To Your Health July, 2024 (Vol. 18, Issue 07)

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B₆ for Mental Health

By Editorial Staff

Are you getting enough vitamin B – specifically vitamin B₆? If you experience anxiety and/or depression, low vitamin B could be one of the contributing factors; and getting enough vitamin B could be one of the solutions! Let's take a look at what new research suggests about the power of vitamin B₆ when it comes to your mental health.

Published in Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, the study included 300 participants who randomly received vitamin B₆ or B₁₂ supplements, or a placebo (an inactive supplement) daily for one month. Anxiety / depression levels were assessed before and after supplementation so researchers could evaluate how the B vitamins impacted symptoms.

Members of the B₆ group reported feeling less anxious and depressed after one month, while members of the B₁₂ and placebo groups reported little to no improvement in anxiety / depression. It's important to note that researchers administered high doses of B vitamins for study purposes (approximately 50 times about the recommended daily allowance), so you definitely shouldn't start taking extra vitamin B₆ without talking to your doctor first.

Why could vitamin B₆ improve anxiety / depression? Per the study, it may be associated with a neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Other research suggests people with anxiety and/or depression have lower levels of GABA, and in this study, tests following one month of supplementation confirmed higher levels of GABA in members of the B₆ group.