Vitamin B6, or pyridoxine, is a water-soluble vitamin. Excess amounts are excreted through the urine since the body can't store B6. Some people use B6 to treat bladder infection and kidney stones. B6 may also help kidney disease patients manage certain symptoms. Not enough evidence exists to rate the effectiveness of B6 for kidney diseases, explains MedlinePlus.
Effects
Vitamin B6 helps the immune system produce disease-fighting antibodies and helps form red blood cells. B6 is also necessary for the proper growth and development of the brain, skin and nerves.
The body also uses B6 to help break down proteins. Vitamin B6 may work together with B12, folic acid and iron to prevent anemia in people with kidney disease, explains the National Kidney Foundation.
Kidney Stones
B6 alone or in combination with magnesium may lower urinary oxalate levels, which can contribute to a type of kidney stones that occurs in people with a hereditary disorder called primary hyperoxaluria type 1.
Other types of kidney stones, including those associated with high urinary calcium or phosphorus do not appear to benefit from B6.
Higher pyridoxine intake has been linked to a lower risk of kidney stones in women but not in men without previous kidney stones. More research is needed to confirm these effects,
Expert Insight
A study published in September 2002 in the journal "Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation" discovered that B6 supplementation can improve peripheral polyneuropathy or PPN in patients with chronic renal or kidney failure. PPN is a term used to describe damage to the peripheral nervous system. Polyneuropathy means that a number of nerves are involved. Neuropathy or nerve damage is a common complication of patients with kidney failure.
Twenty-six patients were given 60 mg of B6 for four weeks. The results of the research, conducted at the Saitama Medical College in Japan, suggest that B6 supplementation was effective in improving PPN symptoms.
Dosing and Food Sources
B6 is generally considered safe when used appropriately at recommended doses. Recommended Dietary Allowances of vitamin B6 for men is 1.3 to 1.7 mg, and 1.3 to 1.5 mg for women. Large doses of vitamin B6 can cause neurological disorders and numbness, cautions the University of Maryland Medical Center. B6 deficiency can cause tongue and mouth sores, confusion, irritability and depression. Side effects may include acne, skin reactions, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and abdominal pain. B6 is found in meats, fish, eggs, nuts, legumes, whole grains and fortified cereals and breads.
References
- Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation; H. Okada ; September, 2002
- Mayo Clinic; Vitamin B6; April 1, 2011
- National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke; Peripheral Neuropathy Fact Sheet; Feb. 18, 2011
- National Kidney Foundation; KDOQI Clinical Practice Guidelines for Chronic Kidney Disease; 2002
- MedlinePlus; Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6); December 13, 2010
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin B6
