Health
Tips | Benefits of Vitamins B6
All
the B vitamins are important for producing energy and fighting infection and
disease, but vitamin B6 play a role in cognitive function. Vitamin B6 helps
make neurotransmitters needed for brain development, it role in our nervous
system is very broad, and involves many aspects of neurological activity. One
aspect focuses on the creation of an important group of messaging molecules
called amines. The nervous system relies on formation of these molecules for
transmission of messages from one nerve to the next. (The molecules can be
classified as "neurotransmitters" for this reason.) Amines are one
type of neurotransmitter in the nervous system. They are often made from parts
of protein called amino acids, and the key nutrient for making this process
happen is vitamin B6. Some of the amine-derived neurotransmitters that require
vitamin B6 for their production include serotonin, melatonin, epinephrine,
norepinephrine, and GABA.
vitamin
B6 is required to minimize risk of unwanted inflammation in the body. It's not
only the case that ample intake of vitamin B6 is associated with decreased risk
of excessive inflammation; it's also the fact that individuals with chronic,
excessive inflammation need increased amounts of vitamin B6 in their diet.
Unless our dietary intake is sufficient to keep our blood levels of active B6
(pyridoxal-5-phosphate) optimal, we leave ourselves at risk for chronic health
problems like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity, all of
which share a component of chronic, unwanted inflammation.
The
key role of vitamin B6 in the nervous system also results in many nerve-related
symptoms when B6 is deficient. These symptoms can include convulsions and
seizures in the case of severe deficiency. The critical role of vitamin B6 in
the formation of red blood cells means that B6 deficiency can also result in
symptoms of anemia, malaise, and fatigue. When anemia is exclusively related to
B6 deficiency, it is usually classified as hypochromic, microcytic (pernicious)
anemia.
Vitamin
B6 may play a role in the prevention and/or treatment of the following health
conditions:
Cardiovascular
system conditions, including atherosclerosis, hyperhomocysteinemia, and
hypertension
Nervous
system conditions, including carpal tunnel syndrome, depression, diabetic
neuropathy, autism and epilepsy
Skin
conditions, including acne, eczema, and seborrheic dermatitis
Also
linked to B6 status are alcoholism, adrenal function, asthma, HIV/AIDS, kidney
stones, PMS, and vaginitis.
Food Sources provide vitamin B6:
Excellent
sources of vitamin B6 include summer squash, bell peppers, turnip greens, shiitake
mushrooms, and spinach.
Very
good food sources of vitamin B6 include garlic, tuna, cauliflower, mustard
greens, cabbage, crimini mushrooms, asparagus, broccoli, kale, collard greens,
Brussels sprouts, cod, chard, calf's liver, green beans, winter squash,
tomatoes, turkey, salmon, and leeks.
World's Healthiest Foods ranked as quality sources of
vitamin B6 |
|||
Food
|
Serving
Size |
Amount
(mg) |
World's
Healthiest Foods Rating |
Spinach
|
1
cup cooked
|
0.44
|
excellent
|
Bell Peppers
|
1
cup raw
|
0.27
|
excellent
|
Turnip Greens
|
1
cup cooked
|
0.26
|
excellent
|
Summer Squash
|
1
cup raw
|
0.25
|
excellent
|
Mushrooms, Shiitake
|
87
g
|
0.25
|
excellent
|
Tuna
|
4
oz-wt
|
1.18
|
very
good
|
Turkey
|
4
oz-wt
|
0.64
|
very
good
|
Cod
|
4
oz-wt
|
0.52
|
very
good
|
Banana
|
1
each
|
0.43
|
very
good
|
Winter Squash
|
1
cup baked
|
0.33
|
very
good
|
Collard Greens
|
1
cup cooked
|
0.24
|
very
good
|
Garlic
|
1
oz-wt
|
0.22
|
very
good
|
Leeks
|
1
cup raw
|
0.21
|
very
good
|
Cauliflower
|
1
cup raw
|
0.20
|
very
good
|
Brussels Sprouts
|
1
cup raw
|
0.19
|
very
good
|
Kale
|
1
cup cooked
|
0.18
|
very
good
|
Broccoli
|
1
cup raw
|
0.16
|
very
good
|
Swiss Chard
|
1
cup cooked
|
0.15
|
very
good
|
Mustard Greens
|
1
cup cooked
|
0.14
|
very
good
|
Tomatoes
|
1
cup raw
|
0.14
|
very
good
|
Green Beans
|
1
cup raw
|
0.14
|
very
good
|
Asparagus
|
1
cup raw
|
0.12
|
very
good
|
Chicken
|
4
oz-wt
|
0.68
|
good
|
Potatoes
|
1
each baked
|
0.54
|
good
|
Sunflower Seeds
|
0.25
cup
|
0.47
|
good
|
Halibut
|
4
oz-wt
|
0.45
|
good
|
Avocado
|
1
cup
|
0.38
|
good
|
Sweet Potato
|
1
cup baked
|
0.33
|
good
|
Yam
|
1
cup baked
|
0.31
|
good
|
Green Peas
|
1
cup raw
|
0.30
|
good
|
Onions
|
1
cup raw
|
0.19
|
good
|
Pineapple
|
1
cup
|
0.18
|
good
|
Carrots
|
1
cup
|
0.17
|
good
|
Cantaloupe
|
1
cup
|
0.12
|
good
|
Blackstrap Molasses
|
2
tsp
|
0.10
|
good
|
Grapes
|
1
cup
|
0.10
|
good
|
Cabbage
|
1
cup raw
|
0.09
|
good
|
Cayenne Pepper
|
2
tsp
|
0.09
|
good
|
Turmeric
|
2
tsp
|
0.08
|
good
|
Romaine Lettuce
|
2
cups
|
0.07
|
good
|
Eggplant
|
1
cup raw
|
0.07
|
good
|
Figs
|
8
oz-wt
|
0.06
|
good
|
Basil
|
2
tsp
|
0.06
|
good
|
World's Healthiest
Foods Rating |
Rule
|
excellent
|
DV>=75%
OR
Density>=7.6 AND DV>=10% |
very
good
|
DV>=50%
OR
Density>=3.4 AND DV>=5% |
good
|
DV>=25%
OR
Density>=1.5 AND DV>=2.5% |
Recommended intake of vitamin B6?
- 0-6
months: 100 micrograms
- 6-12
months: 300 micrograms
- 1-3
years: 500 micrograms
- 4-8
years: 600 micrograms
- Males
9-13 years: 1.0 milligram
- Males
14-50 years: 1.3 milligrams
- Males
51 years and older: 1.7 milligrams
- Females
9-13 years: 1.0 milligram
- Females
14-50: 1.2 milligrams
- Females
51 years and older: 1.5 milligrams
- Pregnant
females of any age: 1.9 milligrams
- Lactating
females of any age: 2.0 milligrams