What is Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)

Vitamin B6, also called pyridoxine, is one of eight water-soluble B vitamins. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) serves as coenzyme and is involved in the metabolism of protein and carbohydrates, the production of insulin and red and white blood cells, and the synthesis of neurotransmitters, enzymes, and prostaglandins. Vitamin B6 is essential in numerous biochemical pathways
involving red blood cells, the immune system, central nervous system function, protein metabolism, homocysteine metabolism, and also the production of energy. Pyridoxine is an especially important vitamin for maintaining healthy nerve and muscle cells and it aids in the production of DNA and RNA, the body's genetic material. It is necessary for proper absorption of vitamin B12 and for the production of red blood cells and cells of the immune system.

More specifically, Vitamin B6 consists of six specific compounds, namely pyridoxine, pyridoxal, pyridoxamine, and their respective phosphates, the latter group of which are the most active components in numerous reactions involving amino acid and protein metabolism. There are six forms of Vitamin B6: pyridoxal (PL), pyridoxine (PN), pyridoxamine (PM), and their phosphate derivatives: pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLimmune system. P), pyridoxine 5'-phosphate (PNP), and pridoxamine 5'-phospate (PNP). PLP is the active coenzyme form, and has the most importance in human metabolism. In the body, pyridoxine is found primarily in the liver and muscles. Pyridoxine is utilized by the liver to synthesize pyridoxal phosphate (PLP), the active coenzyme form. PLP functions as transamination and decarboxylation coenzymes, which are involved in amino acid and protein metabolism. PLP is also involved as a coenzyme in the synthesis of heme, niacin and serotonin. Alcohol impairs Vitamin B6 metabolism in the body.

The major forms of Vitamin B6 from animal products are pryridoxal 5'-phosphate and pyridoxamine 5'-phosphate. The major forms of Vitamin B6 from plant-derived foods are pyridoxine, pyridoxine 5'-phosphate and pyridoxine glucosides. Pyridoxine hydrochloride is the principal form of Vitamin B6 used for food fortification and in nutritional supplements. Pyridoxal 5'-phosphate is also available as a nutritional supplement. Pyridoxal 5'-phosphate, is involved in a wide range of biochemical reactions, including the metabolism of amino acids and glycogen, the synthesis of nucleic acids, hemogloblin, sphingomyelin and other sphingolipids, and the synthesis of the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).