Signs You’re Not Getting Enough Vitamin B6

Whole Body Impact.

This vitamin has many functions. It affects your mood, appetite, sleep, and thinking. You need it to fight off infections, turn food into energy, and help your blood carry oxygen to all corners of your body.

Flagging Energy.

If your body is very low on B6, you can get anemia, which is too few red blood cells. That would make you feel tired and weak. Anemia can also come from not having enough iron in your body. Shortages of other vitamins, like B12 and Folic acid, may also cause it.

Rashes.

Signs that you lack B6 can show up on your skin. Your body goes through chemical changes. That most often leads to a scaly, itchy rash, usually on your face, called seborrheic dermatitis. The rash may get more and more obvious with time. If you have a minor shortage, the symptoms could take months or years to show up.

Dry, Cracked Lips.

Your mouth could be a good place to spot any shortage of B6. Your lips might be scaly, and the corners could be cracked. Your tongue might swell.

Weak Immune System.

A shortage of B6 may make it harder for your body to resist infections and diseases. That can turn into a vicious cycle. Cancer and other illnesses can deplete your B6 supply. So, you’d need to get even more of the vitamin to make up for that. You can do that easily with a B6 supplement.

Numb Hands or Feet.

Do your fingers tingle? Do your feet feel numb? The culprit may be a nerve disorder called peripheral neuropathy. Lack of B6 may help trigger it.

Vitamin B6 and other B vitamins like B12 are essential to keep your nerves healthy.

Morning Sickness.

Pregnant women need more B6 in their diet than anyone else. If you’re feeling sick with nausea or vomiting (and not just in the mornings), a B6 supplement may help. But you should take it only with your doctor’s guidance.

Foggy Brain.

B6 helps regulate your mood and memory. If you notice feeling confused or sad, especially if you’re a senior, a shortage of this vitamin could be the reason. It may make you more likely to get depressed after a stroke, fractured hip, or other major illness. B6 sometimes works in tandem with other B vitamins such as a Vitamin B Complex.

Cancer.

Low B6 may play a role in your chances of having cancer. Researchers don’t know exactly why. But studies have linked a lack of B6 to stomach and esophageal cancers. A lack of the vitamin also may make you more likely to get cancers driven by steroid hormones, such as breast and prostate cancers.

Causes of Shortage of Vitamin B6.

Older people may run low if they don’t eat enough food or because their bodies don’t absorb nutrients as well as before. Kidney disease and other conditions that keep your small intestine from taking in nutrients also can be culprits. So can alcohol abuse. Some prescription medicines can also cause you to not have enough B6. If your doctor prescribes a new medicine, don’t hesitate to ask about its overall effect on your body.

What About Supplements?

If you’re unable to get enough B6 from foods, supplements can fill the gap.  The safe daily limit for adults is 25 milligrams (EFSA) and 100 mg (IOM).

(Source: WebMD)

Provita Nutrition offers a complete range of B vitamins: