URINARY OXALATE IS NOT INCREASED BY VITAMIN-B-6 DEPLETION IN YOUNG-WOMEN

Although acute vitamin B-6 deficiency increases urinary oxalate excret ion, the effects of marginal vitamin B-6 status are unknown. Mild vita min B-6 depletion was induced in eight healthy young women by feeding a low vitamin B-6 lacto-ovo-vegetarian natural foods diet for 27 days. The basal diet contained 0.45 mg vitamin B-6 and 1.55 g/kg body weigh t protein. Although measures of vitamin B-6 status indicated that the women had marginal vitamin B-6 status, no effect was seen on 24 hour u rinary oxalate. The women were then repleted with 1.26 mg vitamin B-6 for 21 days, followed by repletion with 1.66 mg for 21 days, then 2.06 mg vitamin B-6 for an additional 14 days. At the end of the 56 day re pletion period, 24 hour urinary oxalate was unchanged from either adju stment or depletion values. Vitamin B-6 depletion associated with cons umption of a low vitamin B-6 diet did not affect 24 hour urinary oxala te. Marginal vitamin B-6 status is unlikely to be a cause of calcium o xalate kidney stones in a young healthy population. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.