Subjects and methods
Participants
Young, healthy and post graduate students and staff members of Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital were invited to visit the laboratory. They were told about the high prevalence of vitamin B-12 deficiency in Indian vegetarians and requested to participate in the intervention study. Pregnant women, non-vegetarians and lactose intolerant subjects were requested not to participate. Fifty one volunteers consented to participate in the study (15 males and 36 females, day-0). They had no clinical symptoms of vitamin B-12 deficiency and were not taking vitamin B-12 supplementation or any drugs known to influence vitamin B-12 absorption. All were vegetarians, non-smokers and none consumed alcohol. Their milk intake was not more than 2 cups (120-140 mL) per day. After recruitment, each participant was instructed to report to the laboratory every day and give information about their regular timely milk intake.
They were also instructed to not to change their life style during the study period.