Vitamin B6
Research reviewed: Up until 03/2026
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) is a dietary supplement with 13 published peer-reviewed studies involving 1,696 participants, researched for PMS Relief, Brain Function, Mood Regulation and 1 more areas.
Evidence at a Glance
Strength is scored by study design, sample size, study type, and outcomes
PMS Relief
StrongBrain Function
StrongMood Regulation
StrongNausea & Vomiting
ModerateResearch Visualised
Visual breakdown of the clinical data.
Study Quality Breakdown
What types of studies were conducted
Participants Per Study
Larger samples = more reliable results
Research Timeline
When the studies were published
All Studies
Detailed breakdown of each trial. Click to expand.
PMS Relief
To evaluate whether pyridoxine (vitamin B6) alleviates premenstrual depression
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, crossover
Purpose
To evaluate whether pyridoxine (vitamin B6) alleviates premenstrual depression
Dose
50 mg/day pyridoxine
Participants
55 women with moderate to severe premenstrual mood changes
Duration
3 menstrual cycles
Results
Pyridoxine significantly reduced premenstrual depression and overall PMS symptom severity vs placebo.
How They Measured It
Menstrual distress questionnaire, HDRS, symptom diary
To assess the effects of vitamin B6 supplementation on premenstrual symptoms
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To assess the effects of vitamin B6 supplementation on premenstrual symptoms
Dose
200 mg/day vitamin B6
Participants
55 women with premenstrual symptoms
Duration
3 cycles
Results
Vitamin B6 supplementation significantly reduced mood-related PMS symptoms including depression and irritability.
How They Measured It
Daily symptom scores, premenstrual assessment form
To evaluate efficacy of vitamin B6 for treating PMS across randomised trials
Study Type
Systematic review and meta-analysis
Purpose
To evaluate efficacy of vitamin B6 for treating PMS across randomised trials
Dose
50-600 mg/day
Participants
Multiple RCTs pooled
Duration
Various
Results
Vitamin B6 at doses of 50-100 mg/day may be beneficial in reducing overall PMS and depressive symptoms.
How They Measured It
Overall PMS symptoms, depression, irritability
To evaluate vitamin B6 for the treatment of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To evaluate vitamin B6 for the treatment of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)
Dose
100 mg/day vitamin B6
Participants
58 women with PMDD
Duration
3 cycles
Results
B6 supplementation significantly reduced psychological PMS symptoms and overall PMDD severity vs placebo.
How They Measured It
Premenstrual symptom rating scale, depression measures
Brain Function
To investigate if high-dose vitamin B6 reduces anxiety in young adults
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To investigate if high-dose vitamin B6 reduces anxiety in young adults
Dose
100 mg/day vitamin B6
Participants
478 young adults
Duration
30 days
Results
High-dose vitamin B6 significantly reduced self-reported anxiety (p<0.05) and reduced surround suppression indicating GABA activity.
How They Measured It
State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, GABA activity measures
To evaluate the effect of vitamin B6 on cognitive function in elderly women
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To evaluate the effect of vitamin B6 on cognitive function in elderly women
Dose
10 mg/day vitamin B6
Participants
82 elderly women
Duration
5 weeks
Results
Vitamin B6 supplementation significantly improved memory and attention in elderly women with low B6 status.
How They Measured It
Cognitive battery, plasma homocysteine
To evaluate B6 + B12 + folic acid combination effect on cognitive decline
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To evaluate B6 + B12 + folic acid combination effect on cognitive decline
Dose
20 mg B6 + 500 ug B12 + 800 ug folic acid
Participants
271 older adults with mild cognitive impairment
Duration
24 months
Results
B-vitamin combination significantly reduced brain atrophy rate and cognitive decline in those with elevated homocysteine.
How They Measured It
MMSE, cognitive battery, homocysteine
To evaluate vitamin B6 supplementation for carpal tunnel syndrome
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To evaluate vitamin B6 supplementation for carpal tunnel syndrome
Dose
100-200 mg/day pyridoxine
Participants
200 carpal tunnel syndrome patients
Duration
12 weeks
Results
Vitamin B6 significantly reduced pain and improved nerve conduction in carpal tunnel syndrome patients.
How They Measured It
Pain VAS, nerve conduction studies, grip strength
Mood Regulation
To evaluate vitamin B6 as adjunct therapy in depression
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To evaluate vitamin B6 as adjunct therapy in depression
Dose
100 mg/day
Participants
42 depressed patients with low B6 status
Duration
8 weeks
Results
B6 supplementation significantly improved antidepressant response in patients with documented B6 deficiency.
How They Measured It
HDRS, Beck Depression Inventory
To assess vitamin B6 effect on nausea and vomiting in pregnancy
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To assess vitamin B6 effect on nausea and vomiting in pregnancy
Dose
30 mg/day pyridoxine
Participants
342 pregnant women with morning sickness
Duration
5 days
Results
Vitamin B6 significantly reduced nausea severity and vomiting episodes vs placebo in early pregnancy.
How They Measured It
Nausea VAS, vomiting episodes, pregnancy outcome
To evaluate vitamin B6 supplementation on homocysteine and cardiovascular risk
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To evaluate vitamin B6 supplementation on homocysteine and cardiovascular risk
Dose
10 mg/day
Participants
80 adults with elevated homocysteine
Duration
12 weeks
Results
Vitamin B6 significantly reduced plasma homocysteine levels and cardiovascular risk markers.
How They Measured It
Plasma homocysteine, cardiovascular risk markers
To assess vitamin B6 supplementation on oxidative stress and immune function
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To assess vitamin B6 supplementation on oxidative stress and immune function
Dose
50 mg/day vitamin B6
Participants
33 healthy elderly adults
Duration
14 days
Results
Vitamin B6 improved antioxidant status and enhanced lymphocyte response in elderly adults.
How They Measured It
Antioxidant enzyme activity, lymphocyte function, IL-2
Nausea & Vomiting
To evaluate whether pyridoxine (vitamin B6) reduces postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in patients undergoing elective gynecologic laparoscopic surgery.
Study Type
Single-center randomized controlled trial
Purpose
To evaluate whether pyridoxine (vitamin B6) reduces postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in patients undergoing elective gynecologic laparoscopic surgery.
Dose
0.2 g vitamin B6 IV before anesthesia induction
Participants
240 patients (18-65 years) undergoing gynecologic laparoscopic surgery
Duration
Perioperative (single dose)
Results
Pyridoxine significantly reduced PONV incidence (16.7% vs 35.8%, P=0.001) and postoperative nausea specifically (12.5% vs 35%, P<0.001). No significant differences in vomiting rates, pain, or inflammatory markers between groups.
How They Measured It
Incidence of PONV, nausea, vomiting, serum IL-6 and substance P
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Vitamin B6 research
There are currently 13 peer-reviewed studies on Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine), involving 1,696 total participants. Research covers Brain function, PMS relief, Mood regulation. The overall evidence strength is rated as Very Strong.
The evidence is currently rated as "Very Strong Evidence". This rating is based on study design quality (randomisation, blinding, placebo controls), sample sizes, study types (12 human studies), and reported outcomes.
Vitamin B6 has been researched for: Brain function, PMS relief, Mood regulation. Each area has its own body of evidence which you can explore in the study breakdowns above.
Yes, 12 out of 13 studies are human trials. Human trials carry more weight in our evidence scoring system.
