Betty is a Registered Dietitian who earned her B.S. degree in Food and Nutrition from Marymount College of Fordham University and her M.S. degree in Clinical Nutrition from New York University. She is the Co-Director and Director of nutrition for the New York Obesity Research Center Weight Loss Program.
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Vitamin B6 is one of the water-soluble B vitamins. It comes in three forms: pyridoxine, pyridoxal, and pyridoxamine. It serves numerous functions in your body,
including
assisting in the proper functioning of the nervous system,
assisting in the proper functioning of the immune system,
protein metabolism, and
synthesis of serotonin and norepinephrine.
How much vitamin B6 do I need to consume?
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin B6 is:
Age
Males
Females
Pregnancy
Lactation
1 to 3 yrs
0.5 mg
0.5 mg
N/A
N/A
4 to 8 yrs
0.6 mg
0.6 mg
N/A
N/A
9 to 13 yrs
1.0 mg
1.0 mg
N/A
N/A
14 to 18 yrs
1.3 mg
1.2 mg
1.9 mg
2.0 mg
19 to 50 yrs
1.3 mg
1.3 mg
1.9 mg
2.0 mg
51+ yrs
1.7 mg
1.5 mg
N/A
N/A
There is insufficient information to establish an RDA for vitamin B6 for infants. In this case, an Adequate Intake (AI) has been established:
Age
Males and Females
0 to 6 months
0.1 mg/day
7 to 12 months
0.3 mg/day
What are sources of vitamin B6?
Vitamin B6 is found naturally in many foods and can also be found in foods that are fortified with it:
Food
Amount
Vitamin B6
Avocado, raw, California
1 oz
0.08 mg
Banana
1 medium
0.43 mg
Cereal, 100% fortified
¾ cup
2 mg
Chicken breast, meat only
3 oz
0.52 mg
Garbanzo beans
½ cup
0.51 mg
Lima beans, frozen, cooked
½ cup
0.10 mg
Oatmeal, instant, fortified
1 packet
0.42 mg
Peanut butter, smooth
1 tablespoon
0.09 mg
Pistachio nuts, dry roasted
1 oz (47 nuts)
0.36 mg
Pork loin, cooked
3 oz
0.42 mg
Potato, with skin
1 medium
0.47 mg
Roast beef, eye of round, cooked
3 oz
0.42 mg
Salmon, Sockeye, cooked
3 oz
0.19 mg
Soybeans, green
½ cup
0.05 mg
Spinach, frozen, cooked
½ cup
0.14 mg
Sunflower seeds, kernels
1 oz
0.23 mg
Tomato juice, canned
8 oz
0.27 mg
Trout, rainbow, cooked
3 oz
0.29 mg
Tuna, canned in water
3 oz
0.18 mg
Walnuts, English/Persian
1 oz
0.15 mg
Wheat bran
¼ cup
0.18 mg
Yogurt, plain, skim milk
8 oz
0.12 mg
Do I need to take a vitamin B6 supplement?
Vitamin B6 is available as pyridoxine hydrochloride in supplements. The requirements for vitamin B6 can easily be met with a well-balanced diet. When your diet is limited in variety, you may need to take a supplement. Older adults and alcoholics are people whose diets may be lacking and require supplementation. Studies have shown that supplementing with large doses of vitamin B6 can increase the immune response in critically ill patients.
What happens if I don't have enough vitamin B6?
In the early 1950s, an error in the manufacturing of baby formula lead to vitamin B6 deficiencies and caused seizures in the infants who were deficient in it. Other symptoms of vitamin B6 deficiency are depression, confusion, sores or ulcers on the mouth, ulcers at the corners of the mouth, confusion, and irritability.
Is there such a thing as too much vitamin B6?
There are no documented health problems associated with consuming vitamin B6 from food sources. There have been problems associated with excess supplementation of vitamin B6. Large doses, above 1,000 mg/day, have been shown to cause sensory neuropathy. Symptoms of this include difficulty walking and pain and numbness of the extremities. There have even been some reported cases of this with doses under 500 mg/day. Even though this is a water-soluble vitamin, limits had to be set on how much can be safely consumed.
The Tolerable Upper Limit (UL) for vitamin B6 was set for the general population:
There are many symptoms involved in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy. The first early pregnancy symptom is typically a missed period, but others include breast swelling and tenderness, nausea and sometimes vomiting, fatigue and bloating. Second trimester symptoms include backache, weight gain, itching, and possible stretch marks. Third trimester symptoms are additional weight gain, heartburn, hemorrhoids, swelling of the ankles, fingers, and face, breast tenderness, and trouble sleeping. Read more to learn about recommended procedures and tests for each stage of a healthy pregnancy.
There are many causes of scalp hair loss. This featured article covers the common ones such as patchy hair loss (alopecia areata, trichotillomania, and tinea capitis), telogen effluvium, and androgenetic alopecia (male-pattern baldness, female-pattern baldness).
Learn about osteoporosis, a condition characterized by the loss of bone density, which leads to an increased risk of bone fracture. Unless one experiences a fracture, a person may have osteoporosis for decades without knowing it. Treatment for osteoporosis may involve medications that stop bone loss and increase bone strength and bone formation, as well as quitting smoking, regular exercise, cutting back on alcohol intake, and eating a calcium- and vitamin D-rich balanced diet.
Osteopenia is a bone condition characterized by bone loss that is not as severe as in osteoporosis. Bone fracture is the typical symptom of osteopenia, though the condition may be present without symptoms. Treatment involves lifestyle modifications (quitting smoking, not drinking in excess) and ensuring an adequate intake of vitamin D and calcium.
Hypercalcemia is a condition in which calcium levels in the blood are elevated. Hypercalcemia is associated with other conditions such as hyperparathyroidism, lung cancer, breast cancer, kidney failure, and elevated levels of vitamin D. Symptoms of hypercalcemia include constipation, nausea, abdominal pain, kidney stones, to name a few. Treatment depends on the cause of hypercalcemia.
Pregnancy planning is important to help prevent exposure of the mother and fetus to potentially harmful medications and substances during the early days, and throughout the pregnancy. Nutritional planning, prevention of birth defects, conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and kidney disease need careful monitoring. Gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and pregnancy induced hypertension are conditions that may arise during pregnancy. Immunizations, inherited disorders, exercise, air travel, intercourse, and birth control are important factors to consider when planning a pregnancy.
Rickets is caused by a deficiency of vitamin D, calcium or phosphate. Infants and children who are exclusively breastfed, have dark skin, and infants born to mothers who are vitamin D deficient are most at risk for developing rickets. Symptoms and signs of rickets include bone pain, delayed teeth formation, short stature, skeletal deformities (bowlegs, abnormally shaped skull), and decreased muscle strength. Treatment of rickets depends upon the cause, but the first step usually involves correcting any abnormal levels of calcium, phosphate, or vitamin D with supplements.
Vitamin D deficiency has been linked with rickets, cancer, cardiovascular disease, severe asthma in children and cognitive impairment in older adults. Causes include not ingesting enough of the vitamin over time, having limited exposure to sunlight, having dark skin, and obesity. Symptoms include bone pain and muscle weakness. Treatment for vitamin D deficiency involves obtaining more vitamin D through supplements, diet, or exposure to sunlight.
Enjoying a healthy diet helps to prevent diseases. A good diet also helps to control celiac disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure and maintain health by preventing loss of bone mass, muscle strength, and vitamin deficiencies.
Children's health is focused on the well-being of children from conception through adolescence. There are many aspects of children's health, including growth and development, illnesses, injuries, behavior, mental illness, family health and community health.
The importance of a healthy lifestyle in disease prevention is widely understood and most people know that lifestyle changes and choices can be critical to good health. Yet, few practice healthy behaviors that constitute healthy living.
Disease prevention in men includes routine screening tests that are part of basic prevention medicine. Take an active role in your own health care and discuss screening tests with your doctor early in life. Age of screening and timing of screening depends upon the condition being assessed.
Disease prevention in women includes screening tests that are a basic part of prevention medicine. All screening tests
are commonly available through your general doctor. Some specialized tests may be available elsewhere.
Setting a good example for your children when it comes to diet and exercise will help them to make healthy decisions about nutrition and fitness. Eating calcium-rich foods and performing weight-bearing exercise will help your children prevent osteoporosis and fractures later in life.
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