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One hard-working and versatile vitamin
Vitamin B-6, also known as pyridoxine, wears many hats. As a coenzyme, it works with more than 60 different enzymes. Some enzymes work with folic acid and cobalamin to decrease your risk of heart disease by breaking down an amino acid called homocysteine. Some enzymes help produce energy by metabolizing amino and fatty acids. Some maintain normal nerve functions. Some help keep your immune system running smoothly. Some help keep the red in your red blood cells.
As a water-soluble vitamin, you must obtain pyridoxine through your diet because the excess is excreted.
Quick Facts About Vitamin B-6 (Pyridoxine)
- RDA is 1.6 to 2.0 mg per day for healthy adults.
- Some foods rich in pyridoxine are avocado, bananas, beef liver, eggs, lean meats, potatoes, saltwater fish, and wheat germ.
- Some signs of pyridoxine deficiency are anemia, confusion, convulsions, fatigue, and vertigo.
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You May Need More Vitamin B-6 if You Have (or Have Had)
- A history of excessive alcohol or drug use
- Chronic malnutrition
- A portion of your gastrointestinal tract removed
- Recent injury or severe burns
- Recent surgery
Or if You're
- Pregnant or breastfeeding
- Taking oral contraceptives or estrogen
- Taking isoniazid, cycloserine, or penicillamine
- Over age 55
- Under excessive stress
What Works Best -- and Worst -- with Vitamin B-6
- B vitamins compete in your intestines for absorption, so never take high doses of a single B vitamin without increasing the amount you take of all other B vitamins. For example, if you're taking double the RDA of pyridoxine, you should double the RDA of all other B vitamins.
- Tobacco decreases absorption, so smokers may require supplemental B-6.
Forms Available
- Individual supplements from 25 to 500 mg, tablets or extended release capsules
- B-complex supplements in a wide range of potencies
- A multivitamin supplement
- As brewer's yeast in a low-potency food supplement
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Chemical Forms
- Pyridoxine
- Pyridoxal
- Pyridoxamine
Comments on Vitamin B-6
- All forms of vitamin B-6 are converted to pyridoxal-5-phosphate (the active form) in the body.
- Pyridoxine functions as a coenzyme for glycogen phosphorylase, which is essential for converting the foods you eat into energy.
- Cell multiplication, red blood cell production, and production of immune system cells are dependent on pyroxidine for the proper synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins.
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Known Benefits of Vitamin B-6
- Essential for proper growth and development.
- Essential for proper red blood cell production.
- Helps maintain proper functioning of the nervous system.
- Participates in metabolism of amino acids and fatty acids.
- Participates in the conversion of glycogen to useful energy.
- Participates in the production of hemoglobin.
- Promotes the proper chemical balance in bodily fluids.
Unproven Claims
- Lowers the risk of heart disease by lowering homocysteine levels.
- Lowers the risk of cancer.
- Relieves premenstrual distress.
- Assists in treatment of depression and schizophrenia when there is B-6 deficiency.
- Has anticonvulsant effects.
- Boosts the immune system when there is B-6 deficiency.
- Helps treat carpal tunnel syndrome.
Vitamin B-6 May Prevent These Signs of Deficiency
- Seborrhea
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Vertigo
- Muscle weakness
- Seizures
- Inflammation of the tongue and corners of the mouth
- Cracks and scaling of the lips and mouth
- Peripheral neuropathy in predisposed individuals
Recommended Dosage Range for Vitamin B-6
- Our pharmacists suggest that healthy adults may take 2 to 50 mg if needed to supplement a well-balanced diet.
- RDA values were set at the minimum needed to offset deficiency or disease, not as an actual value needed for optimum health.
- In the United States, the average consumption of B-6 is:
- For men, 1.87 mg per day
- For women, 1.16 mg per day
- For children (ages 1 to 5), 1.22 mg per day
- Consult your physician before starting any high-dose supplement regimen.
Dietary Sources
Food Tips
- Fresh food contains the most pyridioxine.
- Processed foods have less pyridoxine.
- Pyridoxine can withstand the heat of cooking, but can still be lost during cooking with water.
- Cook foods in minimal amount of water to avoid loss of pyridoxine.
| Foods High in B-6 | Serving Size | Amount of B-6 | Units |
|---|
Beef liver
Chicken breast
Chick peas
Corn, kernels
Lentils
Mango
Navy beans
Pork, roasted
Potato, baked with skin
Raisins, golden
Rice, brown
Sweet potato, baked with skin
Tuna, canned in water
Turkey breast, with skin
Wheat germ
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3 ounces
3 ounces
1 cup
1/2 cup
1 cup
1 medium
1 cup
3 ounces
1 medium
2/3 cup
1 cup
1 medium
3 ounces
3 ounces
1/4 cup
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0.78
0.34
0.23
0.26
0.35
0.28
0.3
0.39
0.7
0.32
0.28
0.28
0.3
0.28
0.38
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mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
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When and How to Take Vitamin B-6
- Take with food or after meals to enhance absorption.
- Large daily doses should be divided into three to four smaller doses throughout the day for better absorption.
- Swallow tablets whole with a full glass of liquid.
What to Take with Vitamin B-6
- B vitamins compete for absorption in your intestines, so each dose of B-6 should be taken with a proportionate amount of the other B vitamins. For example, if you are consuming double the RDA of one B vitamin, you should take double the RDA of the other B vitamins.
- Riboflavin helps metabolize pyridoxine.
What Not to Take with Vitamin B-6
Tobacco decreases absorption.
Storage
- Keep vitamin B-6 in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and air.
- Don't store B-6 in your bathroom medicine cabinet. Heat and moisture may make it less effective.
Recommended Daily Allowance
| AGE/GROUP | RDA |
|---|
Infants
0 to 6 months
6 to 12 months
1 to 3 years
4 to 6 years
7 to 10 years
Males
11 to 14 years
15 to 18 years
19 to 24 years
25 to 50 years
51+ years
Females
11 to 14 years
15 to 18 years
19 to 24 years
25 to 50 years
51+ years
Pregnant
Lactating
1 to 6 months
6 to 12 months
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mg (milligrams)
0.3
0.6
1.0
1.1
1.4
1.7
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.6
1.6
2.2
2.1
2.1
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Warnings
Consult a physician before use or do not use vitamin B-6 if:- You're about to start a high-dose supplement program.
May Have Interactions with the Following
- Alcohol: may compromise B-6 status and have negative effects on the nervous system.
- Cycloserine: may compromise B-6 status and have negative effects on the nervous system.
- Dilantin: depresses the level of B-6 in the body.
- Dilantin: the effectiveness of Dilantin may be lessened by B-6.
- Hydrazines, isoniazid, and isonicotinylhydrazine: may compromise B-6 status and have negative effects on the nervous system.
- Levodopa: the effectiveness of Levodopa may be lessened by B-6.
- Oral contraceptives: may compromise B-6 status and have negative effects on the nervous system.
- Penicillamine: may compromise B-6 status and have negative effects on the nervous system.
- Phenobarbital: the level and the effectiveness of Phenobarbital may be lessened by B-6.
- Synthetic estrogens: may compromise B-6 status and have negative effects on the nervous system.
Side Effects
- Muscle weakness
- Burning prickling sensation in hands and fee.
- These symptoms occur when large doses (2 to 6 grams per day) of pyridoxine are taken.
- Symptoms may disappear within six months of supplement discontinuation.
- Doses of 120 mg per day for over six months are associated with side effects.
Signs of Overdose
- Loss of muscle coordination
- Numbness in feet and hands
- Sensory neuropathy with unsteady gait
- Permanent nerve damage
What to Do in Case of Overdose
Stop use and contact your physician immediately.
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Sources & Further Reading
Books
- 1. Basu, TK and Dickerson, JW.Vitamins in Human Health and Disease. CAB INTL, UK 1996.
2. Bendich, A and Deckelbaum, RJ.Preventive Nutrition: The Comprehensive Guide for Health Professionals. Humana Press. Totowa, NJ 1997.
3. Fauci et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, Fourteenth Ed. McGraw-Hill Co., Inc. 1998.
4. Groff, JL, Gropper, SS, Hunt, SM.Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism, Second Ed. West Pub. Co. St. Paul, MN 1995.
5. Lieberman, S and Bruning, N.The Real Vitamin & Mineral Book, Second Ed. Avery Publishing Group. Garden City, NY 1997.
6. Machlin, LJ.Handbook of Vitamins, Second Ed. Marcel Dekker, Inc. New York, NY 1991.
7. Meletis, CD and Jacobs, T.The Practitioner's Guide to Drug-Nutrient and Nutrient-Nutrient Interactions. 1996.
8. Werbach, MR.Nutritional Influences on Illness, Second Ed. Third Line Press. Tarzana, CA 1996.
Find more books on health and wellness at  barnesandnoble.com.
Articles
- 1. Arnadottir M; Brattstr"om L; Simonsen O; Thysell H; Hultberg B; Andersson A; Nilsson-Ehle P.The effect of high-dose pyridoxine and folic acid supplementation on serum lipid and plasma homocysteine concentrations in dialysis patients. Clin Nephrol, 40(4):236-40 1993 Oct.
- 2. Aybak M; Sermet A; Ayyildiz MO; Karakil,cik AZ.Effect of oral pyridoxine hydrochloride supplementation on arterial blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension. Arzneimittelforschung, 45(12):1271-3 1995 Dec.
- 3. Krishna AP; Ramakrishna T.Effect of pyridoxine deficiency on maturation of neuromotor coordinations. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol, 38(2):113-6 1994 Apr.
- 4. Lakshmi R; Lakshmi AV; Divan PV; Bamji MS.Effect of riboflavin or pyridoxine deficiency on inflammatory response. Indian J Biochem Biophys, 28(5-6):481-4 1991 Oct-Dec.
- 5. Pietrzik K; Br?nstrup A.The role of homocysteine, folate and other B-vitamins in the development of atherosclerosis. Arch Latinoam Nutr, 1997 Jun, 47:2 Suppl 1, 9-12.
- 6. Sharma SK; Dakshinamurti K.Seizure activity in pyridoxine-deficient adult rats. Epilepsia, 33(2):235-47 1992 Mar-Apr.
- 7. Suboti"canec K; Stavljeni'c A; Schalch W; Buzina R.Effects of pyridoxine and riboflavin supplementation on physical fitness in young adolescents. Int J Vitam Nutr Res, 60(1):81-8 1990.
- 8. Vutyavanich T; Wongtra-ngan S; Ruangsri R.Pyridoxine for nausea and vomiting of pregnancy: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Am J Obstet Gynecol, 173(3 Pt 1):881-4 1995 Sep.
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