Vitamin B6 is a type of B group water-soluble vitamin, also known as pyridoxine. It is mainly used as a coenzyme after human metabolism. It is an indispensable important factor in the reaction of hundreds of cell enzymes. Examples include amino acids and nerve conduction. It is needed for the manufacture and metabolism of substances, heme, fatty acids, and glycogen.
Do you know the benefits of vitamin b6 supplements?
Table of Contents
- What are the symptoms of Vitamin B6 deficiency?
- What are the natural food sources of Vitamin B6?
- What are the benefits recommended for Vitamin B6?
- What are the side effects of Vitamin B6?
- Where can I buy the best Vitamin B6
What are the symptoms of Vitamin B6 deficiency?
In general, severe deficiency of Vitamin B6 is not common, unless it is a serious imbalance in diet and metabolism (such as alcoholics), mild to moderate deficiency is more common in the elderly and children, and some drugs may also inhibit Vitamin B6 absorption (see side effects below).
Common deficiency symptoms include irritability, depression, mouth and mouth ulcers, tongue inflammation, muscle weakness, nervousness, and difficulty concentrating.
What are the natural food sources of Vitamin B6?
Common sources of Vitamin B6 include whole grains, bananas, avocados, beef, chicken, fish, eggs, milk, potatoes, vegetables, carrots, etc.
What are the benefits recommended for Vitamin B6?
1. Improve nausea and vomiting during pregnancy (pregnancy)
Nausea and vomiting that accompany early pregnancy are the most troublesome symptoms of most pregnant women, with an incidence of about 50%-90%. Depending on the degree, possible complications include fluid imbalance and electrolyte imbalance (dehydration), aspiration pneumonia, gastroesophageal tear bleeding, malnutrition, etc.
The cause of morning sickness is currently unknown, but it may be related to the rapid rise of hormones, Helicobacter pylori infection, psychological and genetic predisposition.
A double-blind controlled study (a four-day, 126 pregnant women less than 16 weeks pregnant) pointed out that both Vitamin B6 and ginger have the effect of alleviating nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, but the improvement of ginger is greater, and the side effects are more moderate.
Another double-blind controlled study also pointed out that Vitamin B6 and antiemetic and anti-dizziness drugs (Dimenhydrinate) can help treat nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy, but the drug changes are larger.
The only side effect of the two groups was drowsiness, the incidence rate was 52.94% of the drug and 4.46% of Vitamin B6.
*Conclusion: Vitamin B6 may have an effect of relieving morning sickness, but the improvement is inferior to drugs and ginger.
2. Prevent Age-related macular degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration is mainly related to retinal degeneration (which destroys central vision and seriously affects the essence of vision), and is the main cause of blindness (irreversible visual impairment).
Macular degeneration is prevalent in middle-aged and elderly people over 60 years old. The prevalence rate is about 8.7%. It is estimated that by 2020, 200 million people will suffer from this disease. Since the current therapies are mostly targeted at advanced patients, it is necessary to take appropriate preventive measures. necessary.
A large double-blind controlled study (Women’s Antioxidant Cardiovascular Study, 7.3-year follow-up period, for 5442 women) pointed out that taking Vitamin B6, folic acid and Vitamin B12 can help reduce total macular degeneration events and visually significant AMD, The range is 35% to 40%.
The underlying mechanism is related to the reduction of homocysteine in the blood by these nutrients and the enhancement of antioxidant effects, which can reduce endothelial dysfunction, promote nitric oxide production, and maintain vascular activity.
*visually significant AMD indicates that visual impairment has reached 20/30, or even more.
*Conclusion: Vitamin B6 combined with other group B nutrients may reduce the incidence of macular degeneration in women, but more research is still needed to further verify.
3. Beneficial Premenstrual Syndrome Symptoms
The physical and emotional discomfort that accompanies women during the days of menstrual cramps is collectively referred to as premenstrual syndrome (about 85% have experienced more than one symptom), and the cause is related to hormonal fluctuations and serotonin and nutrient deficiency.
Common psychological symptoms include tension, anxiety, crying, irritability, depression, sensitivity, lack of concentration, fatigue, mood swings, and anger.
Physical symptoms are breast tenderness, abdominal cramps, edema, pimples, increased appetite, headache, back pain, and sleep disturbances.
A double-blind controlled study (2 months, 76 female university students) pointed out that compared with taking Vitamin B6 alone, the combined use of B6 and calcium tablets can significantly reduce the physical, psychological and general symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.
The author believes that the underlying mechanism is related to the involvement of Vitamin B6 and calcium in tryptophan metabolism, serotonin production, and mood regulation.
*Conclusion: Vitamin B6 combined with calcium tablets may help improve the physical and mental symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, but it is limited by the small sample size, which needs to be verified by more large-scale studies.
4. Improve Carpal tunnel syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common nerve compression lesion in the upper limbs, mainly caused by the compression of the median nerve through the wrist tunnel of the wrist. The symptoms are numbness, tingling, and burning sensation in the hand.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is more common in women, and the prevalence rate is about 3-10 times that of men. The causative factors are related to diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, acromegaly, hypothyroidism, pregnancy, and tenosynovitis.
In addition, carpal tunnel syndrome is also often related to occupational injuries, especially jobs that require repetitive wrist movements, such as mechanics, butchers, carpenters, and housewives.
A controlled study (a 3-month study involving 67 patients with mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome) pointed out that Vitamin B6 can help alleviate various clinical symptoms and electrodiagnostic results, such as pain frequency, amplitude, and duration, Hand numbness, weakness and tingling sensation.
What are the side effects of Vitamin B6?
Although Vitamin B6 is water-soluble and can be excreted in the urine in excess, possible side effects include skin irritation, headache, nausea, abdominal pain, poor appetite, and sensitivity to sunlight.
In addition, long-term high doses (more than 200 mg or even more) may produce neurological symptoms, also known as sensory neuropathy, common symptoms such as pain in the limbs, numbness, and loss of balance.
Therefore, in order to prevent the occurrence of sensory neuropathy, adults (over 19 years old) should not exceed the daily maximum tolerable intake: 100 mg.
Safety Precautions
Pregnant women and breastfeeding women should use it under the supervision of a qualified doctor or pharmacist to ensure safety.
Some drugs (such as contraceptives, anti-tuberculosis drugs, penicillamine, hypertension drugs, asthma medication, NSAIDs) may interfere with Vitamin B6 metabolism, so long-term use of these drugs must pay attention to the intake of B6 in the diet.
Do not use in combination with tetracycline (a type of antibiotic), a tricyclic antidepressant (nortriptyline), chemotherapy drugs, antiepileptic drugs (Phenytoin), and levodopa, which may trigger interactive reactions and affect the normal function of the drug.
Where can I buy the best Vitamin B6
In recent years, food safety problems in various countries have exploded, and it is not healthy but black-hearted products that everyone spends on. Therefore, European and American products with relatively strict quality control have become popular products.
And iHerb.com is a large-scale medical cosmetics e-commerce company in the United States. It has a high satisfaction rate of 97% in the evaluation of Google customers. It provides global home delivery so that you can buy it without risking buying fakes through purchasing high-quality health products.
