The table below summarises vitamin deficiency states
| Vitamin | Chemical name | Deficiency state |
|---|---|---|
| A | Retinoids | Night-blindness (nyctalopia) |
| B1 | Thiamine | Beriberi |
| • polyneuropathy, Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome | ||
| • heart failure | ||
| B3 | Niacin | Pellagra |
| • dermatitis | ||
| • diarrhoea | ||
| • dementia | ||
| B6 | Pyridoxine | Anaemia, irritability, seizures |
| B7 | Biotin | Dermatitis, seborrhoea |
| B9 | Folic acid | Megaloblastic anaemia, deficiency during pregnancy - neural tube defects |
| B12 | Cyanocobalamin | Megaloblastic anaemia, peripheral neuropathy |
| C | Ascorbic acid | Scurvy |
| • gingivitis | ||
| • bleeding | ||
| D | Ergocalciferol, cholecalciferol | Rickets, osteomalacia |
| E | Tocopherol, tocotrienol | Mild haemolytic anaemia in newborn infants, ataxia, peripheral neuropathy |
| K | Naphthoquinone | Haemorrhagic disease of the newborn, bleeding diathesis |
Vitamin B6 is also known as pyridoxine. It plays a part in the formation of haemoglobin and is found in a variety of foods including chicken, fish, bread, vegetables, eggs, peanuts, milk and potatoes. Recommended daily intake of vitamin B6 is 1.4mg a day for men and 1.2mg a day for women which is easily achievable for most people who have a healthy, balanced diet.
Taking more than 200mg a day of vitamin B6 for several months can lead to peripheral neuropathy.
It is converted to pyridoxal phosphate (PLP) which is a cofactor for many reactions including transamination, deamination and decarboxylation.
Causes of vitamin B6 deficiency
Consequences of vitamin B6 deficiency
Diagram showing the biochemical role of vitamin B12 and vitamin B6