporosis Study analysis demonstrates that men and women with vitamin B12 levels lower than 148 pM had significantly lower average BMD (P < 0.05).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Stone KL, Bauer DC, Sellmeyer D, Cummings SR: Low serum vitamin bB 12 levels are associated with increased hip bone loss in older women: a prospective study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2004, 89:1217–1221.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Huntington College of Health Sciences, 1 101 S. Milliken, STE A, 91761, Ontario, CA, USA

    Eugene J. Bruno Jr MHS

Authors
  1. Eugene J. Bruno Jr MHS
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Tim N. Ziegenfuss PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bruno, E.J., Ziegenfuss, T.N. Water-soluble vitamins: Research update. Curr Sports Med Rep 4, 207–213 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11932-005-0037-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11932-005-0037-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation