The dietary mineral iron and several of the B vitamins, including vitamin B6, are essential to red blood cell formation. When you don't get enough of these nutrients from foods for some time, you may develop a condition called anemia, which means having a low red blood cell count. Both iron-deficiency and vitamin B--deficiency anemia have similar symptoms, but distinct causes. Your intake of B6, for instance, won't change your levels of iron. Your food choices, however, might deprive you of both nutrients at the same time.
Adequate Intakes
If you eat a varied diet that encompasses all the food groups, you should satisfy your needs for iron, vitamin B6 and the protein and additional B vitamins that assist in blood cell growth. The Food and Drug Administration considers 18 mg of iron and 20 mg of vitamin B6 adequate for adults. When your tastes change or you stop eating animal-based foods, your intake of these dietary elements may drop. If you are taking a vitamin B6 supplement at the time and receive a diagnosis of iron deficiency, it might seem as though the vitamin supplement caused the mineral shortage. Other possible causes for lack of iron besides eating fewer iron-rich foods include blood loss and malabsorption prompted by disease or by taking too many calcium-enriched antacids.
Dietary Sources
Many foods provide both iron and vitamin B6, such as spinach, tomatoes, legumes, meats and fish. Most brands of ready-to-eat breakfast cereal are fortified with both nutrients as well as the other B vitamins needed to make red blood cells. If you eat only some or none of these foods and take only a vitamin B6 supplement, your vitamin level may be normal while your iron level falls.
Nutritional Imbalance
Because both iron and B6 are required to form hemoglobin, the oxygen carrier in blood, deficiency of one or the other will similarly affect your blood count. With fewer blood cells circulating, less oxygen travels to cells for metabolic use, and the symptoms of anemia may arise. If you are low on iron or vitamin B6, you may become pale, get cold hands and feet, feel tired and weak or have trouble breathing.
Significance
Anemia caused by long-term low intakes of iron, B6 and other B vitamins can damage your heart and other organs. Chronic anemia may create oxygen deprivation or heartbeat arrhythmias that can lead to heart and other organ failures. If your deficiency is caused by malnutrition, you may be able to reverse your condition by improving your diet before complications develop.
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