Like all B complex vitamins, vitamin B6 comes with a lot of benefits for the body! Vitamin B6, or pyridoxine, helps the central nervous system and metabolism. More precisely, this vitamin transforms food into energy and contributes to the creation of neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine.

Vitamin B6 is one of the eight vitamins in the B complex. This group of vitamins is essential for the correct functioning of cells. They support metabolism, maintaining healthy cells and creating blood cells.

Pyridoxine is a water-soluble vitamin, which means that it dissolves in water. The body does not store this vitamin and releases the excess in the urine. That's why every person must get enough vitamin B6 every day.


 

Vitamin B6 - benefits

 

• Vitamin B6 benefits for people suffering from depression

Just like vitamin B12, vitamin B6 helps improve mood. This is partly because this vitamin is essential for creating neurotransmitters that regulate emotions, such as dopamine, serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).

Pyridoxine can also help reduce high blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine. A too high level of homocysteine can cause depression.

However, B6 cannot be used to directly prevent or treat depression.
 

• Vitamin B6 benefits for brain health

Pyridoxine can help improve brain function and prevent Alzheimer's disease.

On the one hand, B6 can lower high homocysteine levels in the blood. Homocysteine at an abnormally high level can increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

According to a study of 156 adults who had high levels of homocysteine and mild cognitive impairment, taking high doses of B6, B12 and folate (B9) reduced homocysteine levels and residues in some brain regions that are vulnerable to Alzheimer's.


It can facilitate the production of hemoglobin, thus preventing and treating anemia

Pyridoxine can be useful in preventing and treating anemia caused by deficiency due to its role in hemoglobin production. Hemoglobin is the protein that supplies cells with oxygen. If the hemoglobin is at a low level, the cells do not receive enough oxygen. As a result, the affected person may end up suffering from anemia and may feel weak or tired.

According to studies, a low level of B6 can cause anemia, especially in pregnant women and those of childbearing age. However, experts believe that B6 deficiency is rare in most healthy adults. Therefore, research on the use of B6 to treat anemia is limited.
 

• Vitamin B6 benefits for treating PMS symptoms

Absolutely important news for women: vitamin B6 can treat the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, such as anxiety, depression and irritability. According to the researchers, the explanation could be that this vitamin helps create neurotransmitters that improve mood.
 

• Vitamin B6 benefits for treating nausea during pregnancy

For decades, pyridoxine has been used to treat nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Researchers are not entirely sure why vitamin B6 annihilates morning sickness, but it may be because an adequate level of B6 plays several vital roles in maintaining a healthy pregnancy.
 

• Pyridoxine can prevent clogging of the arteries and reduce the risk of heart disease

Vitamin B6 can prevent clogging of the arteries, thus reducing the risk of heart disease to a minimum.

Research suggests that people with low blood levels of vitamin B6 have almost double the risk of heart disease compared to those with higher levels of B6. The probable reason could be that B6 has an important role in lowering the elevated level of homocysteine associated with several disease processes, including cardiovascular diseases.
 

• Vitamin B6 benefits for cancer prevention

Another important aspect is that B6 can reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer. Doctors do not know exactly why B6 can help prevent cancer, but they suspect it is related to its ability to fight inflammation that can contribute to the development of cancer and other chronic diseases.
 

• Vitamin B6 benefits eye health and can prevent eye diseases

Pyridoxine can help prevent eye diseases, especially age-related macular degeneration, a vision problem that affects older adults. Studies have linked high levels of homocysteine in the blood to an increased risk of age-related macular degeneration.

Because B6 helps to reduce the increased levels of homocysteine in the blood, the risk of this disease can be reduced by obtaining a sufficient amount of B6.
 

• It can help treat the inflammation that causes rheumatoid arthritis

Vitamin B6 can help reduce symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis. The high levels of inflammation in the body that are caused by rheumatoid arthritis can cause low levels of vitamin B6.

However, it is not known exactly if B6 supplements reduce inflammation in people with this condition.
 

• Protects against the effects of air pollution

A study published in 2017 showed that vitamin B6 can help protect people against the harmful effects of air pollution by reducing the impact of pollution on the epigenome. Following this discovery, the researchers hope that they can take new measures to prevent epigenetic changes that can occur as a result of exposure to polluted air.

The World Health Organization reported that, in 2016, 91% of the world's population lived in areas where official air quality requirements were not met.