Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 is called Pyridoxine and is water soluble. Vitamin B6, with its components pyridoxol, pyridoxal and pyridoxamine, takes on its role as a starting substance in the metabolism, especially for the formation of coenzymes.

How vitamin B6 works

Coenzymes are important for all processes in protein metabolism. The body can produce pyridoxal phosphate, also known as PLP, and pyridoxamine phosphate, also known as PMP, from vitamin B6. Both coenzymes play a key role in the formation of different enzymes.

Enzymes act like catalysts and are involved in many biochemical reactions in the body. Both PMP and PLP play a role in at least 100 metabolic processes in the body. If the body wants to build protein building blocks, it primarily needs the PLP.

Protein building blocks consist of amino acids on which the PLP has a particularly strong effect. Dopamine and the messenger substance histamine, which is involved in allergic processes, as well as serotonin as a neurotransmitter are influenced by PLP. The entire fat metabolism and the immune system as well as the hormonal balance are also controlled by vitamin B6.

meaning

Since vitamin B6 is essential to the immune system and its functionality, it plays an essential role in health. If the immune system is weak, all other functions gradually suffer and the person becomes ill.

The significant influence of vitamin B6 on the entire nervous system also plays a significant role in maintaining health. Hormonal processes that are not adequately supplied with vitamin B6 and a weakened immune system affect all other physical processes that make a body efficient.

Since vitamin B6 plays such a central role in the amino acid metabolism, vitamin B6 is also important for the prevention of diseases. Vitamin B6 also has the same importance in the treatment of various diseases. Only folic acid and vitamin B12 are just as important for the body and its health.

Many problems such as premenstrual complaints or the carpal tunnel syndrome and depression are positively influenced by vitamin B6.

For these reasons, vitamin B6 also plays an important role for athletes. A healthy and balanced diet provides enough vitamin B6. If you do a lot of sport, you should make sure that enough vitamin B6 is taken. Because athletic performance depends on vitamin B6 in many physical processes.

Occurrence in food

The need for vitamin B6 can easily be met with a balanced diet, as it is contained in many different foods. Meat eaters in particular cover their vitamin B6 requirements quite well. Liver and meat contain a lot of this important vitamin, which is involved in various metabolic processes.

In general, all animal foods are strong sources of vitamin B6. Offal and fatty fish such as sardines and mackerel provide plenty of vitamin B6. In addition to meat, it is also found in potatoes and cereals, in vegetables and in fruit.

Vitamin B6, on the other hand, is not contained in sugar, oils or fats. The milk that has been sterilized has also lost its vitamin B6 content. The vitamin B6 in meat is also lost up to 40 percent during cooking and frying. Food that is frozen sometimes only contains 50 percent of the vital vitamin B6.