Thiamine deficiency in black male hostel-dwellers. The need for thiamine supplementation of sorghum beer.

Some indices of nutrition have been examined in hostel- and non-hostel-dwelling groups of industrially employed black males. Hostel-dwellers in the large metropolitan areas have to prepare their own food and many are accustomed to excessive alcohol intake, especially of sorghum beer. In the two groups studied, blood levels of vitamin B12, folate, pyridoxal and albumin were similar, but erythrocyte thiamine levels were significantly lower in the hostel-dwellers. Although the proportion of subjects with elevated levels of gamma-glutamyltransferase, an index of alcoholic liver disease, was similar in the two groups, thiamine-deficient hostel-dwellers had a greater proportion of elevated values suggesting that thiamine deficiency was related to both inadequate diet and excessive alcohol consumption. Fortification of sorghum beer with thiamine might prevent or reduce thiamine deficiency in this group. The cost would not materially affect the price of the beer.