title: Riboflavin supplementation and biomarkers of cardiovascular disease in the elderly.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  High levels of total plasma homocysteine are potentially harmful in the elderly.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigated the effects of oral riboflavin supplementation on plasma total homocysteine, ferritin, uric acid and C-reactive protein concentration in elderly people with a low riboflavin status. We performed a four-week randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of riboflavin supplementation in seven Portuguese day social centers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-eight individuals (66.7% female), aged between 60 and 94 years, volunteered to participate in the study following interview. Forty-two subjects, with an erythrocyte glutathione reductase activation coefficient (EGRAC) >or= 1.2, were included in the intervention trial. All subjects gave informed consent. Study subjects were administered 10 mg riboflavin (n=21) or placebo (n=21) each day for 28 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Riboflavin supplementation significantly decreased plasma tHcy (P=0.005) and EGRAC (P=0.014), but not plasma ferritin, uric acid or C-reactive protein.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this elderly group, we found that 10 mg/day oral riboflavin supplementation lowered plasma homocysteine concentrations in subjects with low riboflavin status.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Ciências da Nutrição e Alimentação da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Tavares
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Amaral
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000517:prevention & control; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011174:Portugal; D012256:Riboflavin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood*; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006710:Homocysteine; D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D014527:Uric Acid; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005293:Ferritins; D005492:Folic Acid; D012256:Riboflavin