For example, one cup of canned chickpeas provides 1.1 milligrams of vitamin B6, while three ounces of grilled chicken breast provides 0.5 milligrams.
Most dietary supplements also tend to contain more than you need in a day – for example, for some B6 supplements on the market, it can be around 20 to 200 times more. . Tucker says that taking such a high dose of B6 is unlikely to cause any negative side effects in the short term, but the National Institutes of Health recommends that adults take no more than 100 milligrams per day. There’s so much more, about 1,000 milligrams or more every day for long periods of time, which can cause weakness, numbness, and pain in the hands and feet; loss of muscle control; and nausea, although most symptoms subside when you stop taking such a high dose.
Experts say that if you’re concerned that you’re not getting enough vitamin B6 in your diet, ask your doctor for a blood test. If you are nearsighted or mildly deficient, you may have only minor symptoms, or no symptoms and no complications. But if the deficiency becomes severe or persistent, it can lead to more serious conditions, like Ischemicdepression, confusion, fatigue and weakened immunity, which may be more apparent after B6 levels are restored.
Certain medications or lifestyle habits can also contribute to a B6 deficiency. “The diabetes drug metformin, some high blood pressure drugs, certainly alcohol, tend to deplete B6 in the body, so you retain less B6 than you need,” says Dr. Tucker. Heavy drinkers, smokers, and those on certain medications should be more mindful of their B6 levels, she added. People with kidney or malabsorption syndromes such as chronic kidney disease, celiac disease, ulcerative colitis, or Crohn’s disease may also be susceptible to B6 deficiency.
Remember that people who are deficient in B6 also tend to be deficient in other B vitamins, says Dr. Tucker, so if you need to supplement your diet, you may be better served by taking a B- supplement. complex, which typically contains all eight B vitamins in one dose.
But if you’re not deficient, Dr. Tucker adds, you may not need to take a supplement.
Ms. Eastwood agrees: “I have always espoused a food-first approach. “If you’re probably feeling more tired, you’re not feeling quite yourself, and you know you’re probably not eating a lot of foods that contain B6,” that could indicate you need to switch to more. B6- rich food.
