VITAMIN B6 BENEFITS; SIDE EFFECTS OF VITAMIN B6 DEFICIENCY

Vitamin B6 benefits are quite impressive when examined closely. B6 is water-soluble vitamin, not able to be stored by the body, needing to be regularly replenished through the diet to avoid depletion and deficiency symptoms. It plays a part in more body fuctions than just about any other nutrient.

Effects of Vitamin B6

Pyridoxine is important for the metabolism of amino acids, fats carbohydrates and proteins. It aids the formation of red blood cells, antibodies and hydrochloric acid, and plays a role in the immune system.

Vitamin B6 side effects helps to balance sodium and potassium in the body, as well as being important for the nucleic acids, DNA and RNA. Vitamin B6 pyridoxine is vital for the formation of hormone-like prostaglandin lipids, essential for a multitude body functions including blood vessel and bronchial passage dilation.

Vitamin B6 benefits plays a central role in the manufacture of the feel-good brain chemicals, serotonin and norepinephrine.

Vitamin B6 Benefits

B6 is helpful in the treatment of neural disorders such as epilepsy, attention deficit disorder, autism, and nervous tremors. It is also linked to protection from cancer and heart disease.

Vitamin B6 benefits also include preventing dandruff, eczema and psoriasis. B6 is known to be helpful for a wide variety of PMS symptoms in women. Vitamin B6 supplements help prevent eye damage and loss of vision from diabetic retinopathy, by assisting in the metabolism of blood glucose.

Together with vitamin B9 folic acid and vitamin B12, B6 acts to reduce levels of the amino acid homocysteine, which is linked to heart disease and stroke.

Vitamin B6 Deficiency

Factors that may increase vitamin B6 deficiency include alcohol consumption, high protein diets, and antidepressants.

Vitamin B6 deficiency can lead to muscular weakness, anemia, acne, dermatitis and eczema, allergies and asthma, nervousness, irritability and sleep disturbances. Other symptoms can be swollen tongue, ridged nails, arthritis, osteoporosis, and kidney stones.

Recommended Vitamin B6 Dosage

Recommended dietary allowance (minimum daily dose to ward off serious deficiency) of vitamin B6 dosage for men is 2 mg and 1.6 mg for women, although 100 mg is commonly used in vitamin supplements. Vitamin B6 overdose supplementation may result in neurological damage.

Food Source of Vitamin B6

Here are examples of where to find a good food source of vitamin B6 and foods high in vitamin B6:

Animal food source of vitamin B6 : Brewer's yeast, organ meats such as liver, heart and kidney, eggs, chicken, fish, lean meats.

Plant foods high in vitamin B6 : Wholegrain products, whole cereals, brown rice, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, avocados, soybeans, carrots, peas and beans, sunflower seeds, walnuts, bananas, unrefined molasses.