Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water. The body cannot store them. Leftover amounts of the vitamin leave the body through the urine. That means you need a continuous supply of such vitamins in your diet.

Pyridoxal; Pyridoxine; Pyridoxamine

Vitamin B6 helps the body to:

• Make antibodies. Antibodies are needed to fight many diseases.
• Maintain normal nerve function
• Make hemoglobin. Hemoglobin carries oxygen in the red blood cells to the tissues. A vitamin B6 deficiency can cause a form of anemia.
• Break down proteins. The more protein you eat, the more vitamin B6 you need.
• Keep blood sugar (glucose) in normal ranges

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Review Date: 02/15/2011
Reviewed By: Alison Evert, MS, RD, CDE, Nutritionist, University of Washington Medical Center Diabetes Care Center, Seattle, Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)