Vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, is a water-soluble vitamin belonging to the B vitamins complex, which must be taken with food, as our body is unable to produce it. Vitamin B6, even if it does not degrade with heat, is sensitive to light and oxidation processes.

It is abundantly present in beef, lamb, pork, duck, turkey and other fatty meat birds. It is also present in fish such as salmon or seafood, eggs, milk and its derivatives. In the vegetable world it is present, to a lesser extent, in rice, whole grains, wheat, oats, whole grain bread and pasta, but also in spinach, peas, lentils, beans, potatoes, in soybeans, chickpeas, prunes, and avocado.

Its main function is linked to the synthesis of neurotransmitters, see norepinephrine, serotonin, myelin, which protect the brain, but it is involved in many chemical and metabolic processes in our body (as for the other B vitamins), where it acts as a coenzyme various enzymatic systems involved such as in particular in the metabolism of amino acids, in the reactions of transamination, decarboxylation and racenaization. It is necessary for the conversion of tryptophan into niacin and together with other vitamins of group B, vitamin B6 participates in the metabolism of homocysteine ​​and regulates its plasma levels. At the metabolic level, its role as a coenzyme also intervenes in muscle and hepatic glycogen phosphorylase, involved in the process of breaking down glycogen into glucose units.

Vitamin B6 also participates in the formation of red blood cells, in the control of the nervous and hormonal system (particularly important in the female body) and in the protection of the immune system. An overt vitamin B6 deficiency is not very common, but it can emerge with the intake of estrogens, steroids, in pregnant or nursing women, during the menstrual cycle, or for those who consume alcohol and can increase the risk associated with the increase of cardiovascular diseases or cause effects on peripheral nerves, skin, mucous membranes and blood cells. In children, the central nervous system is also affected. Cases in which targeted supplementation is useful.

Vitamin B6 is important in the following confirmed cases for: hereditary sideroblastic anemia, neuritis and for the protection of the nervous system and brain functions, in preventing serious degenerative diseases of the central nervous system, in protecting eyesight on macular degeneration and in decreasing homocysteine ​​levels by exerting a cardioprotective action. According to some studies, vitamin B6 helps relieve some of the typical symptoms of PMS, including nausea, tiredness and headaches. A further benefit of vitamin B6 concerns the protection of the health of the hair and also of the skin, strengthening the hair and making it more voluminous, in preventing scalp disorders, such as dandruff and overproduction of sebum. Furthermore, according to recent studies it is also useful for alleviating alopecia, because it inhibits the production of the 5-alpha-reductase enzyme which is responsible for the transformation of testosterone into DHT, or dehydrotestosterone, a compound which is deposited in the hair follicle, obstructing it , and causing hair growth difficulties, which will also have a much shorter life cycle.

How to use: take 1 tablet a day with water.

Warnings: do not exceed the recommended daily dose. The supplements are not intended as a substitute for a varied diet. A varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important. Keep out of the reach of children under three years of age. Keep in a cold and dry place. Avoid exposure to heat sources and sunlight.