“The top 5 nutrient deficiencies are B6, B12, C, D, and Fe.
In this 50 sec read, learn about essential vitamins and Vitamin B6.
Vitamins and minerals are called “essential” for a reason: they truly are essential for optimal health. Your body needs important nutrients to function correctly. If you are low in those nutrients, you could experience issues with your physical and mental health.
Are you deficient in at least one vitamin or mineral essential for good health? This may be surprising, but you have an almost 1 in 3 chance of being at risk. Are you wondering if this risk is really that bad? I mean, what really happens if you’re low in one or two vitamins or minerals? The answer is that there is a lot to be concerned about. Let’s dive deeper into “The top 5 nutrient deficiencies: B6, B12, C, D, and Fe.
It’s proven: 31% of people in the United States are at risk for a deficiency in at least one vitamin or mineral essential for good health. It may be hard to imagine that we don’t get enough nutrition when we see an abundance of food available 24/7, but it’s true. A recent study showed the top five nutrients many of us need more of.
Should you be concerned about being low in one or two vitamins or minerals? In a word, yes. That’s because vitamins and minerals are essential for optimal health. Being low may not cause immediate symptoms, but it puts you at risk for many serious diseases that can affect your brain, heart, blood, immune system, metabolism, bones, mental health, etc. Nutrients are key pieces your body needs to maintain all of your systems in good working order. Missing just one or two pieces can throw off the delicate balance you need to be healthy and feel great. That’s because most nutrients don’t have just one vital role to play within the body, they play many, many vital roles.
How would you even know if you’re at risk for a nutrient deficiency? It’s not always obvious. Sometimes symptoms aren’t felt for a long time and sometimes they’re very vague and non-specific. For example, fatigue, irritability, aches and pains, decreased immune function, and heart palpitations can be signs of many things, including a nutrient deficiency. This article goes over the five most commonly deficient nutrients, some of the more obvious symptoms, and foods that are high in each so you can get enough.
Vitamin B6 is essential for blood, brain, and metabolism
Vit B6 is a water-soluble vitamin found naturally in many foods, as well as added to foods and supplements. In spite of that it is the #1 most common nutrient deficiency in the US. This vitamin is important for your blood, brain, and metabolism. Vitamin B6 helps the formation of hemoglobin in the blood (the part that carries oxygen around). It also helps to maintain normal levels of homocysteine (high levels of homocysteine are linked with heart disease). In addition, this vitamin plays an important role in the production of neurotransmitters (chemical messengers allowing nerve cells to communicate with each other). Not to mention the fact that it’s also involved with over 100 enzyme reactions in the body, mostly for metabolism.
Some of the main symptoms of a serious deficiency in Vitamin B6 are depression, confusion, convulsions, and a type of anemia called “microcytic” anemia. Symptoms of a less serious deficiency are no less serious. They include increased risks for heart disease and Alzheimer’s. These wide-ranging health effects are why Vitamin B6 is so essential for health.
Health conditions
- Morning Sickness: Vitamin B6 has long been documented as a remedy to help relieve pregnancy-related nausea
- Cancer: Vitamin B6 is believed to play a role in colorectal cancer through its enzyme activity that may reduce oxidative stress and the spread of tumor cells. Vitamin B6 deficiency is associated with chronic inflammation, a risk factor for colorectal cancer.
- Cognitive function: Vitamin B6 may indirectly help with brain function by lowering levels of homocysteine, as high levels of this protein in the body have been linked with a higher incidence of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and cognitive decline. However, there is a lack of controlled trials showing that supplementation can slow cognitive decline.
- Cardiovascular health: High homocysteine levels are associated with an increased risk of heart disease and stroke as it may promote the formation of blood clots and excess free radical cells and may impair normal blood vessel function. A lack of adequate vitamin B6, along with vitamin B12 and folic acid, can increase homocysteine levels.
Foods with Vitamin B6
You have lots of choices in animal and plant products. To name a few: Tuna, salmon, poultry, beef liver, chickpea, fortified cereals, some vegetables and fruits especially dark leafy greens, papaya, orange, cantaloupe, and bananas
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