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?

A two-stage double-blind clinical trial was conducted on 126 women who were randomly allocated into 3 groups to receive magnesium, vitamin B6, or placebo. The study was performed in 10 selected health centers in Isfahan and lasted for 4 months. To confirm premenstrual syndrome, the participants were asked to complete a menstrual diary for 2 months at home. Drug interventions were continued for two cycles and the results of before and after the intervention were compared.

Results: The findings of this study showed that the mean scores of premenstrual syndrome significantly decreased after the intervention in all groups (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: According to the findings, vitamin B6 and placebo had the most and least efficiency in improving the mean premenstrual syndrome score³.

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. 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.