肆客足球

?????The Nutrition Information Centr?e ??of the 
肆客足球 of Stellenbosch? (NICUS)

Nutrients

?Vitamin?s: ?Vitamin B6

??

What is it? 
 
Vitamin B6 is a water soluble vitamin that exists as a family of 3 compounds: -

• pyridoxine

• pyridoxal

• pyridoxamine, and each has a phosphate derivative

The general vitamin name is pyridoxine. It performs a variety of functions in the body and is essential for health.
?
 
Functions - what does it do? 
 
The coenzymes of vitamin B6 are needed for the activity of several enzymes involved in carbohydrate, protein, and fat metabolism. For example, vitamin B6 functions as a coenzyme for glycogen phosphorylase, an enzyme that causes the release of glucose stored in the muscle as glycogen.

Amino amino metabolism. One of the most important functions of vitamin B6 is its role in protein metabolism as the vitamin B6 coenzymes are required to metabolise amino acids. The coenzymes participate in reactions that allow a cell to synthesize nonessential amino acids. 
 
Red blood cell production. Your body needs vitamin B6 to make haemoglobin. Vitamin B6 functions as a coenzyme in the production of haeme, a component of haemoglobin. Haemoglobin within red blood cells is critical for the transport of oxygen to tissues. Vitamin B6 is able to bind to the haemoglobin molecule and affect its ability to pick up and release oxygen. A vitamin B6 deficiency can result in a form of anaemia that is similar to iron deficiency anaemia.

Haemoglobin. The iron containing part of red blood cells that carries oxygen to cells. 
 
Nervous system function. The synthesis of many neurotransmitters requires enzymes that uses vitamin B6 as a coenzyme. Neurotransmitters allow nerve cells to communicate with each other and other cells.

Niacin formation. Vitamin B6 aids the conversion of the amino acid, tryptophan, to niacin.

Neurotransmitter. A compound made by the nerve cells that allows for communication between it and other cells. ?

Requirements - How much do we need? 

Sources - Where is it found?    

Deficiency - When you have too little 
 
Severe deficiency of vitamin B6 is rare. Alcoholics are thought to be most at risk of vitamin B6 deficiency, due to low dietary intake, and alcohol and alcoholic liver disease impairing the metabolism of the vitamin. 
 

Toxicity - When you have too much 
 
Although vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin and is excreted in the urine, prolonged ingestion of very high dose supplements of the vitamin may result in nerve damage, which is a disease or abnormality of the nervous system. Symptoms include pain and numbness of the limbs, and in severe cases difficulty in walking.

Intakes of 2 to 6 grams of vitamin B6 per day for 2 or more months can lead to irreversible nerve damage. Even prolonged intakes of 500 mg per day can have the same effects.