Vitamin B6 was first discovered and isolated in the 1930s. It is water-soluble and exists in six different forms. They are pyridoxal, pyridoxine, pyridoxamine and their respective phosphate bonded forms [1]. Of them, the pyridoxal form called P5P is the most important as it is the only form that our bodies can utilize [2].
Whenever we get vitamin B6 in any form other than P5P, our livers have to do the work of converting it into P5P. However, many people’s livers have trouble making the conversion. This means that no matter how many foods and supplements high in other forms of B6 are ingested, those people will be deficient. The effects can vary from skin inflammation and fatigue to slow learning and depression. The solution to that is to take supplements with the P5P form along with eating foods high in B6 like salmon, avocado, and spinach if needed. Evening Formula of Balanced Trio contains the adequate daily quantity of P5P, which makes it easier for you to manage your health and diet [3].
The benefits of P5P are many. For one, P5P is involved in the chemical processes that produce serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine [1,4]. These are three neurotransmitters or chemicals that send signals from one nerve cell to another which contain important information for the cells to function. Serotonin is known to contribute to feelings of contentment and an imbalance in serotonin levels can lead to depression and other mental disorders. Research shows that low levels of P5P lower serotonin levels, making more people depressed. Dopamine and norepinephrine are neurotransmitters that also contribute to feelings of well-being along with lowering fatigue. When P5P intake is at the recommended daily norms, these three chemicals are produced efficiently leading to a balanced mind [5,6].
P5P is also involved in the production of myelin which is a protein layer that forms around nerve cells [4]. This protein layer is what protects the cells. It is also important in the transportation of signals from nerve cell to nerve cell. Cells that have sufficient amount of myelin send and receive signals faster. This protein layer is extremely important as thinking, actions, and unconscious bodily functions all depend on brain signals being sent correctly. For example, people with multiple sclerosis, have damaged myelin layers leading to symptoms like spasms and cognitive difficulties. The health of the myelin layers often determines the kinds of diseases that affect us when we get older [7].
For many women, P5P offers extra benefits as it can alleviate or lessen PMS symptoms especially those of mood swings and depression. This makes a lot of sense as P5P maintains neurological health [1].
Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of why P5P is the essential form of vitamin B6 that our bodies need. A wide scope of reactions would not happen without it. To put it into another perspective, over 100 enzymes that aid those reactions are dependent on P5P for activation and work [1]. With that in mind, consider how you can get the P5P form of vitamin B6 into your diet or regularly take Balanced Trio multivitamins.
References:
[1] Vitamin B6. Linus Pauling Institute.
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-B6
[2] Vitamin B6. National Institutes of Health.
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB6-HealthProfessional/
[3] Pyridoxal 5-Phosphate. House of Nutrition.
http://www.houseofnutrition.com/pyr.html
[4] Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine). Mayo Clinic.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/vitamin-b6/background/hrb-20058788
[5] “Vitamin B6 Level Is Associated with Symptoms of Depression.” Hvas, Anne-Mette et al. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics Psychother Psychosom 73.6 (2004): 340-43. Web.
[6] “The Neurotransmitters of Contentment and How to Help Your Body Make Them.” L.ac., Jan Hanson M.s. (n.d.): n. pag. Wise Brain. Web. http://wisebrain.org/BiochemistryofContentment.pdf
[7] Degenerative Neurological Conditions. Boulder Community Health.
https://www.bch.org/rehabilitation-services/degenerative-neurological-conditions-%28alzheimers,-etc%29.aspx
Tiffany Zhu
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