Answer: Most adults need about 1.3 mg of
vitamin B6
every day (EFL - Energy for Life contains 2 mg or 100% of the daily value).
Vitamin B6 is needed for many functions in the body, including the
protein metabolism, healthy red blood cells and immune system function.
It is also needed for normal nerve function and production of brain
chemicals called neurotransmitters.
This has lead some people to believe that using large doses of vitamin
B6 may be helpful for disorders, such as depression,
carpal
tunnel syndrome and premenstrual
syndrome. Unfortunately, research has not shown vitamin B6 to
actually be beneficial for any of these disorders. Vitamin B6 will
reduce homocysteine,
which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Most
multivitamins have only a small amount of vitamin B6, but be careful
with dietary supplements that contain large amounts of vitamin B6 (EFL carries 2 mg or 100% of the daily Value recommended). The
Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine has established an
upper tolerance of only 100 mg of vitamin B6 per day. Very large
amounts, over 500 mg per day, may cause nerve damage.
Sources:
Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine, National
Academies. "Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs): Recommended Intakes for
Individuals, Vitamins." Published 2004.
National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary
Supplements. "Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin B6."
