Pyridoxine is part of a group, which includes pyridoxal and pyridoxamine, that gets converted in the body into pyridoxal phosphate. This compound acts as a coenzyme, boosting enzyme activity and facilitating chemical reactions. Many vitamins function as coenzymes. The vitamin B6 group plays a critical role in the health of the nervous system, skin, and blood. Vitamin B6 is essential for producing heme, a crucial component of hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying molecule in red blood cells, because pyridoxal phosphate is needed for its synthesis.Vitamin B6 is generally abundant in most foods, so dietary deficiency is rare. However, a deficiency can develop due to poor intestinal absorption or because certain medications, like anticonvulsants, corticosteroids, isoniazid, and penicillamine, deactivate it. Other factors that can lead to a deficiency include increased metabolic demands due to conditions like hyperthyroidism, resulting in a relative shortage of the vitamin.A lack of vitamin B6 can lead to convulsions in infants and various symptoms in adults. There was an incident where infants experienced convulsions following the accidental destruction of vitamin B6 in their formulas. Additionally, several genetic disorders are linked to issues with vitamin B6.
