Article at a Glance

• Vitamin B₆ is one of the 13 essential vitamins you need in your diet for protein metabolism.
• Vitamin B₆ is found in plants and animal products. It is recommended for vegans, vegetarians, and those following a plant-based diet to use nutrition supplements of fortified foods to obtain adequate levels of this nutrient.
• Deficiency is uncommon but often seen with multiple other nutrient deficiencies.

Water-soluble B vitamins are easily flushed out of your body, which, luckily, makes it difficult for toxic levels to accumulate. Read below to find out which water-soluble B vitamin can become toxic, and at what dosage it can cause adverse events … 

What Is Vitamin B₆?

Vitamin B₆ is one of the 13 essential vitamins you need in your diet because your body cannot make enough on its own.

Like all B vitamins, vitamin B₆ is water-soluble so it dissolves in water. This dissolution allows your body to easily flush out any excess instead of storing it in your liver or fat tissue.

Why You Need Vitamin B₆

Vitamin B₆ is essential for many of your body’s physiological functions:

• Synthesizes amino acids.
• Converts the amino acid tryptophan into the essential vitamin niacin.
• Helps produce the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin, which regulate sleep and mood.
• Research shows that vitamin B6 may play a role in preventing cognitive decline, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

Where to Get Vitamin B₆

Dietary sources rich in vitamin B₆ include:

• Garbanzo beans
• Fish
• Beef
• Chicken
• Bananas
• Potatoes

As vitamin B₆ is mostly found in animal food sources, it is recommended for vegans or vegetarians to eat higher levels of vitamin B_6-fortified cereals or to use a nutritional supplement.Supplementing your diet with vitamin B₆ using is best for optimal absorption. This delivery system allows you to fully absorb nutrients into your bloodstream and then into your cells, where they work to improve health. 

The Forms of Vitamin B₆ 

Vitamin B₆ is a generic label for different compounds:

• Pyridoxine – found in plants

• Pyridoxal – found in animals
• Pyridoxamine
• Pyridoxal 5-phosphate (PLP)
• Pyridoxamine 5-phosphate (PMP)

PLP and PMP are the active forms that are circulated and absorbed. Pyridoxine, pyridoxal, and pyridoxamine are all converted into PLP in your body.

How Much Vitamin B₆ Do You Need?

Everyone is different, and certain factors such as your age, sex, or health will affect your unique nutritional needs. To provide a general guide, the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) establish the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) to meet the needs of most healthy individuals. The RDA for vitamin B₆ in both men and women range:

Vitamin B6 RDA

• Infants (0 – 12 months): 0.1 – 0.3 mg/day AI

• Children (1 – 8 years): 0.5 – 0.6 mg/day

• Adolescents (9 – 18 years): 1 – 1.3 mg/day

• Adults (19+ years): 1.3 – 1.7 mg/day

• Pregnant and nursing women: 1.9 – 2 mg/day

If you have a preexisting health condition, concern, or take prescription medication, it’s important to talk with your doctor or registered dietitian about your nutrition, especially when choosing which supplements and dosages are optimal for your health. 

Toxicity 

Although your body can easily flush out B vitamins, vitamin B₆ in the pyridoxal phosphate form has the potential to be toxic because it is stored in your muscles and liver. Toxicity is typically seen when taking doses of 1–6 grams a day for over a year. Symptoms of toxicity include numbness in extremities, trouble walking, and other neurological issues. A tolerable upper intake level (UL) has been established to prevent adverse reactions.^[5]

Vitamin B₆ Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL): 

• Infants (0 – 12 months):  – mg/day

• Children (1 – 8 years): 30 – 40 mg/day

• Adolescents (9 – 18 years): 60 – 80 mg/day

• Adults (19+ years): 100 mg/day

Anyone who is under the care of a physician and uses vitamin B₆ for a medical reason is excluded from the UL.

Vitamin B6 Deficiency — What Are the Symptoms?

Vitamin B₆ deficiency is uncommon and would most likely be accompanied by other nutrient deficiencies such as vitamin B₁₂ and folate. Those who have impaired metabolism, eat a vegetarian or vegan diet, who are undernourished, suffer from alcoholism, have poor renal function, or who are diagnosed with autoimmune disorders are at risk for deficiency.

Symptoms of vitamin B₆ deficiency include:

• Microcytic, hypochromic anemia, which impairs red blood cells from delivering oxygen to tissues due to the cell’s small size
• Dermatitis, such as dandruff or scaling skin around the mouth
• Swollen tongue
• Depression
• Confusion
• Fatigue

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