Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of study participants
| Characteristics | Control group (n = 10) | Low-dose group (n = 10) | High-dose group (n = 10) | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women, n (%) | 8 (80.0) | 7 (70.0) | 6 (60.0) | 0.88 |
| Age (years) | 33.4 ± 10.0 | 31.3 ± 8.3 | 29.7 ± 9.8 | 0.68 |
| Weight (kg) | 56.5 ± 11.3 | 54.1 ± 7.3 | 62.1 ± 17.6 | 0.37 |
| Body mass index (kg/m2) | 21.0 ± 2.6 | 19.5 ± 2.6 | 22.0 ± 4.0 | 0.21 |
| Active physical activity*, n (%) | 1 (10.0) | 3 (30.0) | 5 (50.0) | 0.20 |
| Duration of vegetarian diets (years) | 19.4 ± 11.9 | 11.5 ± 7.0 | 14.0 ± 7.1 | 0.15 |
| Vegan, n (%) | 2 (20.0) | 3 (30.0) | 1 (10.0) | 0.85 |
| Serum vitamin B12 (pmol/L) | 242.1 [206.6, 282.7] | 174.5 [155.7, 203.7] | 183.4 [163.8, 233.9] | 0.17 |
| HoloTC (pmol/L) | 35.9 [21.7, 48.7] | 37.1 [11.2, 44.2] | 29.0 [14.1, 53.3] | 0.63 |
| Hcy (µmol/L) | 13.5 [12.2, 17.2] | 11.4 [10.2, 17.3] | 14.9 [11.2, 20.6] | 0.80 |
| MMA (nmol/L) | 671.8 [632.2, 789.6] | 864.6 [548.2, 934.3] | 398.4 [221.6, 1165.8] | 0.44 |
| 4cB12 score | -0.8 [-1.2, -0.7] | -0.9 [-2.0, -0.6] | -0.9 [-1.2, -0.5] | 0.80 |
| Serum folate (nmol/L) | 15.3 [13.8, 21.5] | 23.0 [19.9, 28.3] | 23.7 [18.1, 27.2] | 0.06 |
| Vitamin B12 deficiency, n (%) | ||||
| Serum vitamin B12 < 148 pmol/L | 1 (10.0) | 2 (20.0) | 1 (10.0) | 1.00 |
| HoloTC < 35 pmol/L | 5 (50.0) | 5 (50.0) | 7 (70.0) | 0.72 |
| Hcy > 12 µmol/L | 8 (80.0) | 5 (50.0) | 7 (70.0) | 0.50 |
| MMA > 271 nmol/L | 10 (100.0) | 9 (90.0) | 7 (70.0) | 0.29 |
| 4cB12 score < -1.5 | 1 (10.0) | 3 (30.0) | 2 (20.0) | 0.85 |
Continuous variables were compared using ANOVA for mean ± SD or Kruskal Wallis test for median [p25, p75]. Categorical variables were compared using Fisher’s exact test and expressed as frequency (percentage). *Defined as ≧ 3 physical activities per week. Abbreviations HoloTC holotranscobalamin, Hcy, homocysteine; MMA methylmalonic acid; 4cB12 score four combined index of vitamin B12 score