Thiamine and Ascorbic Acid Levels in the Elderly

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Abstract
Levels of ascorbic acid and thiamine were determined in normal young volunteers and in geriatric patients on hospital admission, also in elderly people in their own homes. The thiamine level was assessed from the T. P. P. [thiamine pyrophosphate] effect taken from the transketolase estimations. Ascorbic acid levels were assessed in plasma, whole blood and leukocytes. There was a correlation between whole blood and leukocyte ascorbic acid levels, in contrast to what others have found. No clinical studies were made, however, and these levels cannot be correlated with clinical signs. On admission to hospital 58% of the patients were deficient in ascorbic acid, 40% in thiamine and of these 24% were deficient in both as judged by the levels in the younger volunteers. The levels in the elderly could be raised to those of the younger normal volunteers with 3 weeks of vitamin supplementation but on a normal hospital diet no such improvement was seen.