People who usually supplement health food probably know that vitamin B6 is a member of the B group. But what is the importance of vitamin B6? In fact, vitamin B6 is good for stabilizing nerves, calming emotions, and helping sleep. Once lacking vitamin B6 for a long time, it will cause depression and affect sleep. Moreover, vitamin B6 supplementation is said to allow many people to personally experience that they can remember dreams during sleep particularly vividly and clearly, so some people call vitamin B6 the “dream vitamin”. How exactly should vitamin B6 be supplemented correctly? And where can I get it?
What is Vitamin B6?
Food safety expert Wayne said that vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, is a water-soluble vitamin that is very important to many functions of the body and deeply affects various biochemical reactions of human physiological and mental health. Vitamin B6 plays the role of a coenzyme in the body and participates in various metabolisms in the body, especially the metabolism of proteins and amino acids; others are important in lipid metabolism, the normal operation of the nervous system, and hematopoietic function.
Why does vitamin B6 help sleep?
Vitamin B6 is a coenzyme that helps amino acid metabolism, so it participates in the metabolism of the biological clock amino acid-tryptophan, so it can relieve stress, relax the mood, and help sleep. This so-called sleep aid is divided into three levels: by generating serotonin to relieve stress and help fall asleep; the other layer is by generating melatonin, regulating the biological clock, and improving the quality of sleep in deep sleep; it can also help generate GABA to relieve stress and Helps shorten time to fall asleep.
Vitamin B6 is a coenzyme that helps amino acid metabolism, so it participates in the metabolism of the biological clock amino acid-tryptophan, so it can relieve stress, relax the mood, and help sleep.
1. Helps generate serotonin
First of all, vitamin B6 can promote the conversion of tryptophan into serotonin. Tryptophan is an amino acid that must be ingested from food and is a precursor for serotonin synthesis. Serotonin mainly acts on the brain in the body. It is an important transmitter of the brain nerves. The message it transmits is to relax and let the brain cells rest, thereby helping to fall asleep. In addition, serotonin is also known as the “happy hormone”, which can relax people, relieve depression, and fight anxiety.
2. Helps produce melatonin
Then, serotonin can also make the body produce melatonin, which can regulate the body’s biological clock, control the body’s response to light and dark, and affect the body’s wake-sleep cycle. When it gets dark at night, the secretion of melatonin increases, making people feel tired and fall asleep. Therefore, vitamin B6 supplementation helps to increase the amount of melatonin, adjust jet lag or social jet lag, and improve sleep quality.
3. Help generate GABA
Furthermore, vitamin B6 is also involved in the synthesis of GABA in the human body. GABA is a neurotransmitter, also known as hypnotic amino acid, which acts as a brake on the nerves. It also has a clear effect on relieving stress and helping to fall asleep.
Therefore, if vitamin B6 is supplemented together with tryptophan or GABA, it can have a good multiplier effect on sleep.
What are the functions of vitamin B6?
Food safety expert Wayne said that in general, vitamin B6 has a wide range of effects on the human body, including the following eight benefits:
1. Help sleep
As mentioned above, vitamin B6 helps produce serotonin, melatonin and GABA, so it can help fall asleep, adjust jet lag, and improve sleep quality.
2. Supports Nervous System Health
Vitamin B6 can help produce neurotransmitters such as dopamine and adrenaline, and help the brain to convert energy, thus promoting the health of the nervous system and preventing and relieving headaches.
3. Help memory
Harvard research pointed out that high-dose supplementation of vitamin B6, B12, and folic acid can help slow down memory loss, and several studies even pointed out that vitamin B6 may prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
4. Improve mood
Vitamin B6 can improve positive mood and prevent depression and other depression.
5. Women’s menstrual health
Many studies have shown that vitamin B6 has preventive and soothing effects on women’s premenstrual syndrome or menstrual pain
6. Maintains Cardiovascular Health
Vitamin B6 can reduce homocysteine in the blood, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
7. Aid in blood production
Erythropoiesis also requires the assistance of vitamin B6, lack of vitamin B6 may cause anemia.
8. Improve skin and mucous membrane health
Vitamin B6 can help regulate skin oil secretion and help improve skin health. When vitamin B6 is deficient, it may cause seborrheic dermatitis, stomatitis, etc.
Therefore, vitamin B6 can help sleep quality, maintain nerve health, and help memory. Therefore, it makes sense that vitamin B6 supplementation can help to have good dreams and remember good dreams.
Brown rice is a very healthy carbohydrate and a good source of vitamin B6.
Which natural foods contain vitamin B6?
Here are some foods rich in vitamin B6:
1. Chicken and turkey:These meats are good sources of vitamin B6.
2. Fish:Mackerel, salmon, tuna, snapper and other fish are rich in vitamin B6.
3. Beans:Beans such as black beans, pinto beans, red beans, and peas are rich in vitamin B6, with about 0.5 mg of vitamin B6 per 100 grams.
4. Nuts and seeds:Nuts and seeds such as walnuts, almonds, cashews, and sesame are good sources of vitamin B6.
5. Brown rice:Brown rice is a very healthy carbohydrate and a good source of vitamin B6.
6. Bananas:Bananas are also rich in vitamin B6.
7. Probiotics:Good bacteria in the gut also have the ability to produce vitamin B6, so if the gut bacteria are healthy, there is no need to worry too much if the diet is slightly deficient in vitamin B6 in the short term.
Recommended Intake of Vitamin B6
According to the DRI of Chinese people’s dietary nutrient reference intake, vitamin B6 needs 1.5 mg per day for those over 19 years old, and the requirement will increase to 1.6 mg for those over 51 years old. In addition, pregnant or breastfeeding women need an additional 0.4 mg of vitamin B6.