Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
Applications:
Anxiety, carpal tunnel, depression, epilepsy, headaches, kidney disease, anemia, mental illness, hypoglycemia, epilepsy, arthritis, asthma, insomnia, Parkinson's disease, pregnancy, lactation, cataracts, eczema, high cholesterol, immune deficiency.
Scientific Data:
A vitamin B6 deficiency has been profoundly linked to a number of mental disorders, including clinical depression and schizophrenia.15 Pyridoxine therapy has been successfully used to treat childhood epilepsy, for enhanced cardiovascular health, and to inhibit melanoma in test animals.Vitamin B6 depletion has also been connected to immune deficiency, kidney diseases, asthma, sickle cell anemia and diabetes.
Depleting Agents:
Antidepressant drugs, alcohol, oral contraceptives, estrogen, most drugs, stress.
Sources:
Bananas, yeast, seeds, nuts, whole grains, potatoes, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, legumes.
Interactions:
Magnesium and riboflavin play an integral role in converting this vitamin to a chemical form useable in the human body. In addition, vitamin B6 may potentiate the concentration of magnesium and zinc.
Recommendations:
Look for pyridoxine hydrochloride or pyridoxal-5-phosphate. Injections of this vitamin are also available if liver disease is present.