WHAT DOES VITAMIN B₆ DO?
Vitamin B₆ is involved in more than 100 enzyme reactions in your body. It’s used to break down proteins in your food and keep your blood sugar in a normal range. You need it for a healthy immune system (your body uses it to make antibodies), a healthy heart and for the production of hemoglobin, the protein in your red blood cells that carries oxygen.

HOW MUCH VITAMIN B₆ DO YOU NEED?
Until age 51, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin B₆ for both women and men is 1.3 milligrams. After that, our B₆ needs slightly increase: Men aged 51 or older need 1.7 mg and women need 1.5 mg. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding need slightly more (1.9 mg and 2.0 mg, respectively).

B₆ deficiencies are rare in the United States, but supplements are used to treat many conditions ranging from carpal tunnel syndrome to PMS to asthma.

WHERE CAN YOU GET VITAMIN B₆?
Some of the best naturally occurring sources of B₆ are organic beef liver and other organic organ meats, but it’s also available in many other meats (including fish), as well as beans, vegetables, non-citrus fruits, whole grains and potatoes. Fortified cereals and fortified soy-based meat substitutes also offer good doses of the nutrient. Some of our favorite foods that contain B₆ are:

You can look up the vitamin B₆ content of other foods by using the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.