This nutrient is an essential part of nearly 200 chemical reactions in your body, and it’s necessary for processes like brain development and transporting oxygen through your bloodstream. Vitamin B6 also helps you maintain a healthy nervous and immune system.
1. May Improve Mood And Reduce Symptoms Of Depression
Consuming adequate amounts of vitamin B6 is important for optimal health and may even prevent and treat chronic diseases Here are 9 health benefits of vitamin B6, backed by scienc.
Possible Health Benefits Of Vitamin B6
They help with metabolism, creating blood cells, and keeping cells healthy.
It also discusses deficiency and supplements.
Health Benefits Of Vitamin B6
Homocysteine is one of 21 amino acids in your body. Vitamin B6 helps maintain a normal amount of this amino acid in your blood.
A stronger immune system. Vitamin B6 helps chemical reactions in the immune system, helping it work better. Studies conducted with older adults have linked low levels of vitamin B6 with poor immune response.
Less morning sickness. Studies have found that taking vitamin B6 may help ease nausea during pregnancy, though it doesn’t help with vomiting. Your body needs vitamin B6 to make serotonin, a hormone that elevates your mood.
Some studies have shown that not having enough vitamin B6 in your diet can contribute to depression Help with PMS. Maintaining healthy levels of vitamin B6 in your blood might also help reduce your chances of cancer. If you already have cancer, Studies have shown that vitamin B6 may slow tumor growth.
Better brain function. High levels of homocysteine have been associated with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and cognitive decline. Vitamin B6 helps the body regulate levels of homocysteine in the bloo.
How Much Vitamin B6 You Need Changes With Age
But if your diet tends to be scarce on protein, you may want to pay attention to how much B6 you’re getting, Angelone adds. Some of the top sources of B6 are protein-rich foods such as beans, meat, poultry, and fish. Healthy individuals aren’t likely to be deficient in vitamin B6 without being deficient in the other B vitamins, too, according to information from the National Institutes of Health.
Some kidney diseases, as well as celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis can specifically lead to a B6 deficiency because those conditions directly affect absorption of that vitamin. Symptoms of a vitamin B6 deficiency include a swollen tongue, depression and confusion, a weakened immune system, and certain types of anemia. And even though your body gets rid of excess B vitamins, it is possible to overdo it on B6, Angelone notes.
Too much B6 can lead to nerve damage, Angelone says. You’re not likely to get too much B6 (or B12) from a healthy, balanced diet. Too much of any B vitamin is likely due to individual vitamin supplements, not food or multivitamins.