Effect of riboflavin supplementation on zinc and iron absorption and growth performance in mice

Diets prevalent in vegetarian populations using rice and other whole grains as staples with little consumption of yellow vegetables are low in ribofla vin. These diets have poor bioavailability of iron and zinc because metals are present as inorganic salts with low solubility. Riboflavin has the capa city to form complexes, and supplementation of riboflavin may result in inc reased absorption of zinc and iron, thus increasing the cellular transport. Therefore, riboflavin may have direct as well as indirect effects on growt h. Using this as the conceptual basis, experiments were conducted on pregna nt and lactating mice. Two groups, each of 12 mice (9 females acid 3 males) , were observed on a low-riboflavin rice-based diet (adequate in all other nutrients), one with and one without supplementation of 10 mg riboflavin/kg diet. There was significant improvement in the growth parameters like perc ent conception, mean weight gain in pregnancy, mean weight of pups at the a ge of 21 d, and percentage hemoglobin due to riboflavin supplementation (p < 0.05). Percent zinc absorption, for the low-riboflavin diet, the suppleme nted diet, and the synthetic control diet were 16.4 +/- 5.7, 33.7 +/- 8.9, and 44.6 +/- 4.0, respectively, indicating the beneficial effect of ribofla vin supplementation on iron and zinc utilization.