Excessive Folic Acid Intake
Although folic acid is generally considered non-toxic, excessive intakes above 1,000 mcg per day over a period of time can lead to malaise, irritability and intestinal dysfunction. The main risk with excessive folate intake is that it can mask a vitamin B12 deficiency, so its best to consume these two vitamins within the recommended amounts.
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Health Risks Of Vitamin B6
Taking vitamin B6 as a supplement is generally considered safe, as long as youâre taking the recommended dosage. Adults shouldnât take more than 100 milligrams of a vitamin B6 supplement per day.
Taking too much can cause:
- Gastrointestinal symptoms
- A lack of muscle control or coordination
- Lesions
- Fortified cereals
- Non-citrus fruits.
For adults under 50, the recommended daily amount of vitamin B6 is 1.3 milligrams. Men over 50 should get 1.7 and women over 50 should get 1.5.
Pregnant people should aim for 1.9 milligrams of vitamin B6 per day.
Eating a healthy, varied diet will provide most people with the right amount of vitamin B6. Severe vitamin B6 deficiency is rare. But people with certain conditions, including kidney disease, malabsorption syndrome, and drinking problems might need vitamin B6 supplements.
Additionally, people keeping a strict vegetarian diet may need to take a vitamin B6 supplement or eat foods fortified with it.
Show Sources
Cleveland Clinic: â3 Reasons Why Pistachios Can Boost Your Health,â â3 Vitamins That Are Best For Boosting Your Immune System,â â5 Vitamins You Made Need More of And Where to Get Them.â
Harvard University: âVitamin B6.â
Journal of the American Dietetic Association: âDietary Sources of Nutrients Among US Adults, 1989 to 1991.â
Mayo Clinic: âVitamin B6.â
Medline Plus: âVitamin B6.â
National Institutes of Health: âVitamin B6.â
NHS UK: “B Vitamins and Folic Acid.”
Does Vitamin B6 Help You Sleep
B6 is crucial in the production of serotonin. Which as you probably know, plays a huge role in making you feel happy. But it also gets converted into melatonin, the sleep hormone and a potent antioxidant.
For years, there has been tons of anecdotal evidence suggesting that B6 levels are a key component in determining ones quality of sleep and the ability to dream.
A recent study set out to finally demonstrate the claims, and had participants ingest 240 mg of B6 before bed and the result was a significant increase in the amount of dreams participants recalled.
Furthermore, multiple studies suggest formulations including B6 are extremely effective in inducing sleep. Especially when combined with melatonin and botanicals which is why my Sweet Dreams formula includes exactly those ingredients. Warning: only try it if you want to have the best nights sleep of your life!
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Does Vitamin B6 Give You Energy
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. Also know, does vitamin b6 make you sleepy?
A vitamin B6 deficiency can leave you feeling unusually tired and sluggish. A big reason is vitamin B6’s role in helping make hemoglobin. Besides feeling tired from anemia, B6 deficiency could also potentially contribute to tiredness due to its role in making the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin .
Also, which B vitamin gives you the most energy? Vitamin B12Along with the other B vitamins, vitamin B12 helps transform the food you eat into energy that your cells can use. It also keeps your body’s nerves and blood cells healthy and helps prevent a type of anemia that can make you weak and tired .
In this regard, what does vitamin b6 do for you?
Together the complex of eight B vitamins are important for metabolism, brain and liver function, growth, and building blood cells, as well as for maintaining healthy hair, skin, and vision. Vitamin B6 also helps the body make melatonin, which is important in helping regulate your internal clock and your sleep.
What are the side effects of taking b6?
Common Side Effects of Vitamin B6
- Sleepiness.
- Tingling, burning, or prickling sensation in the hands and feet.
What Is Vitamin B6 What Does It Do
Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin that we must get through our food, as our bodies cant make on their own. There are six different forms of B6, and pyridoxal 5-phosphate is the most active form that the body can easily use for important functions.
B6 is like a busy, productive factory worker that operates in over 150 pathways in the body. Its two main roles include:
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Building and breaking down molecules, including amino acids, fats, and neurotransmitters. Notably, it helps to break down the amino acid homocysteine. Too much homocysteine can be a risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and dementia.
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Protecting us from the effects of stress. Over time, stressors like high blood sugar and inflammation can cause damage to our cells and tissues, leading to more serious conditions like diabetes.
In addition to its many tasks in the body, B6 is also busy at work in the brain.
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Is Vitamin B6 Deficiency Common
True vitamin B6 deficiency is fortunately rare. It mainly occurs in the setting of serious medical conditions. Symptoms of vitamin B6 deficiency include seizures, anemia, and seborrheic dermatitis.
However, low or suboptimal levels of vitamin B6 are more common and can leave us more vulnerable to the harmful effects of stress. There are certain groups of people who are especially at risk for suboptimal levels, including:
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Women of childbearing age : A national survey found that women of childbearing age were more likely to have low levels of B6 compared to their male counterparts. For most women, this does not appear to have any adverse health effects. However, women with PMS or morning sickness may benefit from increasing their levels of vitamin B6.
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Elderly: The national survey also showed that B6 levels decline with age. The elderly may need higher levels of B6 to handle medical complications and inflammation that occur with age.
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Those with inflammatory illnesses :One study found that inflammation can deplete B6 levels in body tissue, making it less available for other important protective functions.
People in these groups and those with other medical conditions listed below may benefit from higher levels of vitamin B6.
Vitamin B6 Food Sources And Supplements
You can get vitamin B6 from food or supplements.
The current recommended daily amount for B6 is 1.31.7 mg for adults over 19. Most healthy adults can get this amount through a balanced diet that includes vitamin-B6-rich foods like turkey, chickpeas, tuna, salmon, potatoes and bananas .
Studies that highlight the use of vitamin B6 to prevent and treat health issues focus on supplements rather than food sources.
Doses of 30250 mg of vitamin B6 per day have been used in research on PMS, morning sickness and heart disease .
These amounts of B6 are significantly higher than the RDA and sometimes combined with other B vitamins. Its difficult to assess if increasing intake of B6 from dietary sources has the same benefits for certain conditions that supplements may provide.
If youre interested in taking vitamin B6 supplements to prevent or address a health issue, speak to your healthcare provider about the best option for you. In addition, look for a supplement that has been tested for quality by a third party.
Summary Most people can get adequate vitamin B6 through their diet. In some cases, taking higher amounts of vitamin B6 from supplements under the supervision of a doctor may be beneficial.
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Protection From Air Pollution
A study published in 2017 indicated that vitamin B6 may help to protect people against the harmful effects of air pollution by reducing the impact of pollution on the epigenome .
The researchers hope their findings may lead to new measures to prevent epigenetic changes that can result from exposure to air pollution.
of people in the United States take vitamin supplements containing vitamin B6. Supplements are available in capsule or tablet form.
Most people of all ages in the U.S. consume sufficient B6 and do not require supplements.
Those who are more likely to have low levels of B6 include:
- people who drink excess alcohol
- people with obesity
- people who are pregnant or breastfeeding
There is no evidence of any adverse effect from consuming too much vitamin B6 in food.
However, evidence has shown that taking between of oral pyridoxine a day for 12 to 40 months may be linked with severe, progressive sensory neuropathy and a loss of control of body movement.
The 2015 to 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Vitamin B6 Dosage How Much Should You Take A Day
The dosage of Vitamin B6 Pyridoxine daily is determined according to the persons age. Regardless of whether nutrition with this vitamin occurs through food or supplements, it is essential that it be respected. Because only then is it possible for vitamin B6 to act in a balanced way, and to act correctly for a persons health. Check below the daily recommendation of Pyridoxine is as follows:
- Babies from 0 to 6 months of age need to consume about 0.1 mg
- Babies from 7 to 12 months of age should consume about 0.3 mg
- Babies aged 1 to 3 years need to consume 0.5 mg daily
- Children aged 4 to 8 years need to consume about 0.6 mg
- Children from 9 to 13 years old should consume around 1 mg of pyridoxine
- Men aged 14 to 50 need to consume about 1.3 mg of the vitamin daily
- Men over 51 need 1.7 mg daily
- Girls aged 14 to 18 need 1.2 mg a day for proper nutrition
- Women between 19 and 50 years old need to consume 1.3 mg daily
- Women over 51 need to consume about 1.5 mg of pyridoxine during the day for adequate nutrition
- Pregnant women need 1.9 mg of pyridoxine during the day
- Breastfeeding women should consume about 2.0 mg per day of the vitamin
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B6 For Hormonal Balance
You may have heard me talk about how important it is to support your liver in clearing estrogen from the body. Well, B6 plays a starring role in this process. Its one of the reasons why so many women are able to help their estrogen dominance with a high-quality B-vitamin supplement.
Another reason B-vitamin supplementation helps estrogen dominance symptoms is because B6 can help increase progesterone and decrease estrogen which for many women, is the sweet spot for hormonal balance. Its why I included its most bioavailable form in my Balance formulation.
B6 is also important in the function of the adrenal glands. It helps in the production of adrenal hormones. Many women who are struggling with HPA Axis Dysfunction find that focusing on getting enough B-vitamins helps to get their adrenals back up to proper functioning.
I created my Optimal Adrenal Kit with these women mind it contains the levels of B6 necessary to support the adrenals and make them happy again.
> > Suspecting your hormones and/or adrenals are not quite where they should be?
I encourage you to pick up a copy of the best-selling Beyond the Pill so I can walk you through exactly what steps to take to figure out your particular imbalance and the labs and testing I can help you use to get more details.
Drug Interactions With Vitamin B6
If you take any of the following medications, you want to be cautious with vitamin B6 supplements and talk with your doctor they could interfere with the effectiveness of your drugs:
- Anti-seizure medications Cerebyx, Dilantin, Phenytek
- Parkinsons medication Levodopa
- Chemotherapy drugs Altretamine , Cisplatin
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May Prevent Clogged Arteries And Reduce Heart Disease Risk
Vitamin B6 may prevent clogged arteries and minimize heart disease risk.
Research shows that people with low blood levels of vitamin B6 have almost double the risk of getting heart disease compared to those with higher B6 levels .
This is likely due to the role of B6 in decreasing elevated homocysteine levels associated with several disease processes, including heart disease .
One study found that rats deficient in vitamin B6 had higher blood levels of cholesterol and developed lesions that could cause artery blockages after being exposed to homocysteine, compared to rats with adequate B6 levels .
Human research also shows a beneficial effect of B6 in preventing heart disease.
A randomized controlled trial in 158 healthy adults who had siblings with heart disease divided participants into two groups, one that received 250 mg of vitamin B6 and 5 mg of folic acid every day for two years and another that received a placebo .
The group that took B6 and folic acid had lower homocysteine levels and less abnormal heart tests during exercise than the placebo group, putting them at an overall lower risk of heart disease .
Summary Vitamin B6 may help reduce high homocysteine levels that lead to narrowing of arteries. This may minimize heart disease risk.
Vitamin B6 Promotes Healthy Brain Function
An increase in homocysteine levels can also speed up cognitive decline, says Wong. This uptick can lead to an increased risk of neurological conditions such as dementia.
In addition to regulating homocysteine levels, B6 plays a role in the synthesis of important neurotransmitters chemical messengers used by the brain and nervous system. Some of the neurotransmitters B6 helps synthesize include:
- Dopamine: responsible for reward-seeking, motivation, and movement
- Serotonin: stabilizes mood, causes feelings of well-being and happiness.
- Melatonin: plays a role in regulating our circadian rhythm and ability to fall asleep
- Noradrenaline: produces the ‘fight or flight’ response in our body when we perceive danger
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Functions Of Vitamin B6
Cardiovascular functions: Vitamin B6 helps prevent anemia by assisting in the uptake of dietary iron. This nutrient also prevents coronary artery disease, and it reduces your levels of bad cholesterol.
Neurotransmitter production: Pyridoxine is necessary for the production of gamma-aminobutyric acid , dopamine, and serotonin, which means your neurological well-being will suffer if you dont consume enough of this nutrient.
Morning sickness reduction: Consuming vitamin B6 reduces the symptoms of morning sickness in pregnant women.
Converts Food Into Energy
Most of the B vitamins are involved in the process of converting food into energy. Some help metabolize carbohydrates, while others break down fat and/or protein.
While this is an essential process, it is not necessarily the case that taking a B-complex supplement will make you feel more energetic. Although your body needs B vitamins to create energy from the foods you eat, the effect is different when these vitamins are consumed in the form of dietary supplements rather than food.
B vitamins involved: B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, and B12
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May Prevent And Treat Anemia By Aiding Hemoglobin Production
Due to its role in hemoglobin production, vitamin B6 may be helpful in preventing and treating anemia caused by deficiency .
Hemoglobin is a protein that delivers oxygen to your cells. When you have low hemoglobin, your cells dont get enough oxygen. As a result, you may develop anemia and feel weak or tired.
Studies have linked low levels of vitamin B6 with anemia, especially in pregnant women and women of childbearing age .
However, vitamin B6 deficiency is thought to be rare in most healthy adults, so there is limited research on using B6 to treat anemia.
A case study in a 72-year-old woman with anemia due to low B6 found that treatment with the most active form of vitamin B6 improved symptoms .
Another study found that taking 75 mg of vitamin B6 daily during pregnancy decreased symptoms of anemia in 56 pregnant women who were unresponsive to treatment with iron .
More research is needed to understand the effectiveness of vitamin B6 in treating anemia in populations other than those at increased risk for B vitamin deficiency, such as pregnant women and older adults
Summary Not getting enough vitamin B6 can lead to low hemoglobin and anemia, so supplementing with this vitamin may prevent or treat these issues.
How Much Folate Do I Need
Adults need 200 micrograms of folate a day. A microgram is 1,000 times smaller than a milligram . The word microgram is sometimes written with the Greek symbol ü followed by the letter g .
There are no long-term stores in the body, so you need to eat folate-containing foods frequently.
Most people should be able to get the amount of folate they need by eating a varied and balanced diet.
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May Treat Inflammation Associated With Rheumatoid Arthritis
Vitamin B6 may help reduce symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis.
The high levels of inflammation in the body that result from rheumatoid arthritis may lead to low levels of vitamin B6 .
However, its unclear if supplementing with B6 in people with this condition.
A 30-day study in 36 adults with rheumatoid arthritis found that 50 mg of vitamin B6 daily corrected low blood levels of B6 but did not decrease the production of inflammatory molecules in the body .
On the other hand, a study in 43 adults with rheumatoid arthritis that took 5 mg of folic acid alone or 100 mg of vitamin B6 with 5 mg of folic acid daily showed that those who received B6 had significantly lower levels of pro-inflammatory molecules after 12 weeks .
The contradictory results of these studies may be due to the difference in vitamin B6 dose and study length.
While it appears that high doses of vitamin B6 supplements may provide anti-inflammatory benefits for people with rheumatoid arthritis over time, more research is needed.
Summary Inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis may lower blood levels of vitamin B6. Supplementing with high doses of B6 may help correct deficiencies and reduce inflammation, but more research is needed to confirm these effects.
