| By now, everybody knows about the | | | | consuming a B vitamin supplement." |
| dangers of cholesterol, smoking, and a | | | | But if you know the truth about the |
| high-fat diet. Not everybody knows about | | | | benefits of vitamin B-6 and heart |
| the potential of vitamin B-6. | | | | health, you can protect your heart for |
| Vitamin B6 benefits are vital in your | | | | just pennies a day. And you will also |
| daily supplementation routine because it | | | | get protection for your brain. |
| fights another culprit in cardiovascular | | | | When homocysteine levels are high, your |
| illness, namely homocysteine. Time and | | | | body can't make SAM-e. This is the same |
| time for over 10 years scientists have | | | | SAM-e you see in supplement outlets for |
| shown that even mildly elevated levels | | | | everything from depression to |
| of homocysteine in the bloodstream raise | | | | fibromyalgia. When you take vitamin B-6, |
| the risk of heart disease. | | | | your body can convert excess |
| Homocysteine is a naturally occurring | | | | homocysteine into this mood-lifting, |
| amino acid. By itself, it's not bad. | | | | brain-protective compound. |
| It's even part of the process the body | | | | Preventing vitamin B-6 deficiency may |
| uses to make its own SAM-e. But when | | | | help protect you against Alzheimer's |
| there's not enough vitamin B-6, B12, and | | | | disease, depression, memory loss, and |
| folic acid, homocysteine builds up in | | | | even fibromyalgia and insomnia. |
| the blood and causes arterial damage. | | | | How Much Vitamin B-6 Should You Take? |
| High homocysteine levels may be even | | | | In the USA, the recommended daily |
| more damaging than high cholesterol | | | | allowance (RDA) of vitamin B-6 is 2 mg. |
| levels, but the benefits of vitamin B-6 | | | | Researchers at Harvard University |
| include protecting your heart. | | | | studied a group of 80,000 nurses and |
| A clinical study in Poland found taking | | | | found that the amount of vitamin B-6 |
| just 300 mg of vitamin B-6 every day for | | | | needed for heart protection is more than |
| two months (along with adequate amounts | | | | twice that amount, at least 4.6 mg a |
| of vitamin B12, that is, 1000 micrograms | | | | day. You can round that number up to 5 |
| weekly, and folic acid, 5 mg daily) cut | | | | mg a day for ease in checking labels. |
| homocysteine levels in half. | | | | What's the Safety of Vitamin B-6? Is |
| And this B-vitamin combo also reduced | | | | There a Risk of a B-6 Overdose? Is There |
| levels of thrombin, the clotting agent | | | | Any Toxicity of Vitamin B-6? |
| that sets the stage for a heart attack | | | | Well, yes. A few women have taken 500 to |
| or stroke. | | | | 5,000 times the recommended daily dosage |
| Protecting your heart against the perils | | | | of vitamin B-6 for 2 months to 4 years |
| of homocysteine is simple, but most | | | | to prevent PMS and suffered permanent |
| people don't do it. A researcher at | | | | nerve damage. The amount of vitamin B-6 |
| Emory University, Atlanta, GA, Godfrey | | | | they took is equivalent to taking a |
| P. Oakley, Jr., MD, MSPM, says | | | | handful of pure B-6 every day for |
| "approximately 70% of the adult | | | | several years at a cost of over $10 a |
| population in the United States is | | | | day. You will never experience this |
| exposed to a risk factor for | | | | problem if you take a balanced daily |
| cardiovascular disease-an elevated | | | | supplement in the dosage recommended by |
| plasma homocysteine concentration-that | | | | the manufacturer. |
| can be easily avoided simply by | | | | |