Vitamin B-6 is a type of water-soluble vitamin that you need get through your diet in order to maximize its effects. Vitamin B-6 is involved with many important roles in the body, including protein metabolism and the production of red blood cells. According to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, the recommended daily intake of vitamin B-6 is 1.3 mg for women age 19 to 50, and 1.9 mg for women of any age who are pregnant. Some women develop uterine fibroids that can cause pain and bleeding. Symptoms of fibroids may become more pronounced during pregnancy, but the condition can be affected by vitamin B-6.
Fibroids
A fibroid is a type of growth that develops in the uterus. It is typically considered to be benign, meaning it is not cancerous tissue. Fibroids occur when the tissue in the uterus begins to grow too much, causing pain or pressure in the pelvis, irregular menstrual periods, bloating and constipation. For some women, fibroids can cause infertility or miscarriage, although some women are not even aware that they have them. According to NYU Langone Medical Center, approximately 20 to 30 percent of pre-menopausal women have fibroids, with most developing symptoms beginning in their late 30s.
Estrogen Dominance
Fibroids can begin to grow as the result of estrogen dominance. Under normal circumstances, estrogen and progesterone, two female hormones responsible for developing and maintaining the lining of the uterus, along with other functions, offset each other to avoid negative side effects of too much of one hormone over the other. If progesterone levels become low, estrogen dominance may occur. One of the responsibilities of estrogen is to expand the lining of the uterus. If estrogen dominance occurs, the progesterone may not be able to stop the estrogen from adding to the uterine lining, potentially leading to fibroids. Excessive estrogen in the body can cause a deficiency in B vitamins. Additionally, vitamin B-6 is essential for counterbalancing excess amounts of estrogen in the liver. Inadequate B-6 could lead to estrogen dominance, resulting in fibroids.
Hemoglobin
Vitamin B-6 is also used to make hemoglobin in the body, a protein attached to red blood cells that is responsible for transporting oxygen molecules. The vitamin is also necessary for improving oxygen connections with hemoglobin before transport. Fibroids need oxygen for growth and reducing the amount of oxygen available to them can eventually eliminate them. Although there is a correlation between vitamin B-6 and oxygen transport needed for fibroids, reducing vitamin B-6 intake to eliminate fibroids will succeed in reducing oxygen intake for other body tissues, as the process is not selective just for fibroids.
Health and Infection
Vitamin B-6 is involved with supporting the immune system, and low levels of the vitamin may result in a greater susceptibility to some infections. Some types of fibroid treatments involve surgical removal of uterine fibroids. Regardless of specific treatment, eating a balanced diet that contains plenty of vitamin B-6 helps prevent infection. You can get vitamin B-6 from bananas, potatoes, spinach, peanut butter and sunflower seeds. One 3-oz. serving of rainbow trout contains 0.29 mg of vitamin B-6, which is 15 percent of the daily value, while one medium banana contains 0.68 mg of vitamin B-6, or 34 percent of the daily value.
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