When to take Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)

What is vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) good for?

Short answer: Vitamin B6 has potential benefits for cardiovascular health, brain health, the nervous system, the immune system, depression and mental health.

Vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, is an essential vitamin that plays a fundamental role in heart health and brain health, and in ensuring the nervous system and immune system are functioning properly. It is also involved in red blood cell function.

Vitamin B6 deficiency

People who suffer from kidney disease, alcoholism, conditions that prevent the small intestine from absorbing nutrients properly, or certain autoimmune disorders are more likely to be deficient in vitamin B6. This can also be the case for people who take certain epilepsy medications.

When you become deficient in vitamin B6, this in turn can cause a decline in mental health, a weakened immune system, and also a form of anemia, a condition in which your blood can no longer supply adequate oxygen to the rest of the body due to impaired red blood cell function.

People who are deficient in vitamin B6 are also usually deficient in other B vitamins, such as vitamin B9 (folic acid) and vitamin B12 (cobalamin), both of which are also essential for physical and mental health.

Role in the prevention of heart disease

Studies have found that people who are deficient in vitamin B6 have almost twice the risk of developing heart disease when compared to people with healthy levels of vitamin B6. This is thought to be due to vitamin B6's ability to lower homocysteine levels, which is a key factor in heart disease, as well as several other health conditions.

Benefits for cognitive and mental health

Also, many studies have demonstrated that a deficiency of vitamin B6 is associated with depressive symptoms, especially in the elderly, who are at a higher risk of being deficient in B vitamins in general. Researchers suspect that this is due to the way in which vitamin B6 helps with the creation of neurotransmitters which regulate mood and support mental well-being.

In fact, one study involving over 60 pre-menopausal women found that by taking 50mg of vitamin B6 daily over the course of three months, they managed to improve symptoms of depression, irritability and tiredness by an astounding 69%.

When should I take vitamin B6?

Short answer: Vitamin B6 is best taken first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, at least 30 minutes before breakfast.

Because of their energy-boosting activities that are directly involved in metabolism, the best time of day to take B vitamins is generally considered to be in the morning. Furthermore, recent research indicates that vitamin B6 specifically could potentially interfere with sleep quality and induce vivid dreams when taken in the evening.

Also, given that water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin B6 are better absorbed on an empty stomach, it would be a good idea to take it first thing
before breakfast.

What does vitamin B6 combine well with?

Short answer: Vitamin B6 has been shown to work well together with copper, fish oil, garlic extract, krill oil, L-arginine, L-tyrosine, magnesium, omega-3, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B9 and vitamin B12.

Vitamin B6 with magnesium, for mental health

An interesting fact about vitamin B6 is that the level of vitamin B6 in the body directly determines how much magnesium can be absorbed into certain cells.

Furthermore, magnesium has also been demonstrated to work in tandem with vitamin B6 in a variety of functions, and one study found that anxiety, depression and perceived physical capacity all significantly improved for participants that took a combination of magnesium and vitamin B6, compared to those who took vitamin B6 alone.

Vitamin B6 with garlic extract, L-arginine and other B vitamins

Another interesting combination involved aged garlic extract taken with vitamins B6, B9 and B12, and also L-arginine. When taken together, this combination has been shown to help delay the progression of atherosclerosis, a condition that involves the narrowing of the arteries due to plaque buildup.

Other studies have shown that a combination of vitamins B1, B6, B9, and B12 have been effective in the treatment of migraines and back pain, while also reducing the need for anti-inflammatory medications.

Vitamin B6 with folic acid, copper and L-tyrosine

It has also been found that taking vitamin B6 and vitamin B9 (folic acid), together with copper and L-tyrosine, can help the body to convert L-tyrosine into chemicals that are important for mood and brain function, such as dopamine.

Vitamin B6 with omega-3 and other B vitamins

Lastly, I mentioned above that vitamin B6 was found to help lower homocysteine levels in the blood, an amino acid that is a key driver of heart disease.

Well, further research has found that when omega-3 fatty acids, such as those found in fish oil and krill oil, are combined with vitamins B6, B9 and B12, homocysteine levels are lowered much more efficiently than when omega-3 supplementation is taken alone.

What are natural sources of vitamin B6?

If you are interested in achieving your daily vitamin B6 intake through your diet, rich sources of vitamin B6 include:

Pork
Beef
Chicken
Turkey
Milk
Salmon
Tuna
Eggs
Carrots
Sweet potatoes
Avocados
Bananas
Spinach

Vitamin B6 data sources & further reading

Last updated by Asklepios on 30th January, 2025