Efficacy of a riboflavin supplement given at fortnightly intervals to pregnant and lactating women in rural Gambia.

Abstract

Thirty-seven women living in two rural Gambian villages, who were either pregnant or lactating at the outset of the study, received a tablet containing 15 mg riboflavin, or a placebo, at fortnightly intervals for 10 weeks at a time of year when riboflavin status was deteriorating. Clinical assessments were carried out once a week, with particular attention to signs and symptoms of riboflavin deficiency, and blood samples were taken at the beginning of the study and after 4 and 10 weeks supplementation for the assessment of riboflavin status by the activation coefficient of erythrocyte glutathione reductase. The overall incidence of lingual papillary atrophy increased significantly during the course of the study, but the increase was significantly smaller in the supplemented than in the placebo group. More complaints of sore mouths were encountered in the placebo group. Biochemical evidence of deficiency was very marked at the outset, and showed some improvement after supplementation, but values within the normal range were not achieved. It is concluded that a riboflavin supplement given at spaced intervals can be clinically beneficial, despite failure to achieve normal biochemical indices. This may have practical implications for intervention programmes.