A chemical form of vitamin B6.
One of the water-soluble B-group of vitamins, sometimes termed Vitamin B, which is essential for body metabolism. Pyridoxine deficiency leads to dermatitis, muscular weakness and, in children, to convulsions. It is present in meat, liver, vegetables and whole cereal grains.
Water-soluble vitamin, part of the B-complex group; it functions as a coenzyme in many metabolic processes; also called vitamin Bg.
This vitamin plays an important part in the metabolism of a number of amino acids. Deficiency leads to atrophy of the epidermis, the hair follicles, and the sebaceous glands, and peripheral neuritis may also occur. Young infants are more susceptible to pyridoxine deficiency than adults: they begin to lose weight and develop a hypochromic anaemia; irritability and convulsions may also occur. Liver, yeast and cereals are relatively rich sources of the vitamin; fish is a moderately rich source, but vegetables and milk contain little. The minimal daily requirement in the diet is probably about 2 mg.
Vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, is rarely deficient in diets, but certain medications can induce this deficiency. In some cases, pyridoxine supplements (ranging from 50 to 100 mg per day) are utilized to address premenstrual syndrome. However, prolonged consumption of high doses of this supplement may carry a potential risk of toxicity.