In addition to regulating homocysteine levels, B6 plays a role in the synthesis of important neurotransmitters — chemical messengers used by the brain and nervous system. Some of the neurotransmitters B6 helps synthesize include:. During pregnancy, anyone experiencing morning sickness is often prescribed a combination tablet of doxylamine — an antihistamine — and vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 has been shown to help with nausea while the doxylamine may reduce vomiting. A typical dose of the combination tablet is 10 mg to 25 mg, three times a day.
PDE is a rare, genetic condition that occurs within a few days of being born and is characterized by difficult-to-control seizures. But vitamin B6 can help control the condition. When treated intravenously with mg of vitamin B6 — also known as pyridoxine — the seizures dissipated within minutes. Children diagnosed with PDE receive 15 to 30mg of vitamin B6 a day for life, but may sometimes require up to mg. A person with these seizures is vitamin B6 dependent , requiring the nutrient in order to keep the condition at bay as traditional anticonvulsants do not work.
The body requires vitamin B6 to maintain a healthy immune system. There are two forms of lymphocytes , both of which are altered by a B6 deficiency:. A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that vitamin B6 improved the immune response in critically ill patients. The study divided 51 participants into three groups: one received an injection of 50 mg of B6 a day, another mg, and a control group. After 14 days of supplementation, those who received 50 to mg of B6 saw an improvement in important markers of immune response like total T-cell count.
Lower than normal hemoglobin levels is one of the causes of anemia, a condition characterized by low levels of red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body, so without adequate red blood cells, one can feel weak and fatigued. The amount of B6 you should be consuming on a daily basis depends on age and gender. For each demographic, the daily recommended dose of vitamin B6 is:. Vitamin B6 is readily available in food and supplements.
Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Eating a well-balanced diet is the simplest way to make sure you're getting all the nutrients needed to keep your body moving along at its best.
But we know that sometimes you love to get into the nitty-gritty details of specific nutrients, like vitamin B6. So we thought we'd bring you this roundup of the best food sources of vitamin B6. Before we get to the really fun stuff food recommendations , let's make sure you understand the basics of this important nutrient. Vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, plays an important role in our overall health, including helping the body metabolize protein, carbohydrates, and fats.
Research shows it plays a role in heart health, cognitive functioning, stimulating blood sugar production, and it may even lessen symptoms of PMS and menstruation, explains Wendy Bazilian , DrPH and registered dietitian nutritionist. Wondering how much B6 you need? The recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, for men and women between the ages of 19 and 50 is 1. Pregnant and lactating women need a bit more though, and should aim for 1.
Though some people may need to take vitamin B6 supplements, many people can obtain a sufficient amount of vitamin B6 from food alone.
Here are some great food sources of vitamin B6. Meet the Expert. Looking to get a lot of B6 from one source? Turkey is a solid choice.
You'll be getting other nutrients at the same time too, including zinc and selenium. Of course salmon has many other nutritional benefits, including omega-3s, protein, vitamin D, potassium, and selenium. Michalczyk recommends adding salmon to your meal repertoire twice a week.
Salmon can be prepared in a number of ways that are both nutritious and delicious—roasted, grilled, in salads, and more. If meat and other animal-based food sources aren't your thing, chickpeas are a great source of vitamin B6. They're also seriously versatile and can be used in hummus, veggie bowls, soup, salads, and plenty of other dishes.
Don't worry too much about choosing between dried or canned chickpeas—both are a great option. If you're looking for something a bit different, Michalczyk recommends chickpea pasta. The options are endless when it comes to infusing some avocado into your diet.
Try it in salads and grain bowls, over toast, with eggs, and more. We love carrots for their color and crunch, but did you know they're loaded with nutritional benefits, too? Carrots are a great source of many nutrients, including vitamin A and vitamin B6.
Just a three-ounce serving of yellowfin tuna will give you. Yellowfin tuna is also a good source of protein and pairs well with salads. Therefore, several clinical trials have assessed the safety and efficacy of supplemental doses of B vitamins to reduce heart disease risk. Evaluating the impact of vitamin B6 from many of these trials is challenging because these studies also included folic acid and vitamin B12 supplementation.
Moreover, most other large clinical trials have failed to demonstrate that supplemental B vitamins actually reduce the risk of cardiovascular events, even though they lower homocysteine levels. The combined analysis of data from these two trials showed no benefit of vitamin B6 supplementation, with or without folic acid 0. In a trial of adults who had suffered a nondisabling stroke, supplementation with high or low doses of a combination of vitamins B6 and B12 and folic acid for 2 years had no effect on subsequent stroke incidence, cardiovascular events, or risk of death [ 16 ].
The research to date provides little evidence that supplemental amounts of vitamin B6, alone or with folic acid and vitamin B12, can help reduce the risk or severity of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Some research has associated low plasma vitamin B6 concentrations with an increased risk of certain kinds of cancer [ 3 ]. However, the small number of clinical trials completed to date has not shown that vitamin B6 supplementation can help prevent cancer or reduce its impact on mortality.
For example, an analysis of data from two large randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials in Norway found no association between vitamin B6 supplementation and cancer incidence, mortality, or all-cause mortality [ 18 ]. Poor vitamin B6 status has been hypothesized to play a role in the cognitive decline that some older adults experience [ 19 ].
Several studies have demonstrated an association between vitamin B6 and brain function in the elderly. For example, an analysis of data from the Boston Normative Aging Study found associations between higher serum vitamin B6 concentrations and better memory test scores in 70 men aged 54—81 years [ 20 ]. According to this review, most of the studies were of low quality and limited applicability. A Cochrane review found no evidence that short-term vitamin B6 supplementation for 5—12 weeks improves cognitive function or mood in the two studies that the authors evaluated [ 21 ].
The review did find some evidence that daily vitamin B6 supplements 20 mg can affect biochemical indices of vitamin B6 status in healthy older men, but these changes had no overall impact on cognition. More evidence is needed to determine whether vitamin B6 supplements might help prevent or treat cognitive decline in elderly people. Some evidence suggests that vitamin B6 supplements could reduce the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome PMS , but conclusions are limited due to the poor quality of most studies [ 22 ].
A meta-analysis of nine published trials involving almost 1, women with PMS found that vitamin B6 is more effective in reducing PMS symptoms than placebo, but most of the studies analyzed were small and several had methodological weaknesses [ 22 ]. A more recent double-blind, randomized controlled trial in 94 women found that 80 mg pyridoxine taken daily over the course of three cycles was associated with statistically significant reductions in a broad range of PMS symptoms, including moodiness, irritability, forgetfulness, bloating, and, especially, anxiety [ 23 ].
The potential effectiveness of vitamin B6 in alleviating the mood-related symptoms of PMS could be due to its role as a cofactor in neurotransmitter biosynthesis [ 24 ]. Although vitamin B6 shows promise for alleviating PMS symptoms, more research is needed before drawing firm conclusions. Although this condition is generally known as "morning sickness," it often lasts throughout the day.
The condition is not life threatening and typically goes away after 12—20 weeks, but its symptoms can disrupt a woman's social and physical functioning. Prospective studies on vitamin B6 supplements to treat morning sickness have had mixed results. In two randomized, placebo-controlled trials, 30—75 mg of oral pyridoxine per day significantly decreased nausea in pregnant women who were experiencing nausea [ 27 , 28 ].
The authors of a recent Cochrane review of studies on interventions for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy could not draw firm conclusions on the value of vitamin B6 to control the symptoms of morning sickness [ 26 ].
The American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology ACOG recommends monotherapy with 10—25 mg of vitamin B6 three or four times a day to treat nausea and vomiting in pregnancy [ 29 ]. If the patient's condition does not improve, ACOG recommends adding doxylamine. Before taking a vitamin B6 supplement, pregnant women should consult a physician because doses could approach the UL. High intakes of vitamin B6 from food sources have not been reported to cause adverse effects [ 1 ].
However, chronic administration of 1—6 g oral pyridoxine per day for 12—40 months can cause severe and progressive sensory neuropathy characterized by ataxia loss of control of bodily movements [ 10 , ].
Symptom severity appears to be dose dependent, and the symptoms usually stop if the patient discontinues the pyridoxine supplements as soon as the neurologic symptoms appear. Other effects of excessive vitamin B6 intakes include painful, disfiguring dermatological lesions; photosensitivity; and gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea and heartburn [ 1 , 2 , 30 ].
The scientific literature includes isolated case reports of congenital defects in the infants of women who took pyridoxine supplements during the first half of pregnancy [ 7 ]. However, a more recent observational study found no association between pyridoxine supplementation mean dose ULs are lower for children and adolescents based on body size.
The ULs do not apply to individuals receiving vitamin B6 for medical treatment, but such individuals should be under the care of a physician.
Vitamin B6 can interact with certain medications, and several types of medications might adversely affect vitamin B6 levels. A few examples are provided below. Individuals taking these and other medications on a regular basis should discuss their vitamin B6 status with their healthcare providers. In combination with pyridoxal phosphate, cycloserine increases urinary excretion of pyridoxine [ 9 ]. The urinary loss of pyridoxine might exacerbate the seizures and neurotoxicity associated with cycloserine.
Pyridoxine supplements can help prevent these adverse effects. High homocysteine levels in antiepileptic drug users might increase the risk of epileptic seizures and systemic vascular events, including stroke, and reduce the ability to control seizures in patients with epilepsy. Furthermore, patients typically use antiepileptic drugs for years, increasing their risk of chronic vascular toxicity.
Whether lower pyridoxine doses have any effect is not known [ 9 ]. Patients treated with theophylline often have low plasma PLP concentrations, which could contribute to the neurological and central nervous system side effects associated with theophylline, including seizures [ 9 , 33 ].
The federal government's Dietary Guidelines for Americans notes that "Because foods provide an array of nutrients and other components that have benefits for health, nutritional needs should be met primarily through foods. In some cases, fortified foods and dietary supplements are useful when it is not possible otherwise to meet needs for one or more nutrients e. For more information about building a healthy dietary pattern, refer to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the U.
Department of Agriculture's MyPlate. This fact sheet by the Office of Dietary Supplements ODS provides information that should not take the place of medical advice. We encourage you to talk to your healthcare providers doctor, registered dietitian, pharmacist, etc.
Any mention in this publication of a specific product or service, or recommendation from an organization or professional society, does not represent an endorsement by ODS of that product, service, or expert advice. Updated: March 26, History of changes to this fact sheet.
Find ODS on:. Strengthening Knowledge and Understanding of Dietary Supplements. Health Information Health Information. References Institute of Medicine. Food and Nutrition Board. McCormick D. Vitamin B6. In: Bowman B, Russell R, eds. Present Knowledge in Nutrition. Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central ,
0コメント