American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 1, 424-429, Copyright © 1953 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc.

VITAMIN B₁₂ SUPPLEMENTATION of the Diet of HEALTHY ADULTS

A STUDY OF WEIGHT CHANGES EMPLOYING A LATIN SQUARE DESIGN

¹ From the Department of Research Therapeutics, Norristown State Hospital, Norristown, Pa.

Two schedules of oral vitamin B₁₂ supplementation, namely, 100 µg. daily for 3 months and 30 µg. three times a day for 3 months were evaluated in conjunction with a placebo given daily for 3 months. There was no significant weight gain attributable to vitamin B₁₂ administration in this group of 44 healthy adult females given an ad libitum diet for the 12-month period encompassed by the control and treatment phases of the study.

There was no significant difference in the weight gain during the period when the patients received a daily dose of 100 µg. of vitamin B₁₂ as compared with the period when they received 30 µg. three times per day.

The value of the Latin square design is emphasized as a valuable aid in the interpretation of a long-term study such as this, where a number of uncontrollable variables are involved.