| The B6 supplement vitamin is important to those who | | | | exceeds 1000 mg/day andare not severe. Sensory |
| do not eat enough foods containing B6 because | | | | neuropathy can occur with high levels of |
| humans cannot produce this. There areactually six | | | | supplementation of vitamin B6. |
| forms of this water soluble vitamin although one of | | | | The symptoms of sensory neuropathy include pain in |
| these, pyridoxal 5'-phosphate is the most important to | | | | the extremities or, rarely, difficulty walking. Since vitamin |
| people. The B vitaminsneed to be taken daily but the | | | | B6 is water soluble excessivedosages are excreted in |
| enrichment of flour used in the United States has | | | | the urine. While this probably prevents overdose it also |
| prevented very much deficiency of these vitamins. | | | | serves to make daily intake necessary. |
| Adults need a little less than 2 mg/day to fulfill the | | | | With advanced age or certain diseases the vascular |
| Recommended Dietary Allowance. The B vitamins | | | | structures and neurons of the brain are prone to |
| work together to help the body utilizethe energy from | | | | damage which a vitamin B6 supplementmay help |
| food intake. Some common sources of vitamin B6 in | | | | prevent. There is enough evidence of this to prompt |
| foods are pork, poultry, eggs, fish and whole grains. | | | | serious scientific studies into the possibility that B6 may |
| All of the B vitamins work together to help the body | | | | improve cognitivefunction. There are no conclusive |
| maintain blood glucose levels but B6 has other | | | | findings of this at this time but inquiry into the matter |
| important characteristics. B6 is very usefulin the | | | | does continue. |
| metabolism of proteins. Studies have found | | | | Deficiencies in B6 are associated with increased |
| supplementation with B6 shows improvement in | | | | homocysteine blood levels. An elevation of |
| asthma symptoms and carpal tunnelsyndrome. | | | | homocysteine is a risk factor which contributesto |
| Vitamin B6 is necessary for the body to produce the | | | | cerebralvascular disease and may be toxic to nerons |
| amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan is one of the | | | | of the central nervous system. Studies have found |
| essential amino acids necessary forhuman health. It is | | | | that elderly persons frequently havelowered levels of |
| one of the twenty amino acids found in the human | | | | B6. Hence supplementation may prevent further |
| genetic code. Tryptophan is extremely important and | | | | cognitive impairment and other neurological |
| needed in the diet. | | | | symptoms.Only further studyinto this correlate can |
| Many disorders are thought to have their origins in a | | | | yeild more conclusive evidence of this association. |
| shortage of this amino acid. Among these is | | | | One possible factor in the inconclusive nature of |
| schizophrenia. Tryptophan can be convertedinto | | | | various studies of this kind is simply the newness of |
| increased levels of serotonin, an important | | | | such scientific inquiry. Vitamin B6 hasonly been |
| neurotransmitter, by vitamin B6 . | | | | recognized since about the 1930's. Some of the elderly |
| The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of | | | | being included in studies today were born before the |
| Medicine has set the upper limit for safe consumption | | | | importance of vitamin |
| of B6 supplementation at 100 mg/dayfor prolonged | | | | B6 was known and may have been born with mild |
| use. Most of the problems associated with over use | | | | deficiencies. Only time will tell. |
| of these supplement come about when dosage | | | | |