Vitamin B6 – Boosts Bone Health
Vitamin B6, also called pyridoxine, is a water-soluble vitamin that your body does not produce and must obtain from your diet. Vitamin B6 is vital for many physiological processes such as red blood cell synthesis, proper nerve function, energy synthesis, and DNA production. Because vitamin B6 is water-soluble, the body cannot store it for future use. This means that your body will only get sufficient amounts when you ingest B6 on a daily basis.
Musculoskeletal Benefits of Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is required for the conversion of homocysteine to cysteine. High levels of homocysteine have been associated with:
- Oxidative stress
- Chronic inflammation
- Increased fracture risk
- Decreased bone mineral density
- Collagen dysfunction
Oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and collagen dysfunction are associated with chronic musculoskeletal diseases such as osteoporosis, sarcopenia (muscle loss and weakness), osteoarthritis, and tendonitis.
Vitamin B6 helps convert harmful levels of homocysteine to healthful levels of cysteine, a vital amino acid for human health. Cysteine is a key building block for glutathione, which plays an outsized role in the body’s natural antioxidant defenses.
Additionally, vitamin B6 is involved in the synthesis of amino acids and the conversion of fat and glucose into energy. Muscle and bone are metabolically hyperactive, constantly building and breaking down. Any disruption in these processes causes a shift to an overall state of breakdown or “catabolism.” Many musculoskeletal diseases, such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and sarcopenia, can be conceptualized as situations where the cellular machinery that destroys overwhelms the cellular machinery that builds. Insufficient vitamin B6 can magnify and accelerate this catabolic process.
Selected Evidence
1. Vitamin B6 Promotes Joint Health
German researchers examined the effect of vitamin B6 on cartilage health in a rat model of osteoarthritis. The investigators found that a diet higher in B6 helped protect against osteoarthritis. The authors suggested that vitamin B6 improves collagen strength via its interaction with lysyl oxidase, a key enzyme involved in collagen cross-linking. (Kurz et al. Dietary vitamins and selenium diminish the development of mechanically induced osteoarthritis and increase the expression of antioxidative enzymes in the knee joint of STR/1N mice. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage (2002) 10, 119-126)
2. Vitamin B6 Supports Muscle Health
Researchers in the Netherlands examined the nutritional status of older adults with sarcopenia. The investigators found that the serum concentration of vitamin B6 was significantly lower in the sarcopenic group compared to controls. (Ter Borg S et al. Differences in Nutrient Intake and Biochemical Nutrient Status Between Sarcopenic and Nonsarcopenic Older Adults—Results From the Maastricht Sarcopenia Study. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2016 May 1;17(5):393-401.)
3. Vitamin B6 Boosts Bone Health
Nigerian researchers examined the relationship of homocysteine and vitamin B6 with osteoporosis. The investigators found that high homocysteine levels and low vitamin B6 levels were present in individuals with osteoporosis. (Ebesunun et al. Plasma homocysteine, B vitamins, and bone mineral density in osteoporosis: a possible risk for bone fracture. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2009 Sep;280(3):381-7.)
Precautions
The FNB has published an upper limit value of 100 mg/day. Vitamin B6 from natural foods is generally well tolerated. RDA amounts can usually be obtained from a balanced, healthful diet. Excessive intake of supplemental vitamin B6 may be associated with neurological symptoms, such as uncontrolled movements. Any consideration of supplementation should be discussed with a qualified health professional familiar with your unique medical history.
References
- McCormick, D. B. (2006). Vitamin B6. In B. A. Bowman & R. M. Russell (Eds.), Present Knowledge in Nutrition (Vol. I, pp. 269-277). Washington, D.C.: International Life Sciences Institute.
- Da Silva, V. R., Russell, K. A., & Gregory, J. F. III. (2012). Vitamin B6. In J. W. Erdman Jr., I. A. Macdonald, & S. H. Zeisel (Eds.), Present Knowledge in Nutrition (10th ed., pp. 307-320). Wiley-Blackwell.
- Ubbink, J. B., Vermaak, W. J., van der Merwe, A., Becker, P. J., Delport, R., & Potgieter, H. C. (1994). Vitamin requirements for the treatment of hyperhomocysteinemia in humans. Journal of Nutrition, 124(10), 1927-1933. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/124.10.1927
- Carrington, M. J., Bird, T. A., & Levene, C. I. (1984). The inhibition of lysyl oxidase in vivo by isoniazid and its reversal by pyridoxal: Effect on collagen cross-linking in the chick embryo. Biochemical Journal, 221, 837-843. https://doi.org/10.1042/bj2210837
- Masse, P. G., Ziv, I., Cole, D. E., Mahuren, J. D., Donavan, S. M., Yamauchi, M., et al. (1998). A cartilage matrix deficiency experimentally induced by vitamin B6 deficiency. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine, 217, 97-103. https://doi.org/10.3181/00379727-217-44233
- Kuo, H. K., Liao, K. C., Leveille, S. G., et al. (2007). Relationship of homocysteine levels to quadriceps strength, gait speed, and late-life disability in older adults. Journal of Gerontology: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 62, 434-439. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/62.4.434
- Clarke, M., Ward, M., Strain, J. J., Hoey, L., Dickey, W., & McNulty, H. (2014). B-vitamins and bone in health and disease: The current evidence. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 73, 330-339. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0029665114000028
- Van Meurs, J. B. J., Dhonukshe-Rutten, R. A. M., Pluijm, S. M. F., van der Klift, M., de Jonge, R., & Lindemans, J. (2004). Homocysteine levels and the risk of osteoporotic fracture. New England Journal of Medicine, 350, 2033-2041. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa032354.
- University of Maryland Medical Center. (n.d.). Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine). Retrieved from http://www.umm.edu/Health/Medical/AltMed/Supplement/Vitamin-B6-Pyridoxine
- National Academies Press. (n.d.). Dietary Reference Intakes for Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, and Choline. Retrieved from http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=6015
- National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. (n.d.). Vitamin B6 Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Retrieved from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB6-HealthProfessional/#h7
- Dietitians of Canada. (n.d.). Food Sources of Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine). Retrieved from http://www.dietitians.ca/Nutrition-Resources-A-Z/Factsheets/Vitamins/Food-Sources-of-Vitamin-B6-(Pyridoxine).aspx
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