Erythrocyte vitamin B12 activity in lactovegetarian pregnant Indian women.

Plasma and erythrocyte vitamin B12 levels were studied in pregnant Indian women consuming very little food of animal origin and compared with healthy non-pregnant women from the same dietetic group. The comparison of the mean values for routine haematological parameters revealed distinct fall in haemoglobin, packed cell volume, plasma vitamin B12, and albumin levels in pregnant women. However, the mean erythrocyte vitamin B12 levels in pregnant women with haemoglobin of more than 10 g/dl did not differ significantly from the corresponding mean observed in non-pregnant subjects. It seems that in normal pregnancy, the fall in erythrocyte vitamin B12 is much less marked than the fall in plasma levels of this vitamin.

Seminal fructose, citric acid and phosphatase levels and their relation to the sperm count in man.

Seminal fructose, citric acid and phosphatase levels were estimated in 60 normal adults and compared with 60 oligospermic and 24 azoospermic Indian subjects. In normal group, the seminal plasma fructose level and acid phosphatase activity showed a fall as the sperm count increased. As compared to normals, significantly higher mean values for fructose and acid phosphatase activity were observed in oligospermic and azoospermic groups. Seminal alkaline phosphatase activity did not show any relationship with sperm count. Similarity in changes observed in seminal fructose and acid phosphatase levels with respect to seminal citric acid content and sperm concentration suggests that both these parameters are probably regulated by similar physiological mechanism.

Erythrocyte vitamin B12 activity in healthy Indian lactovegetarians.

Plasma and erythrocyte vitamin B12 was measured in apparently healthy Indian lactovegetarians and compared with the healthy non-vegetarians from the same population. Comparison of the mean values for routine haematological parameters revealed no significant difference in various dietetic groups. The plasma vitamin B12 levels were distinctly lower in the lactovegetarians than in the non-vegetarians. However, the mean erythrocyte vitamin B12 levels in different dietetic groups showed no significant difference.

Dietetic habits and quality of semen in Indian subjects.

Dietetic habits revealed significant effect on seminal plasma vitamin B12 levels. The mean values for seminal plasma vitamin B12 activity in lactovegetarians from normozoospermic, oligozoospermic and azoospermic groups are significantly lower than the corresponding mean values observed in the nonvegetarian subjects. The mean vitamin B12 content of seminal plasma in azoospermic group was distinctly lower than the mean values in normozoospermic and oligozoospermic groups. However, seminal plasma vitamin B12 values showed no correlation with the sperm content of the corresponding semen in both normozoospermic and oligozoospermic subjects. Studies on sperm morphology and on biochemical parameters revealed no significant effect of the type of diet on sperm count, sperm motility, percentage abnormal sperms, seminal plasma total proteins, albumin, fructose, citric acid, acid and alkaline phosphatase activity in normozoospermic group.

PIP: 134 men of low economic status were classified as having normal sperm count and morphology (50), oligozoospermia (60), or azoospermia (24). Each group was further classified into lactovegetarians, novegetarian-frequent meat eaters, and nonvegetarian-occasional meat eaters. Semen volume, viscosity, sperm count, motility, and morphology were studied by standard techniques. Total proteins, albumin content, fructose, citric acid, acid and alkaline phosphatase activities, phosphorus, and Vitamin-B12 were measured from seminal plasma. The mean values for seminal plasma Vitamin-B12 activity are significantly lower in lactovegetarians from normozoospermic, oligozoospermic, and azoospermic groups. There was no significant effect of diet on sperm count, sperm motility, percent of abnormal sperm, total proteins, albumin, fructose, citric acid, and acid and alkaline phosphatase activity in normazoospermic subjects. The mean Vitamin-B12 content of seminal plasma in the azoospermic group was lower than the mean value in normozoospermic and oligozoospermic cases.

Vitamin B12 and vegetarianism in india.

Apparently healthy Indian lactovegetarians have significantly lower serum levels and urinary excretion of vitamin B12 as compared to non-vegetarians. The low levels of serum vitamin B12 in lactovegetarians are not due to defective absorption but to low dietary intake of this vitamin. Inspite of considerably low serum vitamin B12 values, the lactovegetarians have no apparent signs or symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency and their response to injected cyanocobalamin mixed with tracer radioactive B12, as judged by urinary excretion pattern and liver uptake, was similar to that observed in nonvegetarians.