What is Vitamin B6?
Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble B vitamin essential in over 100 enzymatic processes throughout the body.1
Benefits of Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is a factor in energy metabolism and tissue formation.2 Vitamin B6 deficiency, typically occurring with deficiencies in other B vitamins (e.g. folate, B12), may result in anemia.1,3 Thus, adequate intake of vitamin B6 may help reduce the risk of anemia in some people.
Foods High in Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 can be found naturally in many foods including 100% orange juice. Significant amounts of vitamin B6 can be found in potatoes, chickpeas, meat, poultry, fish, avocados, and bananas.
DID YOU KNOW?
An 8-ounce glass of 100% orange juice supplies 8% of the recommended Daily Value for vitamin B6.*
Through the Life Stages
Vitamin B6 is important at all life stages because vitamin B6 is a factor in energy metabolism and tissue formation. In other words, vitamin B6 helps break down protein from the foods you eat and converts this into energy for your body to use as well as build body tissues. Pregnant and breastfeeding women need more vitamin B6,1,3 and in fact, the concentration of vitamin B6 in breastmilk depends on the mom’s intake of this vitamin.1,4
* Values based on a 2000 calorie diet. Nutrient values may vary based on manufacturer, brand, and product types.
References
- Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, and Choline. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. 1998:150- 188.
- Government of Canada, 2019. Acceptable Nutrient Function Claims, Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
- Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health. (2017). Dietary supplement fact sheet: Vitamin B6.
- Stover et al. Adv Nutr. 2015;6:132-133.