QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Dhonukshe-Rutten, R. A. M. Articles by van Staveren, W. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Dhonukshe-Rutten, R. A. M. Articles by van Staveren, W. A.

Vitamin B-12 Status Is Associated with Bone Mineral Content and Bone Mineral Density in Frail Elderly Women but Not in Men¹

Rosalie A. M. Dhonukshe-Rutten², Martine Lips, Nynke de Jong, Marijke J. M. Chin A Paw, Gerrit J. Hiddink^*, Marijke van Dusseldorp, Lisette C. P. G. M. de Groot and Wija A. van Staveren

Division of Human Nutrition and Epidemiology, Wageningen University, The Netherlands; ^* Dutch Dairy Foundation for Nutrition and Health, Utrecht, The Netherlands; TNO Food and Nutrition Research, Zeist, The Netherlands

²To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: rosalie.rutten{at}wur.nl.

Subclinical vitamin B-12 deficiency is common in the elderly. Encouraged by early indications, we investigated the plasma vitamin B-12 status in association with bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) in frail elderly people. Data of 194 free-living Dutch frail elderly (143 women and 51 men) were available. BMC and BMD were measured by dual energy X-ray analysis. Biochemical analyses were performed on plasma or serum including vitamin B-12, methylmalonic acid, homocysteine, 25-hydroxy vitamin D and parathyroid hormone. Women had higher plasma vitamin B-12 (288 and 238 pmol/L, respectively) and lower plasma homocysteine levels (15.8 and 21.3 µmol/L, respectively) than men. Of the total explained variance of BMC and BMD in women (46 and 22%, respectively), 1.3–3.1% was explained by plasma vitamin B-12, in addition to weight and height or energy intake. In men, the variance of BMC and BMD was explained by weight, smoking and/or height (total R² was 53 and 25%, respectively), but not by plasma vitamin B-12. Osteoporosis occurred more often among women whose vitamin B-12 status was considered marginal or deficient than in women with a normal status, i.e., the prevalence odds ratios (after adjustment for weight, age and calcium intake) (95% confidence intervals) were 4.5 (0.8;24.8) and 6.9 (1.2;39.4), respectively. These results suggest that vitamin B-12 status is associated with bone health in elderly women. Future studies on bone health should take into account a possible role of vitamin B-12 status in different populations.

KEY WORDS: • cobalamin • osteoporosis • multiple regression analysis • logistic analysis

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. H Holstein, M. Herrmann, C. Splett, W. Herrmann, P. Garcia, T. Histing, S. Graeber, M. F. Ong, K. Kurz, T. Siebel, et al. Low serum folate and vitamin B-6 are associated with an altered cancellous bone structure in humans Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, November 1, 2009; 90(5): 1440 - 1445. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. P. Heaney Dairy and Bone Health J. Am. Coll. Nutr., February 1, 2009; 28(Supplement_1): 82S - 90S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. J Green, J. A McMahon, C M. Skeaff, S. M Williams, and S. J Whiting Lowering homocysteine with B vitamins has no effect on biomarkers of bone turnover in older persons: a 2-y randomized controlled trial Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, February 1, 2007; 85(2): 460 - 464. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. G. Gjesdal, S. E. Vollset, P. M. Ueland, H. Refsum, C. A. Drevon, H. K. Gjessing, and G. S. Tell Plasma Total Homocysteine Level and Bone Mineral Density: The Hordaland Homocysteine Study Arch Intern Med, January 9, 2006; 166(1): 88 - 94. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Herrmann, T. Widmann, G. Colaianni, S. Colucci, A. Zallone, and W. Herrmann Increased Osteoclast Activity in the Presence of Increased Homocysteine Concentrations Clin. Chem., December 1, 2005; 51(12): 2348 - 2353. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Sato, Y. Honda, J. Iwamoto, T. Kanoko, and K. Satoh Folate and Vitamin B12 for Hip Fracture Prevention After Stroke--Reply JAMA, August 17, 2005; 294(7): 792 - 792. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. W Nieves Osteoporosis: the role of micronutrients Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, May 1, 2005; 81(5): 1232S - 1239S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. B. J. van Meurs and A. G. Uitterlinden Homocysteine and Fracture Prevention JAMA, March 2, 2005; 293(9): 1121 - 1122. [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. R. McLean, P. F. Jacques, J. Selhub, K. L. Tucker, E. J. Samelson, K. E. Broe, M. T. Hannan, L. A. Cupples, and D. P. Kiel Homocysteine as a Predictive Factor for Hip Fracture in Older Persons N. Engl. J. Med., May 13, 2004; 350(20): 2042 - 2049. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]