At a time when vitamin and mineral supplementation has become part of women’s daily diet, it doesn’t hurt to review the role that vitamin B6 plays in women’s health. And, by the way, know in which cases it is interesting to take it as a supplement, taking into account that, generally, a varied and balanced diet is enough to cover daily needs.
To keep things clear, María Marqués, a dietician-nutritionist specialized in women, childhood and digestive health, guides us on this route because, as she herself states, “sometimes it is not about adding more, but rather about better understanding what the body needs at each stage.”
What is vitamin B6 and what is it for?
It is a water-soluble vitamin, meaning it dissolves in water and is not stored in large quantities by the body. That is the reason why it is necessary to consume it regularly.
Among its most important functions are:
- Help transform food into energy.
- Participate in the production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin (related to well-being and mood).
- Contribute to the formation of hemoglobin.
- Support the immune system.
- Collaborate in hormonal balance.
“Simply put: without enough vitamin B6, our body cannot process proteins well nor does it adequately regulate certain neurological and hormonal processes,” says María Marqués.
What benefits does consuming vitamin B6 have for women?
In women, vitamin B6 is especially important because it influences processes related to:
- mood: Participates in the production of serotonin and other neurotransmitters that influence how we feel.
- Energy: Intervenes in the metabolism of proteins and carbohydrates, helping to reduce the feeling of fatigue when there are low levels.
- Premenstrual symptoms: It can help improve symptoms such as irritability, emotional tension or mild increase associated with premenstrual syndrome.
- cardiovascular health: Collaborates in the metabolism of homocysteine, contributing to lowering its levels, since it is a substance that, when elevated, is related to greater cardiovascular risk.
Vitamin B6 (benefits) in specific stages of women:
Adolescence and irregular periods
During adolescence, nutritional demands increase and food is often irregular.
If there are low levels of vitamin B6, the following symptoms may appear:
- Fatigue.
- Mood swings.
- More intense premenstrual discomfort.
Vitamin B6 does not directly regulate the menstrual cycle, but it can help improve some symptoms associated with irregular periods or juvenile premenstrual syndrome.
Fertile age: sport, work and intense rhythm
Many women at this stage combine work, sports, family and little rest.
Vitamin B6 helps:
- Maintain energy metabolism.
- Promote concentration.
- Reduce the feeling of exhaustion when there is a deficit.
If the diet is balanced and sufficient, the needs are normally met without problems.
Oral contraceptives and B6
In this case, special care must be taken because, as the expert states, «some studies have observed that prolonged use of hormonal contraceptives can slightly reduce the levels of vitamin B6 in the blood.» Although she clarifies that this does not mean that all women who take contraceptives have a deficiency.
Therefore, you must be attentive to the appearance of signs such as:
- Irritability.
- Persistent fatigue.
- Mood swings.
In these cases, “it may be interesting to review the nutritional status globally,” suggests Marqués.
Pregnancy and lactation
During pregnancy, vitamin B6 is known for its use in treating nausea. In fact, it is one of the first recommended options when they are mild or moderate.
On the other hand, «during pregnancy and breastfeeding, needs increase slightly, since the baby depends in part on the mother’s nutritional status,» warns the dietitian-nutritionist. Despite this, “maintaining a varied diet is usually enough to cover them.”
Perimenopause and menopause
During this stage, important hormonal changes occur that can affect mood, energy, sleep quality, and cardiovascular health.
In this sense, the expert assures that «vitamin B6 participates in the production of neurotransmitters and in the metabolism of homocysteine, so it is part of a diet that protects health at this stage, although it does not replace medical treatments when necessary.»
Vitamin B6: in which foods it is found naturally and how to cook it
Vitamin B6 is present in many everyday foods such as chicken and turkey meat; fish such as salmon or tuna; and other foods such as chickpeas, potatoes, nuts, whole grains and fruits such as bananas.
When cooking them, keep in mind that vitamin B6 is sensitive to heat and soluble in water, so it can be lost during cooking.
For this reason, Marqués recommends avoiding prolonged boiling and reheating the dish many times; prioritize steaming and short stir-fries; and take advantage of the broth when making stews with these foods.
How much vitamin B6 do you need? (recommended intake)
In adult women, the general recommendation is approximately 1.4 mg per day. But during pregnancy and breastfeeding, that amount increases slightly.
The expert repeats that, even in these cases, “with a varied diet that includes proteins, legumes, nuts and vegetables, it is usually easy to meet the needs.”
Warning signs of lack of B6.
Severe deficiency is rare, but low levels can manifest as:
- Persistent fatigue.
- Irritability.
- Mood swings.
- Cracks in the corners of the lips.
- Tingling in the hands or feet (in more advanced cases).
Is there excessive consumption? Side effects
With diet it is difficult for this to happen, but taking supplements with high doses of vitamin B6 for a long time can cause neurological problems, such as:
- Tingle.
- Sensitivity alterations.
- Coordination problems.
That is why it is not recommended to supplement on your own without professional supervision.
Supplements: vitamin B6 alone or combined
Generalizing is never a good option because, according to María Marqués, «it depends on the objective and situation of each woman. In most cases, it is not a question of whether it is better alone or combined, but about what problem we want to address.”
When can vitamin B6 alone be considered?
It may make sense to use it alone in very specific situations, such as:
- Nausea during pregnancy (always under medical indication).
- Mild premenstrual syndrome when the rest of the diet is adequate.
- Deficit confirmed in analysis.
In these cases, controlled doses are used for a limited time.
When used generally combined
In normal practice, vitamin B6 usually appears combined with other nutrients because it acts as a team:
- With other B vitamins (B12 and folic acid): for homocysteine metabolism and energy support.
- with magnesium: in cases of stress, muscle tension or premenstrual syndrome.
- With tryptophan: to promote serotonin production and support mood.
- In multivitamin complexes: when there is suspicion of overall insufficient intake.
“In these cases, the combination makes sense because the metabolic processes do not depend on a single nutrient,” declares the expert.
Tryptophan with magnesium and vitamin B6: what is it used for?
It is one of the most ‘popular’ combinations in recent times, perhaps because it is frequently used in cases of mild stress, sleep disturbances or premenstrual symptoms.
«The reason is that tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin; vitamin B6 helps convert it into serotonin, and magnesium contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system,» concludes the dietician-nutritionist.
The ALDI Council
Give your body what it needs: fish, seafood, legumes, fruits, nuts and seeds. Nutritious and delicious.
Maria Marquis. Maternal and child dietitian-nutritionist. He is a member of the Spanish Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Graduated in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Navarra, European Master in Nutrition and Metabolism from the same university. She has worked on research projects, such as the SUN study, the PREDIMED study and EVASYON, as a dietitian-nutritionist. She is the author and co-author of various scientific articles and collaborates as a popularizer in different media and magazines. She is the founder of the Maria Marqués Nutrición project, of the Koalacta.com online school and co-founder of the Hoy se come Podcast. She is also certified as a lactation consultant and has specialized in women’s nutrition, early childhood, and food allergies and intolerances. INSTAGRAM: @mariamarques.nutricion.
