Vitamin B6 Benefits

Vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, is one of the important B-complex vitamins. Chemically, it is soluble in water (rather than fats), hence it belongs to the water soluble group of vitamins. There are three primary forms of vitamin B6, namely, pyridoxine (PN), pyridoxal (PL) and pyridoxamine (PM). As per studies on vitamin B6 properties, it is found that pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP), which is a phosphate ester derivative, is the only metabolically active form. Read more on vitamin B.

There are several vitamin B6 benefits, which are crucial for the overall health of an individual. Considering this, one should include pyridoxine-rich foods in the regular diet plan, so as to meet the daily requirements. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin B6 for an adult is 1.3 mg. Nevertheless, it is required in higher amounts for pregnant and lactating women. During pregnancy, the RDA of vitamin B6 is 1.9 mg, while for a lactating mother, it is 2.0 mg. Let's discuss in brief about the sources, benefits and deficiency symptoms of vitamin B6.

Sources of Vitamin B6

As the human body cannot synthesize vitamin B6, it is obtained from the daily foods and drinks. The dietary sources of vitamin B6 include a variety of fruits, vegetables, legumes, cereals, fish, poultry and meat. Some of the vitamin B6-rich food items include banana, avocado, walnut, tomato juice, potato, soybean, beans, spinach, oatmeal, wheat bran, fortified ready-to-eat cereals, milk, cheese, peanut butter, eggs, tuna, salmon, chicken breast, pork and mutton. Other than food sources, vitamin B6 supplements are available in the market, which should be administered in correct dosage. Otherwise, intake of high dose vitamin B6 supplements for a prolonged period can lead to medical problems. Read more on vitamin supplements.

Benefits of Vitamin B6

Speaking about vitamin B6 benefits, it plays a major role in the coordination of the body's metabolic processes. It is opined that vitamin B6 functions as a co-enzyme and regulates more than 100 enzymatic reactions. Overall, vitamin B6 helps the nervous system functioning, hormone regulation and formation of red blood cells (RBCs), nucleic acids and amino acids. Following is a list of the benefits of the B6 vitamin:

Breakdown of Complex Nutrients
One of the major vitamin B6 benefits is breaking down of complex nutrients like proteins, carbohydrates and fats into simpler forms, which can be easily assimilated by the body cells and tissues. Hence, people who are dieting on high proteinaceous foods require relatively high amount of pyridoxine than others.

Strengthening the Immune System
Vitamin B6 helps in synthesis of RBCs and antibodies, which are responsible for the body's defense mechanism. In simpler terms, vitamin B6 promotes the immune system of the body. Hence, those suffering from vitamin B6 deficiency manifest a weakened immune system.

Relieving Edema
One of the vitamin B6 health benefits is relieving water retention or edema, which results in swelling of body parts. Generally, B-complex vitamins containing specific concentrations of pyridoxine and other vitamins are recommended for treatment of edema. Read more on cure for water retention.

Treating Hair loss
Vitamin B6 benefits for hair include preventing hair loss and promoting growth of the hair. Other than this, it helps in getting rid of dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis. Some people even use vitamin B6 for treatment of skin disorders like eczema, acne and psoriasis.

Combating Premenstrual Syndrome
According to medical researches, vitamin B6 and onset of premenstrual syndrome are interrelated. Increasing vitamin B6-rich foods in the diet plan is effective in combating the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.

Treating Morning Sickness
Various studies have been done with respect to vitamin B6 benefits and pregnancy. In a case study, it was found that vitamin B6 can be used for treatment of morning sickness, which many women experience during the first months of pregnancy.

Regulating Blood Pressure
Another benefit of vitamin B6 is lowering the blood pressure and cholesterol levels. It also prevents the blood platelets from sticking together. This shows that vitamin B6 indirectly helps in preventing blood circulation problems.

Preventing Heart Disease
In recent times, it has been discovered that vitamin B6 also helps in preventing heart diseases. When there is insufficient amount of pyridoxine in the body, homocysteine level increases, which in turn damages the lining of blood vessels. Overall, this leads to plaque formation, thus increasing the risk of heart diseases. Read more on B complex vitamin benefits.

In addition, vitamin B6 shows positive results regarding treatment of problems associated with magnesium deficiency, autism, schizophrenia, depression and attention deficit disorder. Doctors are of the opinion that increased intake of pyridoxine aids in better assimilation of other dietary supplements and treatment medications. This is the reason why, pyridoxine is used in specific concentration along with other B vitamins for vitamin B-complex formulations. Read more on vitamin B complex injections.

Deficiency of Vitamin B6

As already discussed, vitamin B6 is crucial for the normal metabolic processes of the body. Thus, low intake of vitamin B6 for an extended period can lead to various medical problems. Usually, deficiency of vitamin B6 occurs in individuals with a poor quality diet and those who are on specific medications. Also, it is observed that alcoholic abusers are at a higher risk of developing vitamin B6 deficiency than others. This is due to the fact that certain medications and alcohol disturbs the normal assimilation of vitamin B6. Read more on:

• Vitamin B Complex Deficiency
• Vitamin Deficiency

Some of the notable vitamin B6 deficiency symptoms are skin problems, sore tongue (glossitis), mouth ulcer, anemia, irritability, confusion, depression and at times, seizures. As these health problems mimic other diseases, timely medical evaluation is advisable to avoid any health complications. For combating the deficiency symptoms, the person should increase the dietary intake of vitamin B6 or administer vitamin B6 supplements. Read more on vitamin B complex side effects.

This was a brief description about vitamin B6 benefits and deficiency symptoms. Though pyridoxine supplements are effective for treating deficiency symptoms of vitamin B6, excess intake can worsen the condition. In order to minimize the risk of vitamin B6 overdose, it is mandatory to include other B-complex vitamins and magnesium supplements. On a safety note, always take the physician's advice while taking pyridoxine supplements.