Contents
Pyridoxine, pyridoxamine, pyridoxal, adermine
Vitamin B6 is found in both animal and vegetable products, therefore, with a conventional mixed diet, the need for this vitamin is almost completely satisfied.
It is also synthesized by the intestinal microflora.
Vitamin B6 rich foods
Indicated approximate availability in 100 g of product
Daily requirement of vitamin B6
The body’s need for pyridoxine is 2 mg per day.
The need for vitamin B6 increases with:
- going in for sports, physical work;
- in cold air;
- pregnancy and lactation;
- neuro-psychological stress;
- work with radioactive substances and pesticides;
- high intake of protein from food
Digestibility
Vitamin B6 is well absorbed by the body, and its excess is excreted in the urine, but if there is not enough (Mg), the absorption of vitamin B6 is noticeably impaired.
Useful properties and its effect on the body
Vitamin B6 is involved in the exchange of amino acids and proteins, in the production of hormones and hemoglobin in erythrocytes. Pyridoxine is required for energy from proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
Vitamin B6 participates in the construction of enzymes that ensure the normal functioning of more than 60 different enzymatic systems, improves the absorption of unsaturated fatty acids.
Pyridoxine is necessary for the normal functioning of the central nervous system, helps to get rid of night muscle cramps, calf muscle cramps, and numbness in the hands. It is also needed for the normal synthesis of nucleic acids, which prevent aging of the body and to maintain immunity.
Interaction with other essential elements
Pyridoxine is essential for the normal absorption of vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) and for the formation of magnesium compounds (Mg) in the body.
Lack and excess of vitamin
Signs of Vitamin B6 Deficiency
- irritability, lethargy, drowsiness;
- loss of appetite, nausea;
- dry, uneven skin above the eyebrows, around the eyes, on the neck, in the area of the nasolabial fold and scalp;
- vertical cracks in the lips (especially in the center of the lower lip);
- cracks and sores in the corners of the mouth.
Pregnant women have:
- nausea, persistent vomiting;
- loss of appetite;
- insomnia, irritability;
- dry dermatitis with itchy skin;
- inflammatory changes in the mouth and tongue.
Infants are characterized by:
- seizures resembling epilepsy;
- growth retardation;
- increased excitability;
- gastrointestinal disorders.
Signs of an excess of Vitamin B6
An excess of pyridoxine can only be with long-term administration of large doses (about 100 mg) and is manifested by numbness and loss of sensitivity along the nerve trunks on the arms and legs.
Factors affecting the content of Vitamin B6 in foods
Vitamin B6 is lost during heat treatment (on average 20-35%). When making flour, up to 80% of pyridoxine is lost. But during freezing and storage in a frozen state, its losses are insignificant.
Why Vitamin B6 Deficiency Occurs
Lack of vitamin B6 in the body can occur with intestinal infectious diseases, liver diseases, radiation sickness.
Also, a lack of vitamin B6 occurs when taking medications that suppress the formation and metabolism of pyridoxine in the body: antibiotics, sulfonamides, contraceptives and anti-tuberculosis drugs.