Vitamin B6 benefits

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is a nutrient that is essential for your good health. It is a water soluble vitamin that is necessary for over one hundred enzymes in the body to work to metabolize proteins. Vitamin B6 helps in the production of red blood cells and it is needed for the healthy function of the immune system as well as the nervous system.

Vitamin B6 is one of the hardest working vitamins in the body and is involved in more than one hundred different chemical reactions that take place in our bodies at any one time. One of the most important functions of vitamin B6 is in the production of amino acids. The amino acids in our bodies are used to build protein and these proteins are what are necessary to grow tissue and to repair damage to our tissues.

This important vitamin also helps the body to create neurotransmitters which allow for communication of the nerves in our brain. Serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine are some of the neurotransmitters in the brain. These particular neurotransmitters are largely responsible for our mood and the healthy production of these neurotransmitters can help to fight depression and other mood disorders.

In the body, the foods that we eat must be converted to energy and vitamin B6 aids in the metabolism of these foods so that they can be used as energy by our bodies.

Vitamin B6 is actually made up of three different substances pyridoxamine, pyridoxine and pyridoxal. All of these substances occur in the foods that provide vitamin B6 to the body. Pyridoxine plays a role in the prevention of heart disease. When the body does not have enough of this substance homocysteine will build up and damage the lining of the blood vessels. This will allow plaque to build up when the body begins to repair the damage. Having a sufficient amount of pyridoxine in the body will prevent the buildup and reduce the possibility of heart attack. It will also lower blood pressure and the cholesterol levels in the blood. Pyridoxine also keeps the blood platelets from sticking to each other.

Medicine has also found a link between a deficiency in vitamin B6 and carpal tunnel syndrome. Even a small deficiency is enough to increase the susceptibility to the condition.

Many doctors will also suggest vitamin B6 in the relief of premenstrual syndrome symptoms. The studies on the effect of vitamin B6 on these symptoms show that women who take the supplement will have a reduction in the amount of breast pain, bloating, and acne flare-ups that occur in the week before a woman’s menstrual cycle begins.

Studies have also shown that people who suffer from asthma and other breathing disorders can benefit from taking vitamin B6 supplements. The supplement has been shown to reduce the severity of asthma attacks as well as their frequency. The drug theophylline that is often used to treat breathing difficulties can cause interference in the metabolism of vitamin B6. By supplementing with the vitamin while taking the drug, the side effects of anxiety, nausea and headaches can be diminished.

Vitamin B6 is a part of a healthy diet and can provide relief for a number of conditions. Supplementing your diet with vitamin B6 can have some tremendous benefits to your health as both a preventative medicine for heart disease and relief from a number of ailments that many suffer from. Foods that are high in protein are great sources of pyridoxine which include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk and dairy and nuts. Whole grains are also good sources of this important nutrient. While fruits and vegetables are not typically high in vitamin B6 some sources include avocado, mangos, bananas, and potatoes.

Last updated on Dec 24th, 2009 and filed under Vitamins and Minerals. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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