Hungry Yet For B6
Vitamin B6 which is also known as pyridoxine, is interconnected with so many essential processes throughout the body. It holds metabolic hands in a séance with the 7 other members of the B-Complex family. Things that we might think impossible are made possible with pyridoxine, for instance dream recall. We have the ability to allow long-term memory to store our sleep adventures. B6 with folic acid (another B vitamin) is at the very least, an important indicator of systemic inflammation in the body. The vitamin, though an association with homocysteine (indicator of inflammation), is a numerical risk factor for certain diseases. Pyridoxine, like the other B’s allow the release of energy from all three food types. It is a master vitamin at renovating amino acids. B6 helps to form the protective covering for all our nerves called myelin. The vitamin has a primary role in the production of normal red blood cells. It helps in the creation of neurotransmitters like serotonin and adrenalin. B6 is very important for the defensive posture of the immune system.
As part of a protein enzyme system it allows conversions of carbohydrate, fat and protein to yield energy for living life. It makes up over 100 different enzyme systems in the body. It turns essential (must get from our diet) amino acids (components of proteins) into non-essential amino acids. Non-essential amino acids are ones we don’t have to get in our diet but we need B6 to help make them inside our bodies.
B6’s role of helping to construct the chemicals in our brain allow extremes of bodily reactions. We go from being awake undergoing an overwhelmingly stressed-out situation to a restful meditative state that helps induce a quality sleep time.
Next Out Unicorns And Mermaids
There was a double-blind placebo controlled study reported in the Journal of Perceptual and Motor Skills, Feb. 2002, that showed B6 increased dream recall and the ability for vivid dreams. We know that B6 aids in the conversion of the amino acid tryptophan into serotonin. The blood brain barrier prevents serotonin from getting absorbed from our foods. So tryptophan slips through the barrier and teams up with B6 to make serotonin inside the brain. The theory is that B6 acts during a period of sleep called REM (rapid eye movement). During this time, we are in active dream mode ready to face any dragon or that flying cyclops with the orange fluorescent head. B6 allows the stimulation of the brain in the cortical area of the cerebral cortex. This would then allow the vivid dream recall we sense when awakening for breakfast. We can recount exactly how we cut off the cyclops’ head with our blindingly brilliant green laser saber.
Inflammatory Process Can Lead Or Accelerate These Diseases
There is the controversial topic of B6 lowering inflammation in the body. Years ago, research correlated high levels of a chemical called homocysteine in the blood with higher risk of heart disease. So the thinking was if we increased B6 through supplementation it would decrease risk of heart and blood vessel disorder by lowering homocysteine levels in the blood. Studies up to this point have indicated that this thinking is probably not true or there may be more to the story. Homocysteine levels went down with supplementation but the risks of heart disease did not change. Renovating Your Mind thinks that B6 and other B’s are only indicators of what is going on in the body and not curative agent(s). Get your B vitamins from food rather than supplementation.
Deficient In Alcoholics
Foods starting from highest quantities of B6:
Summer squash, spinach, bell pepper, turnip greens, mushrooms (especially shiitake), garlic, tuna, cruciferous family, winter squash, tomatoes, cod, turkey and banana
They are the foods with the highest amounts of B6. Other meats, vegetables, beans and nuts also contain pyridoxine but in much lower amounts.
B6 is also responsible for the protective covering of all nerves called myelin. This allows transmission of an impulse from the initial thought to actually performing the activity. Too little B6 in the diet may cause all kinds of mental problems involving nerve transmission. Symptoms like seizures, irritability, hearing problems, depression and confusion. An excess of B6 through supplements will cause the inability to control body motion, a loss of feeling in the legs and tingling of both hands and feet. Chronic high doses will lead to irreversible nerve damage. When you take an excess of B6, you are overwhelming the entire nervous system. In addition, the other members of the B-Complex family go out of sync creating more abnormalities involving their activities.
B6 is involved in red blood cell development with the formation of hemoglobin. Deficiency of B6 causes a microcytic anemia. Microcytic means smaller than normal red blood cells. The body can’t produce what it requires for normal hemoglobin production. To compensate it starts making the red blood cells smaller to accommodate this deficiency. The result is less oxygen getting into the body so you feel tired, weak and look pale.
Pyridoxine is responsible for helping to maintain areas of the spleen, lymph nodes and thymus. These areas pump out white blood cells non-stop. These cells are the body’s internal military to protect against foreign invaders and implode our own cells that have gone AWOL.
Vitamin B6 is a leader that helps to hold everything together in the body. The job it does with immunity, brain chemistry, food energy, implicating inflammation and RBC and WBC production is nothing short of a miracle. The amazing thing is that most adults only need 2 mg per day. This is the ultimate multitasker vitamin. It is not only the jack of all trades but also an exceptional master as well.
Categories: Food
Renovating Your Mind 