Benefits of Pyridoxine

There are many claimed benefits of pyridoxine, including the treatment of premenstrual syndrome, morning sickness, and arthritis. It is also thought that the vitamin may increase serotonin levels, which is why some people think it may be useful for treating depression or ADHD. However, many of these claimed benefits have little or no supporting scientific evidence, especially for people without a vitamin B6 deficiency.

What Are the Benefits of Pyridoxine?

Pyridoxine (vitamin B₆) is clearly beneficial for treating pyridoxine deficiency and problems related to a deficiency. It is also claimed to provide several other health benefits, such as:

Treating the following conditions:

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
Morning sickness (nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy)
Depression, especially depression associated with pregnancy or use of oral contraceptives (birth control pills)
Homocystinuria (a rare genetic condition)
Arthritis
Allergies
Asthma
High levels of homocysteine (hyperhomocysteinemia)
Alzheimer's disease
Muscle cramps
Bladder inflammation (cystitis)
"Pink eye" (conjunctivitis)
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Infantile spasms (seizures), especially in children with Down syndrome
Absence seizures (petit mal seizures)
Certain types of anemia
Acne
High cholesterol
Heart disease
Radiation sickness
Dizziness and/or motion sickness
Infertility in women (specifically, treating a luteal phase defect)
Menopause symptoms
Diabetes
Lyme disease

Preventing and treating side effects of isoniazid or penicillamine
Enhancing immune system functioning
Preventing migraines
Preventing cancer
Helping to reduce water retention (for a diuretic effect)
Preventing kidney stones
Enhancing dream recollection.

Many of the claimed pyridoxine benefits have little or no supporting scientific evidence, especially for people without a pyridoxine deficiency (see Does Vitamin B6 Work? for more information).

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