Vitamin B6, also known as Pyridoxine, is a real vitamin powerhouse. Dr. Ellis, of Mount Pleasant, Texas, has studied the vitamin for over 30 years, and rates its importance to the body as highly as that of water or oxygen.
Pyridoxine, says Ellis, is vital to giving us sufficient energy and also plays a role in many nerve disorders and psychological problems and psychiatric illnesses.
Without Vitamin B6, the red cells in our blood would not regenerate and it is vital to the immune system. Vitamin B6 is particularly useful in staving off cancer of the liver.
Our memory relies on neurotransmitters which cannot be produced without Vitamin B6. Glucose intolerance too can be limited with Vitamin B6. As if all that weren’t enough, Dr. Ellis’ findings suggest Vitamin B6 relieves asthma by lowering histamine levels in the body. Arteriosclerosis is caused by a blood-borne chemical and B6 lowers levels of this chemical.
Its action on histamine may help with allergies other than asthma. It can alleviate the symptoms of PMS by acting as a diuretic. If all this weren’t enough, Vitamin B6 is also credited with a helpful role in skin health, morning sickness and acne.
Who Might Need More Vitamin B6
It would seem that almost all of us can benefit from more Vitamin B6. Anyone who suffers from stress, for example, as well as people exposed to extra high levels of chemicals in their environment. Smokers can benefit too. Anyone who suffers from PMS; women going through the menopause and the elderly are all on the list of those who might benefit from extra levels of Vitamin B6.
The Symptoms of a Deficiency of Pyridoxine
As we have seen, almost anyone can benefit from extra Vitamin B6, and the symptoms of a deficiency can be serious. Medical evidence has linked Pyridoxine deficiency with lethargy, anemia and depression. Tingling and numbness in the joints and Carpal tunnel syndrome can show that a patient is deficient in Vitamin B6. PMS, kidney stones and insomnia have also been suggested as symptoms of Vitamin B6.
Nutritional Sources of Vitamin B6, and Should You Supplement?
Vitamin B6 can be found in a whole host of foods, many of which we naturally consider as “healthy”: for example yeast extract; bananas; poultry; whole grains, including brown rice and whole wheat; organ meat such as liver; nuts and legumes (peanuts are not true nuts, but legumes, like beans); and avocados.
If you think you need to take a supplement to support your intake of Vitamin B6, then the best advice is to take a food-based supplement of Vitamin B Complex: trying to take B vitamins can be difficult to balance correctly and can even damage health.
Despite all these advantages, it is possible to take too much Vitamin B6: symptoms are similar to some of the nerve damage symptoms associated with deficiency. If you intend to take high doses of any vitamin you should consult your doctor first and it is almost always advisable to try and increase your intake naturally in what you eat first.
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