Vitamin B6

Common Name	Vitamin B6
Nature	Water-soluble vitamin
Scientific Name	Pyridoxine
Source	Found in foods such as poultry, fish, chickpeas, potatoes, bananas, and fortified cereals.
Part Used	Nutritional vitamin compound

Benefits
- Energy Metabolism: Vitamin B6 is involved in more than 100 enzyme reactions, including those involved in protein, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, helping support normal energy-yielding processes in the body. (1)
- Nervous System Support: Vitamin B6 contributes to normal nervous-system function and is involved in the production of neurotransmitters that support communication between nerve cells. (2)
- Immune Function: Vitamin B6 plays a role in immune function, including processes involved in the development and activity of immune cells. (3)
- Red Blood Cell Formation: Vitamin B6 is involved in haemoglobin formation, helping support the normal production of red blood cells and oxygen transport throughout the body. (4)
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is an essential water-soluble vitamin that plays a key role in protein, carbohydrate and fat metabolism. It functions primarily as a coenzyme in numerous enzymatic reactions involved in amino acid metabolism, neurotransmitter synthesis and normal cellular processes.
Beyond its role in metabolism, vitamin B6 supports normal nervous-system function and contributes to the formation of neurotransmitters involved in communication between nerve cells. It also plays an important role in normal immune function and haemoglobin formation. Through these functions, vitamin B6 helps support normal energy metabolism, nervous-system function, immune health and red blood cell formation. (4)

Energy Metabolism and Enzymatic Function

Study Design: Clinical and biochemical research evaluating the role of vitamin B6 as a coenzyme in metabolic pathways.

Findings: Vitamin B6, particularly its active form pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP), functions as a cofactor in more than 100 enzymatic reactions involved in amino acid, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, supporting normal metabolic function. (5)

Nervous System and Neurotransmitter Function

Study Design: Biochemical and clinical research examining vitamin B6 involvement in neurotransmitter synthesis and neurological function.

Findings: Vitamin B6 is required for the synthesis of several neurotransmitters and plays an important role in normal nervous-system function and neuronal signalling. (6)

Immune Function

Study Design: Human and experimental studies evaluating the relationship between vitamin B6 status and immune response.

Findings: Research indicates that vitamin B6 is important for immune competence, with deficiency associated with alterations in lymphocyte function and other immune responses. Adequate vitamin B6 status supports normal immune-system activity. (7)

Country/region

Vitamin B6

Benefits

Vitamin B6

Energy Metabolism and Enzymatic Function

Nervous System and Neurotransmitter Function

Immune Function

Vitamin B6 – Health Professional Fact Sheet, National Institutes of Health

Vitamin B6 – Health Professional Fact Sheet, National Institutes of Health

Vitamin B6 – Health Professional Fact Sheet, National Institutes of Health

Vitamin B6 – MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

Vitamin B6 Deficiency – PubMed

Vitamin B6 in Health and Disease – PubMed

Vitamin B6 and immune competence – PubMed