Discover Vitamin B6, The Ultimate Multi-Tasker!

What is Vitamin B6?

As we’ve hinted above, Vitamin B6, also known as Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, is one of the B suite of vitamins that isn’t produced by the body. Many people do get enough Vitamin B6 in their diet, but it’s important to check due to its importance for overall health and wellbeing. Vitamin B6 is naturally occurring in foods including chicken, pork, oats, and bananas, and is also found in many common nutritional supplements.

Vitamin B6 plays an important part in enzyme reactions within the body and forms haemoglobin, the protein contained in red blood cells that delivers oxygen into the body’s tissues. It also helps the body metabolise fats and proteins, unlocking energy from other nutrients.

Consuming an adequate amount of Vitamin B6 can boost your health, and potentially prevent and treat some chronic diseases – let’s dig in to the benefits of Vitamin B6!

Vitamin B6 Benefits

Vitamin B6 for Anaemia

Given that Vitamin B6 helps form haemoglobin in the body, it’s not surprising that the blood booster can help with conditions like anaemia! For those unaware, anaemia is a condition where the blood’s usual number of red blood cells is lower, and there isn’t enough haemoglobin in the body to carry oxygen to organs and tissues. It’s a condition most often seen in women and children, and is commonly caused by poor nutrition and a lack of iron in the blood.

Studies have linked low levels of Vitamin B6 with anaemia, particularly in pregnant women. Due to its role in aiding haemoglobin production, Vitamin B6 has the potential to help prevent and treat anaemia caused by deficiency. A study found that taking 75mg of Vitamin B6 daily during pregnancy decreased anaemia symptoms that weren’t helped by iron supplements.

Vitamin B6 deficiency is rare in healthy adults.

Vitamin B6 and Heart Disease

Vitamin B6's impact on healthy haemoglobin levels has scientific links to preventing arteries from clogging and minimising the risk of heart disease. Studies show that people with low levels of Vitamin B6 in their blood have almost double the risk of developing heart disease compared to those with higher levels.

One animal-based study found that rats deficient in Vitamin B6 had higher cholesterol levels and developed lesions that could cause blocked arteries after exposure to homocysteine compared to rats with more normal Vitamin B6 levels.

Another study examined the siblings of people with heart disease and the difference a Vitamin B6 supplement made. Half of the participant group took a placebo, with the other half receiving folic acid and Vitamin B6 every day for two years. The group who took Vitamin B6 and folic acid had lower homocysteine levels and fewer abnormal heart tests than the placebo group, putting them at a lower risk of heart disease.

Vitamin B6 for Mental Health

Vitamin B6 has been touted as playing an important role in mental health, mood regulation, and reducing the symptoms of depression.

Several studies have shown that depressive symptoms are associated with low blood levels and vitamin B6 intakes. Older adults are particularly at high risk for B vitamin deficiencies. One research studied 250 older adults, finding deficient blood levels of Vitamin B6 doubled their likelihood of depression.

Vitamin B6 is necessary for creating neurotransmitters in the brain that help regulate our emotions, including dopamine, serotonin, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Studies have also suggested that Vitamin B6 may help reduce high levels of the amino acid homocysteine in the blood, which has been linked to depression and other mental health conditions.

Vitamin B6 and Brain Function

Vitamin B6’s ability to help lower levels of homocysteine in the blood has led researchers to study its effectiveness in improving brain function and preventing Alzheimer’s disease.

One study examined more than 150 adults with high levels of homocysteine and mild cognitive impairment. It found that high doses of Vitamin B6, along with B12 and folate (B9), decreased homocysteine levels and reduced wasting in parts of the brain that are vulnerable to Alzheimer’s.

Another trial of more than 400 adults with mild and moderate Alzheimer’s compared the results of a high-dose supplement of Vitamin B6, B12 and folate, and a placebo. It saw a decrease in homocysteine levels but didn’t slow the decline in brain function.

What’s the takeaway for Vitamin B6 and brain function? Vitamin B6 may help stop brain function decline by decreasing homocysteine levels associated with diseases like Alzheimer’s; however, research hasn’t yet shown that it improves overall brain health.

Vitamin B6 and Eye Health

Moving slightly further down the body, research has shown that Vitamin B6 might help prevent eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, or AMD. High blood levels of homocysteine have been linked to an increased risk of AMD diagnosis; hence, having adequate Vitamin B6 levels could help lower the risk of AMD, given its capacity to lower homocysteine levels.

A seven-year study of more than 5,000 females found a daily Vitamin B6, B12 and folate supplement significantly reduced the risk of getting AMD by between 35% and 40% when compared to a placebo. However, it didn’t show whether Vitamin B6 alone could produce the same results. A different study linked low Vitamin B6 levels to eye conditions that blocked the veins that connect to the retina, finding the lowest blood levels of Vitamin B6 were associated with retinal disorders.

Vitamin B6 and PMS

Vitamin B6 has been used to treat symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, known as PMS. PMS is a group of symptoms that occur in women during the menstrual cycle, commonly between ovulation and their period. Common PMS symptoms include anxiety, depression and irritability. Researchers believe B6 may help with emotional PMS symptoms due to its capacity to create mood-regulating neurotransmitters.

A three-month study of more than 60 premenopausal women investigated the benefits of taking Vitamin B6 for PMS symptoms. 50mg of Vitamin B6 daily was proven to improve symptoms including depression, tiredness, and irritability, by nearly 70%. Another small study backed up these findings, with a Vitamin B6 and magnesium supplement significantly reducing PMS symptoms, including mood swings and irritability, during the course of a menstrual cycle.

How much Vitamin B6 should I take?

How you take Vitamin B6 depends on what you hope to get out of it. Given its capacity to unlock energy from other nutrients, vitamin B6 is commonly found in supplements that aid in energy production, mood regulation, and sleep.

We recommend consulting a health professional before adding a supplement like Vitamin B6 to your diet.