6 Health Benefits of Vitamin B6

You’re probably familiar with B vitamins as a group and how each nutrient works to positively impact your overall health. But have you taken a closer look at what exactly each B vitamin offers?

You may have encountered and wondered what vitamin B6 is. Also known as pyridoxine, it is a water-soluble vitamin¹ that is one of the eight B vitamins. Vitamin B6 plays many roles, including helping your body create its DNA, increasing hemoglobin production (responsible for bringing oxygen to other parts of the body), and promoting neurotransmitter formation (functions as “messengers'' that deliver signals from nerve cells to other cells).²

But what does vitamin B6 do, and why should you include it in your health arsenal? Take some time to discover what vitamin B6 is good for with this read! Plus, learn how much of it you would need daily as an adult and where you can get this nutrient.

#1: Helps Maintain Nervous System Health

Vitamin B6, when combined with vitamins B1 and B12, is vital in ensuring that the body’s nerves remain healthy.³ One study highlighted that vitamin B6 works as a coenzyme that aids with synthesis of myelin and neurotransmitters that play major roles in nerves. Moreover, a deficiency of this particular vitamin has been linked to problems related to central and peripheral nervous system.⁴

#2: Aids in Alleviating Nausea in Pregnant Women

Nausea and vomiting usually affect a lot of pregnant women. While these are common occurrences, they can be very uncomfortable for the mom-to-be. Vitamin B6 or pyridoxine has been used to effectively alleviate nausea in pregnant women.⁵

#3: Helps Decrease Risk for Iron Deficiency Anemia

A deficiency in this B vitamin has been linked to cases of nutritional anemia in pregnant women. Unfortunately, this can lead to deficiencies in other nutrients like iron and can cause iron deficiency anemia – an issue that can harm both the mother and the baby. Researchers revealed that vitamin B6, when combined with iron, may help raise hemoglobin levels in pregnant women.

The study authors also shed light on the fact that anemic pregnant women who were unresponsive to iron supplements also exhibited a vitamin B6 deficiency.⁶ This highlights the link between these two nutrients and the importance of supplementing with them during a pregnancy.

#4: Helps Alleviate Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) Symptoms

Mood swings, appetite changes, headache, fatigue, joint and muscle pain — these are just some of the many signs of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) that happen monthly to women who are menstruating.⁷ These symptoms can cause a lot of discomfort too, and this is where vitamin B6 can come in and help.

In a study, university students who took vitamin B6 supplements experienced less severe PMS symptoms than those who took placebo.⁸

#5: Helps Regulate Mood

As more people recognize the incidence and impact of mental health issues, researchers are also actively looking into potential ways to alleviate them. In one 2022 study, vitamin B6 supplements helped lower levels of self-reported anxiety in young adults dealing with mental health problems and raised “inhibitory GABAergic neural influences.” Supplements containing the mentioned nutrient were also found to help pave a “trend” for reduced depression.⁹

How Much Vitamin B6 Do Filipino Adults Need?

Average daily requirements for Filipino adults vary depending on age. The Philippine Dietary Reference Intakes, released by the Department of Science and Technology, recommend that Filipinos get this much vitamin B6:¹⁰

• Male and female adults 19 to 49 years old: 1.3 mg
• Female adults 50 years old and above: 1.6 mg
• Male adults 50 years old and above: 1.7 mg

If you are pregnant, add 0.6 mg more vitamin B6 to your daily intake. For those who are lactating or breastfeeding, they are advised to add 0.7 mg more to their daily vitamin B6 intake.

Where Can You Get Vitamin B6?

The most ideal source of vitamin B6 would definitely be a healthy and nutritious diet. Some notable food sources of vitamin B6 include:¹,¹¹

• Poultry
• Beef liver
• Fish like tuna and salmon
• Vegetables like dark leafy greens
• Fruits like bananas, papayas, oranges, and cantaloupe
• Chickpeas
• Fortified cereals

If you are still unable to meet your daily vitamin B6 requirements, you can ask your doctor about vitamin B6 supplements that can come in capsules, tablets, or liquids.¹

Get Your Daily Dose With the Help of This Supplement

The benefits linked to Vitamin B6 are definitely promising and Pharex-citing! If you need an additional vitamin B6 boost, go for Pharex® B-Complex! This supplement is formulated with three kinds of B vitamins: vitamin B1 (100 mg), vitamin B6 (5 mg), and vitamin B12 (50 mcg).

Together with proper diet and exercise, Pharex® B-Complex can help improve health and body function by making sure your body receives sufficient amounts of B vitamins daily. Plus, a B vitamin supplement like this may also help prevent and lower the risk of vitamin B deficiencies that may lead to negative effects on your health.

Take one (1) to two (2) tablets of Pharex® B-Complex daily or as prescribed by your doctor.

Pharex® B-Complex is available in leading drugstores and pharmacies nationwide and online via Lazada and Shopee at a suggested retail price (SRP) of Php5.45.

If symptoms persist, consult your doctor.