Vitamin B6 Micronutrient dictionary

Themen dieses Blogartikels:

Energiehaushalt Mikronährstoffe Vitamine

Explanation of the micronutrient
Function of the micronutrient
Uniqueness of the micronutrient
Daily requirement
Increased demand
Deficiency symptoms
Overdose
Foods with this micronutrient
Bibliography & Sources

What is vitamin b6?

This vitamin is one of the water-soluble vitamins and is also called pyridoxine. On the back of food supplements, you should make sure that vitamin B6 is contained as pyridoxal-5-phosphate. This is active in the metabolism.¹

What are the functions of vitamin b6?

Vitamin B6 is required, for example, as a cofactor in biochemical reactions in the body. Vitamin B6 is therefore important for the energy metabolism of cells and is absolutely essential for converting amino acids into each other. It also has antioxidant properties and is necessary for the nervous system and psychological functions.²

What makes vitamin b6 unique?

Only if vitamin B6 is present can amino acids be converted into each other and broken down or become neurotransmitters or products for energy metabolism. Vitamin B6 can regulate hormone activity due to its limited availability.³

How much vitamin b6 do you need per day?

The recommended vitamin B6 intake according to the German Nutrition Society (DGE) is as follows⁵:

Age	Vitamin b6/day male	Vitamin b6/day female
Infants
0 to under 4 months	0,1	0,1
4 to under 12 months	0,3	0,3
Children and teenagers
1 to under 4 years	0,6	0,6
4 to under 7 years	0,7	0,7
7 to under 10 years	1,0	1,0
10 to under 13 years	1,2	1,2
13 to under 15 years	1,5	1,4
15 to under 19 years	1,6	1,4
Adults
19 to under 25 years	1,6	1,4
25 to under 51 years	1,6	1,4
51 to under 65 years	1,6	1,4
65 years and older	1,6	1,4
Pregnant women
1st trimester		1,5
2nd & 3rd trimester		1,8
Breastfeeding		1,6

When do you need vitamin b6 most?

Vitamin B6 is particularly important in phases of concentration and mental performance. Vitamin B6, together with iron and vitamin B12, can also be a reason for the lack of red blood cells in cases of anaemia.⁴

How does an vitamin b6 deficiency develop and how does it manifest itself?

A nutritional deficiency of vitamin B6 is rare, as this micronutrient is found in many foods⁶. However, alcohol abuse and the use of certain medications can increase the risk of developing a deficiency. For example, some anti-epileptic drugs and antibiotics can cause vitamin B6 stored in the body to be broken down. A deficiency can cause scaly skin rashes, numbness in the hands and feet and confusion, among other things.⁷

What happens if there is an overdose of vitamin b6?

The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) recommends not exceeding the maximum amount of 5.4 mg of vitamin B6 per day. An overdose can lead to nerve function disorders.⁸

Which foods are particularly high in vitamin b6?

Vitamin B6 is found in offal, fatty fish, wholegrain products, nuts, seeds, bananas and potatoes.

Further blog articles on the topic

What vitamins are there and what do they do in your body?

Vitamins are vital substances for your body. You need them to maintain all your bodily functions; without them, your body would not be able to perform or survive. In this article, we will start by introducing you to these vital substances and going into more detail about the functions of the vitamins. We even need two parts for 13 vitamins. Here in Part 1 you will find everything about the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and vitamin K2.

Read article

What are the functions of water-soluble vitamins?

Having already dealt with the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K2 in Part 1, the water-soluble vitamins, which are in no way inferior to the fat-soluble vitamins, are still missing. What functions do B vitamins and of course the well-known vitamin C have? Find out more in part 2 on vitamins.

Read article