Application of the erythrocyte glutathione reductase assay in evaluating riboflavin nutritional status in a high school student population

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Abstract
Glutathione reductase activity coefficients were measured on blood samples obtained from 431 Tennessee high school students as a means of evaluating their riboflavin nutritional status. With the use of this technique, 11.1% of the students were considered to have an inadequate intake of riboflavin. The incidence was higher among the girls (16.0%) than the boys (6.1 %), with the highest incidence occurring among the black girls (37.9%). Riboflavin supplementation of 5 mg/day for 1 week corrected abnormal EGR activity coefficients. The procedure appears to be an additional useful technique for evaluating riboflavin adequacy in nutrition surveys or in clinical cases with suspected deficiency.