Vitamin B6

Emma Davies
Nutritional Consultant
Tactical Support
An essential, water-soluble vitamin that supports mood regulation and shows key benefits to the brain and nervous system
Form
We use Pyridoxal 5-Phosphate (P5P) which is the bioactive, more absorbable form of B6 and so doesn’t need to be converted within the body
Dose
1.1mg per tablet
Game-Changing Nutrient
B6 helps the body make hormones that regulate mood, stress and sleep. It’s also an important precursor to neurotransmitters and is involved in the production of haemoglobin, the metabolism of fatty acids, as well as being key in converting foods into energy
“The ultimate multi-tasking vitamin with a key role in nervous system support, B6 is critical in the synthesis of neurotransmitters, the sleep hormone melatonin and can help minimize stress and anxiety. It’s involved in damping down a revved-up nervous system, and is a real friend to calm, sleep and overall wellbeing.”
Better Mood / Lower Stress
Acts as a precursor in the production of some key neurotransmitters – the “happy hormones” dopamine and serotonin and the calming neurotransmitter GABA
Sleep Promoting
Aids in the production of melatonin, the precursor to sleep and has a key role in supporting sleep/wake cycles
Dream Enhancing
Found to aid dream vividness and recall when taken before sleep
Improved Immune Function
Vitamin B6 can support improved immune function
Improved Cardiovascular and Brain Health
Regulates appropriate levels of homocysteine in the blood. High homocysteine can lead to raised heart disease risk and decreased cognitive function
Increased Energy
Helps the body use and store energy from food
Female Hormone Health
Can stabilize mood swings linked to hormone imbalance
Histamine Breakdown
Can help lower high histamine by supporting the DAO enzyme that clears histamine from the blood. High histamine is a key culprit in poor sleep onset and nighttime waking
Facts & Figures
We are keeping up to speed with the research on Vitamin B6. Here are some of the latest clinical studies, critically assessed by peers and published independently.
Effects of Vitamin B6 on Dreaming and Sleep (2018)
Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Participants: 100
Dose: 240mg before bed
Duration: 5 days
Results: Vitamin B6 significantly increased the amount of dream content participants recalled
Read study here.
High-dose Vitamin B6 reduces anxiety (2022)
Design: Double-blind, placebo-controlled study
Participants: 478 young adults
Dose: 100mg
Duration: 30-35 days
Results: Vitamin B6 influences the balance between excitation and inhibition. By increasing GABA levels there was a reduction in anxiety
Read study here
Dietary Modulation of Cortical Excitation and Inhibition (2017)
Design: Electroencephalography (EEG) paradigm
Participants: 14
Dose: N/A
Duration: N/A
Results: Neural response to visual patterns was reduced in individuals who consumed Marmite (rich in B vitamins), but not in control group
Read study here.
Higher Vitamin B6 Intake and Lower Depression/Anxiety in Women (2019)
Design: Cross-sectional study
Participants: 3362 adults
Dose: N/A
Duration: N/A
Results: The association of lower vitamin B6 intake with increased risk of depression and anxiety was clearly supported by this study
Read study here.
Vitamin B6 increases immune responses in critically ill patients (2001)
Design: Single-blind intervention study
Participants: 51
Dose: 50mg or 100mg daily
Duration: 14 days
Results: A large dose of vitamin B6 could compensate for the lack of responsiveness of plasma PLP to vitamin B6 intake, and further increase immune response of critically ill patients.
Read study here.