Vitamin B exists in eight forms, one of them being vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 is also known as pyridoxine. The main function of vitamin B is to change carbohydrates present in food items into glucose, which in turn releases energy when it is burnt. Along with this, vitamin B is used to digest fats and proteins. This promotes healthy hair, eyes, liver, and skin.
It is popularly believed that vitamin B6 helps the human body make chemicals called neurotransmitters that send signals from one nerve cell to another. Vitamin B6 helps the body to secrete norepinephrine and melatonin. Norepinephrine affects the mood and melatonin regulates the body clock and serotonin hormones. In addition, vitamin B6 helps in the normal development of the brain and allows it to function properly.
Vitamin B6 together with vitamin B12, and B9, that is, folic acid, helps to dominate the homocysteine levels in the blood and imparts natural help to the human body. In addition, vitamin B6 helps in the absorption of vitamin B12. Vitamin B6 also helps in the production of red and white blood cells.
A lack of vitamin B6 may cause weakness, irritation, difficulty concentrating, depression, memory loss for short time periods, and nervousness. Another condition that vitamin B6 can precipitate is the development of heart disease.
There exists an inverse relationship between vitamin B6 intake and the probability of suffering from a heart disease. Low consumption of vitamin B6 is likely to add to the chances of the development of a heart disease.
Another condition that lack of vitamin B6 can lead to is nausea. Therefore, to function effectively and help the human body develop resistance against vomiting and nausea, correct amounts of vitamin B6 should be consumed. A great advantage of vitamin B6 is that it helps in prevention of depression by augmenting serotonin production. It is also believed that vitamin B6 intake can help in alleviating symptoms of the premenstrual syndrome.
Optimum consumption of vitamin B6 might also help in the prevention of parkinson's disease. Therefore, in order to prevent the above-mentioned adverse conditions, one must consume adequate amounts of vitamin B6. Foods that contain vitamin B6 include milk, cheese, spinach, bran, salmon, turkey, chicken, sunflower seeds, whole-grain flour, wheat germ, beans, and lentils. Vitamin B6 supplements are also available in the form of tablets, lozenges and soft gels. However, do consult your physician before you start on a supplement.
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