What You Need to Know About Vitamin B-6
Are you getting enough of the nutrients your body needs?
*What are the best food sources?
*What happens if you don't get enough?
*What happens if you get too much?
*Vitamin B-6-rich recipes on Delish
Vitamin B-6 is a water-soluble B vitamin that plays a significant role in helping make amino acids that build body cells, including muscles. Vitamin B6 also helps produce red blood cells, infection-fighting antibodies and insulin (a hormone that uses glucose, synthesizes protein and stores fat).
The following table lists the recommended intake for healthy people based on current scientific information.
What are the best food sources?
Rich food sources of vitamin B-6 include chicken, fish, whole grains, beans, fortified cereals and nuts. Some soy-based meat substitutes are fortified with vitamin B-6.
What happens if you don't get enough?
Vitamin B-6 deficiency, while rare, can occur in people consuming poor-quality diets. Symptoms typically don’t occur until the later stages of deficiency. Signs of deficiency can include skin rashes, depression, nausea, convulsions and confusion.
What happens if you get too much?
No adverse effects have been associated with high intakes of vitamin B6 from foods. Very large doses of supplemental vitamin B-6 (in the form of pyridoxine) have been associated with painful nerve damage in the extremities (such as fingers and toes).
From www.eatingwell.com with permission. © 2009 Eating Well Inc.
Order the EatingWell Diet book on Bing Shopping
advertisement
advertisement
MSN Health & Fitness does not provide medical or any other health care advice, diagnosis or treatment.
