All of vitamins in B complex work on transferring the food we eat into the energy needed for living and healthy functioning of liver, skin, hair and eyes. It is also good for your nervous system and metabolic processes in your body. Pyridoxine or vitamin B6 is one of a water-soluble vitamin in this complex. You need to consume your ‘daily pyridoxine’, as your body can’t store it.

What it does in the body

Vitamin B6 is vital for your nervous system. It is essential for:

• hormone production (particularly serotonin, melatonin and  norepinephrine)
• normal development of brain and its good functioning
• proper absorption of cobalamin (vitamin B12)
• preventing of some health conditions (eczema, psoriasis, dandruff, heart diseases)
• production of red blood cells
• assisting the immune system
• balancing of sodium and potassium
• producing your body’s own B3 vitamin

It is also good for reducing menstrual pains, PMS symptoms and nausea in pregnant women and increasing of libido.

The main source of vitamin B6 is meat (poultry, pork, chicken, turkey), fish (tuna, salmon), dairy products (milk, cheese), eggs, whole grains, soybeans, oats, some fruits and vegetables (bananas, carrots). Beef liver, shrimps, peas, walnuts and brown rice are also products that obtain the vitamin.

What happens in case of a supplement deficiency

You can find vitamin B6 in lots of foods, so it’s easy to consume the needed amount of pyridoxine. But alcohol abuse, certain disorders or drugs (some antibiotics) may interrupt in vitamin B6 absorption. Also the food that contains pyridoxine may not have it any more because of food extensive processing.

• muscle weakness
• depression
• troubles with concentration
• irritability
• short-term memory loss

Some people may notice changes in their skin (acne or dermatitis), nails and hair. Such conditions as asthma, arthritis, and osteoporosis may develop when you are deficient in vitamin B6. Allergies are also possible. Kidney stones may appear. Children (and older people) may have troubles with sleeping and concentration as one of the symptom. In most cases these symptoms won’t occur as many people are mildly deficient.

What happens in case of supplement overdose

In some cases your doctor may prescribe you high doses of vitamin B6. These cases include neuropathy (nerve damage), carpal tunnel syndrome and PMS. Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin, so the excess of it will is excreted in the urine. Still, too much of pyridoxine may cause neurological damage. Too much of the vitamin B6 may cause pain in legs or its numbness. It results in difficulty walking (as you can’t feel where your legs are), disorder known as sensory neuropathy. When you stop taking pyridoxine supplements you will slowly recover.