Background: Smoking among individuals remains a major health problem worldwide as it is associated with certain disease conditions and decrease in concentration of several vitamins. Aim: This study was aimed at providing information on cobalamin, folate and pyridoxal 5-phosphate levels of male cigarette smokers within Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. Methods: Ninety adult male subjects participated in the study with 60 as cigarette smokers and 30 as nonsmokers. Serum cobalamin and folate levels were estimated using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay technique while packed cell volume was estimated using microhematocrit method. Vitamin B6 status was determined using fasting plasma concentrations of pyridoxal 5′-phosphate. Plasma PLP was measured by quantification of its semicarbazide derivative using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Results: Results show that male cigarette smokers had significantly higher packed cell volume ( P = 0.014) and serum cobalamin ( P = 0.005) and there was no significant difference in folate level of cigarette smokers ( P = 0.375) when compared with noncigarette smokers. Pyridoxal 5-phosphate was found to be significantly higher ( P = 0.00) in nonsmokers when compared with smokers. It was also shown that duration of smoking does not have significant effect on the serum level of cobalamin (0.09), folate ( P = 0.06) and pyridoxal 5-phosphate (0.15) respectively. The result also show that there was no significant correlation ( P = 0.095, 0.085 and 0.197) between number of sticks smoked per day and serum cobalamin, folate and pyridoxal 5-phosphate level of male cigarette smokers respectively. Conclusion: While smoking is known to have hazardous effect on health, this study has shown that smoking and duration of smoking does not affect serum cobalamin, folate and pyridoxal 5-phosphate level of male cigarette smokers living within Calabar Cross River State, Nigeria.
