Vitamin B6 has many important roles in the body, including protein and fat metabolism. It also helps convert carbohydrates into usable energy and is necessary for the immune and nervous systems to function properly, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Because the body cannot produce vitamin B6, we must get it from the foods we eat, or take a supplement. Vitamin B6 supplements are sometimes called pyridoxine, one of the three chemical forms the vitamin takes in the body.
Preventing Morning Sickness
Vitamin B6 has been used for decades to help pregnant women suffering from morning sickness. A few studies have demonstrated that vitamin B6 supplements have reduced nausea and vomiting in women with morning sickness, according to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. However, because morning sickness will resolve without treatment, the results of the studies may be skewed.
Preventing Heart Disease
Because people with low levels of vitamin B6 are at increased risk of heart disease, some researchers believe taking B6 supplements could help prevent it. This is because vitamin B6 helps lower levels of a chemical called homocysteine, which is linked to heart disease. However, research has not conclusively demonstrated that vitamin B6 supplements can reduce a person's risk of heart disease, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Treating Anemia
People suffering from a particular type of anemia called hereditary sideroblastic anemia may benefit from taking vitamin B6 supplements, according to MedlinePlus. However, people with the condition should always use B6 supplements under the care of a knowledgeable health professional.
Treating Depression
Vitamin B6 supplements may be useful in treating depression as the vitamin is involved in the production of the brain chemical serotonin, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Further study is needed to see if B6 supplements have a positive effect on depression symptoms.
Boosting Immune Function
Because low levels of vitamin B6 can lower a person's immune function, B6 supplements may provide additional immune support, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. In people who have a vitamin B6 deficiency, using supplements to restore it to healthy levels may be able to increase levels of white blood cells critical to immune function.
Treating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
People suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome may benefit from vitamin B6 supplements as research suggest deficiencies are common in people with the condition. However, studies to date have been small. Larger, well-designed studies are needed before vitamin B6's full effect on carpal tunnel syndrome is understood, according to MedlinePlus.
References
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin B6
- MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Vitamin B6
- Oregon State University Linus Pauling Institute: Vitamin B6
- Harvard School of Public Health: Three of the B Vitamins: Folate, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
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