Vitamin B6

Supplement 1: Vitamin B6

What is it?

Also known as pyridoxine, vitamin B6 is a water soluble vitamin. The body does not store vitamin B6 and releases any excess in urine, so people need to get vitamin B6 everyday¹.

The following are good sources of vitamin B6:

• chickpeas

• beef liver

• yellowfin tuna

• roasted chicken breast

• potatoes

• banana

• tofu

• nuts

How does it work?

Vitamin B6 has been used to treat symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, including anxiety, depression and irritability. This is partly because vitamin B6 is necessary for creating neurotransmitters that regulate emotions, including serotonin, dopamine and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).

Vitamin B6 may also play a role in decreasing high blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine, which have been linked to depression and other psychiatric issues².

What is the efficacy?

Methods: Several studies were done that utilized the randomized controlled trial designs to assess the effectiveness of vitamin B6 in reducing PMS symptoms. The efficacy of vitamin B6 alone at certain doses, comparison between B6 and placebo, and combined effects of vitamin B6 with magnesium were studied.^3,4,5

Results: Vitamin B6 supplementation (at doses of 50–80 mg/day) consistently demonstrated a significant reduction in premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms, particularly in emotional and mood-related domains such as irritability, anxiety, and depressive symptoms.

One study reported that 60% of participants on vitamin B6 achieved full remission, while another found it to be more effective than magnesium or placebo in reducing both psychological and physical symptoms.

A crossover trial revealed that the combination of magnesium and vitamin B6 had the most pronounced effect on anxiety-related symptoms, suggesting a synergistic benefit.

Conclusion: These findings support the use of vitamin B6, either taken alone or in combination—as a safe, accessible, and evidence-backed strategy for managing PMS.

Side effects:

Consuming vitamin B-6 through food appears to be safe, even in excessive amounts. When used as a supplement in appropriate doses, vitamin B-6 is likely safe.

Short-term effects: Nausea, stomach pain, headache, and loss of appetite.

Long-term effects: Peripheral neuropathy, ataxia, and skin lesions^1.

References

1. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin B6 - Health Professional Fact Sheet [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institutes of Health; [cited 2025 Apr 23]. Available from: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB6-HealthProfessional/

2. Herrmann W, Lorenzl S, Obeid R. Review of the role of hyperhomocysteinemia and B-vitamin deficiency in neurological and psychiatric disorders—current evidence and preliminary recommendations. Fortschr Neurol Psychiatr. 2007 Sep;75(9):515–27. doi: 10.1055/s-2007-980112.

3. Retallick-Brown H, Blampied N, Rucklidge JJ. A pilot randomized treatment-controlled trial comparing vitamin B6 with broad-spectrum micronutrients for premenstrual syndrome. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2020 Feb 1;26(2):88-97.

4. Ebrahimi E, Khayati Motlagh S, Nemati S, Tavakoli Z. Effects of magnesium and vitamin B6 on the severity of premenstrual syndrome symptoms. J Clin Stud. 2012;1(1):183.

5. De Souza MC, Walker AF, Robinson PA, Bolland K. A synergistic effect of a daily supplement for 1 month of 200 mg magnesium plus 50 mg vitamin B6 for the relief of anxiety-related premenstrual symptoms: a randomized, double-blind, crossover study. Journal of women's health & gender-based medicine. 2000 Mar 1;9(2):131-9.