Vitamin
B6 and Overall Health
Article Summary:
Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin that exists in three major
chemical forms: pyridoxine, pyridoxal, and pyridoxamine. It performs
a wide variety of functions in your body and is essential for your
good health. For example, vitamin B6 is needed for more than 100
enzymes involved in protein metabolism. It is also essential for
red blood cell metabolism. The nervous and immune systems need vitamin
B6 to function efficiently, and it is also needed for the conversion
of tryptophan (an amino acid) to niacin (a vitamin).
Hemoglobin within red blood cells carries oxygen to tissues. Your
body needs vitamin B6 to make hemoglobin. Vitamin B6 also helps
increase the amount of oxygen carried by hemoglobin. A vitamin B6
deficiency can result in a form of anemia that is similar to iron
deficiency anemia.
An immune response is a broad term that describes a variety of biochemical
changes that occur in an effort to fight off infections.
|
Calories,
protein, vitamins, and minerals are important to your immune defenses
because they promote the growth of white blood cells that directly
fight infections. Vitamin B6, through its involvement in protein
metabolism and cellular growth, is important to the immune system.
It helps maintain the health of lymphoid organs (thymus, spleen,
and lymph nodes) that make your white blood cells. Animal studies
show that a vitamin B6 deficiency can decrease your antibody production
and suppress your immune response.
Vitamin B6 also helps maintain your blood glucose (sugar) within
a normal range. When caloric intake is low your body needs vitamin
B6 to help convert stored carbohydrate or other nutrients to glucose
to maintain normal blood sugar levels.
Institution:
Office of Dietary Supplements, Warren G. Magnusen Clinical Center
Country of Publication:
United States
Source:
National Institutes of Health |
Return to the "Menopause Articles page. " |
