Vitamin B6 �?Pyridoxine


You've probably never met a vitamin that works as hard as vitamin B6
does. Vitamin B6s rap sheet includes a long list of health benefits
for your body. From working as a coenzyme to protecting the heart
from disease, the endless benefits of vitamin B6 are something you
don't want to miss out on. Read on to find out what kind of health
benefits you're denying your body if you're not taking your vitamin
B6!

What Is Vitamin B6?
Two very important and interesting factors make vitamin B6 stand out
from other nutrients: 1- it is the hardest working nutrient in the
human body, and 2 - it is the most common vitamin to be deficient in
the human diet. In fact, it is estimated that 1/3 of all adults have
a vitamin B6 deficiency, with more women than men suffering from the
deficiency. With these two factors working against each other, it's
crucial that you understand the importance of proper daily vitamin
B6 intake, and that you seek out smart supplementation with vitamin
B6.

How Does Vitamin B6 Work?
Pyridoxine �?vitamin B6 �?is an essential nutrient required for
life. Our bodies use it every day to complete hundreds of different
job, countless times every day. It works primarily as a coenzyme,
which is basically a catalyst for other enzymes that need that extra
push to complete their job.


Neurotransmitters, proteins, and red blood cells all require vitamin
B6 in order to be formed, and it is also required for the metabolism
of the foods we eat into energy we can use. However, the most
exciting job that vitamin B6 does has nothing to do with these
normal everyday processes �?research is showing the vitamin B6 may
actually play a role in disease prevention and treatment.

Along with folic acid and vitamin B12, vitamin B6 has been shown to
help the body process homocysteine, an amino acid-like compound that
is being studied for its relationship to an increase in heart
disease. Although high levels of this compound in the blood are
linked to an increased risk of heart problems, heart disease
patients with normal homocysteine levels have also been found to
have low levels of vitamin B6, which may play a negative factor in
the disease. If you're at a higher risk of heart disease from
familial or other factors, it is recommended that you meet the RDA
for vitamin B6, along with a healthy diet.

Vitamin B6 also plays a number of other roles in the body.
Supplementation with vitamin B6 has been found to decrease PMS
symptoms and can provide relief for those pregnant women who suffer
from morning sickness. Other studies show that this nutrient may be
helpful in treating epilepsy and depression as it helps the body
produce neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, which may be lacking
in these patients.


Vitamin B6 also plays a role in helping preserve the health of
nerves, which is very valuable to those with diabetes, as they are
at an increased risk of developing diabetes induced nerve disease.
Maintaining nerve health is also valuable to those suffering from
carpal tunnel syndrome, which is an inflammation of the nerves in
the wrist. Finally, vitamin B6 has also been shown to alleviate
asthma symptoms and lessen the frequency and intensity of asthma
attacks.

How Can I Make The Most Out Of Vitamin B6?
The RDA for vitamin B6 varies by age and sex. For men and women
under the age of 50, the RDA is 1.3 mg per day. After age 50 women
are recommended to take 1.5 mg of vitamin B6, and men should be
getting 1.7 mg every day. Vitamin B6 is found in avocadoes, bananas,
chickpeas, potatoes, fish and meats.

Therapeutic doses, which are given for the treatment and prevention
of disease, range from 50-100 mg per day. It is not recommended that
you take such high doses without speaking first to your doctor and
taking into consideration your own personal medical concerns.

What are the Safety Issues Surrounding Vitamin B6 Use?
Severe deficiency of vitamin B6 is rare, although it is estimated
that 50% of all women are mildly deficient �?mostly due to the fact
that taking oral contraceptives has been linked to a decrease in
vitamin B6 found in the body. Mild deficiency of this nutrient is
linked to an increase in homocysteine levels, which may increase
your risk of developing heart disease or other vascular disorders.
Those with a severe vitamin B6 deficiency can experience
neurological disorders, such as depression, epileptic seizures,
abnormal brain waves, and even insomnia. Stress and anxiety are
common symptoms of a severe vitamin B6 deficiency, as well as skin
disorders, such as inflammation of the skin, acne and mouth sores.

Toxicity, taking too much, is rare but can be found in people who
take more than 2,000 mg of vitamin B6 per day �?also equal to 2
grams. As we noted above, vitamin B6 is important for maintaining
nerve health, but too much of the nutrient actually damages nerves.
If you experience any numbness or tingling while taking high doses
(over 100 mg/day) of vitamin B6, stop supplementation and speak to
your doctor right away.