Vitamin B6 benefits:
- improved sexual performance
- stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies which are needed to fight off diseases, especially in older people who tend to have impaired immune systems
- helps the body break down fats and carbohydrates (starch and sugar) to produce energy
- helps regulate blood sugar (glucose) levels within a normal range
- needed for the metabolism of protein from food
- essential for new cell formation and growth
- promotes healthy skin and mucous membranes that act as an effective barrier against bacteria and viruses
- needed to make red blood cells and the hemoglobin that carries oxygen to tissues
- important for nerve and brain function, as it is needed for production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and norepinephrine, and formation of the myelin sheath around nerves
- preliminary evidence suggests that pyridoxine’s role in serotonin production helps it to treat mental depression as well
- helps the body convert the amino acid tryptophan to vitamin B3 (niacin)
- has been shown to work with vitamins B12 and B9 (folic acid) to reduce the risk of heart disease by inhibiting formation of homocysteine, a toxic chemical that attacks heart muscles and allows deposition of cholesterol around the heart and arteries and is associated with atherosclerosis
- together with other herbs may reduce PMS (premenstrual syndrome) symptoms like breast tenderness or pain and PMS related anxiety or depression.
- helps prevent kidney stones, as pyridoxine (alone or with magnesium) helps lower urinary oxalate levels that can lead to a type of kidney stone formation in women
- may be useful in treating treat carpal tunnel syndrome
