What goes on while we're asleep is still mysterious, even to top neuroscientists, and the study of dreams and their meaning is often left to new-age practitioners. What we do know is that certain chemicals make us sleepy, or affect our quality of sleep and that our brains and bodies create new cells and enzymes while we sleep. One topic discussed in online dream-related communities is the role B vitamins -- specifically B6 -- play in our dreaming mind. Many claim that taking B6 before bed causes wildly vivid dreams.
An Overview of B6
Vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, is a water-soluble vitamin required for many necessary functions in the nervous system, including making the neurotransmitter serotonin from the amino acid tryptophan. It also helps create norenephrine and dopamine and contributes to red blood cell formation and hormone function. Major sources of Vitamin B6 are cereal grains, cheese, eggs, fish, liver, potatoes, carrots, spinach, peas, legumes and flour. Deficiency is common in people with uremia, alcoholism, congestive heart failure, cirrhosis and hyperthyroidism.
Sharing the Phenomenon
Much of the buzz surrounding B6 aiding in dream recall and in the production of very vivid dreams is based on anecdotal evidence. Many turn to dream-related blogs, forums and websites to share their own B6 story, or to look for answers on how to create more colorful, dynamic dreams. The website B6Dreams.com was created in response to this trend; the site contains an extensive frequently asked questions page. A blogger at Dreaming Life cataloged his five-day experiment of taking elevated doses of the vitamin--even sharing his intense dreams. He writes in his intro, "[My dreams] became aggressive, odd, vivid, often mean-spirited and disturbing."
B6 and Dreaming: A Scientific Study
Little scientific evidence supports the claim that vitamin B6 affects dreams. In fact, a 2002 study at City College of New York is perhaps the sole research. To examine the claims that Vitamin B6 increases vividness of dreams and enhances dream recall ability, researchers conducted a placebo, double-blind study. Twelve college students were given either a placebo or various doses of B6 before bed for five consecutive days. Reports showed that students who had 250 mg of B6 had a higher rate of dream recall. This was based on a "dream saliency score" which measured the vividness, bizarreness, color and emotionality of the dreams. Researchers suggest that the B6 may increase cortical arousal during REM sleep and hypothesize that this is caused by the B6 converts tryptophan to serotonin.
B6 and Memory
It is often said that everyone dreams, but not everyone can remember their dreams. According to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, an observational study showed that B6 supplements were associated with improved memory. This improved cognitive function could play a role in the dream recall results found in the City College study.
B6 Safety
If you are interested in dreams, you may be considering taking higher doses of B6 to experiment with dream vividness and recall. It is important to know that taking B6 supplements in excess of 1,000 mg/day can cause adverse effects. Although it is a water-soluble vitamin, overdosing could result in numb arms and legs, difficultly walking and pain in the extremities. The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine recommends setting a tolerable intake level at 100 mg/day for adults 19 years or older.
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