By Enyeribe Ejiogu
The times are really hard in Nigeria. People are finding it increasingly difficult to feed, not to talk of eating well. Yet, they must eat foods to get the vital nutrients the body needs to function well and sustain life. One of these vital nutrients is vitamin B6. This hard-working vitamin plays many important roles in the proper functioning of the body. It affects your mood, appetite, sleep, and thinking. You need it to fight off infections, turn food into energy, and help your blood carry oxygen to all corners of your body. While it’s actually rare to run low, you really can’t afford to do so. As in every in nature, there are always signs to indicate that the body lacks vitamin B6. This means that every individual must make effort to get it from food. There are some smart ways to do this, as explained below.
Flagging energy
Though it is rare for the body to be low on B6, but if it happens, you will have get anaemia, a situation where there is too few red blood cells. That would make you feel tired and weak. Anaemia can also come from not having enough iron in your body. Shortages of other vitamins, like B12 and folate can also cause it.
Older people (from 60 upwards) may run low on B6 if they don’t eat enough food or because their bodies don’t absorb nutrients as well as before. Kidney disease and other conditions that keep your small intestine from taking in nutrients also can be culprits. So can alcohol abuse. Some prescription medicines can also cause you to not have enough B6. If your doctor prescribes a new medicine, don’t hesitate to ask about its overall effect on your body.
Rashes
Signs that you lack B6 can show up on your skin. Your body goes through chemical changes. That most often leads to a scaly, itchy rash, usually on the face. This is called seborrheic dermatitis. The rash may get more and more obvious with time. If you have a minor shortage, the symptoms could take months or years to show up.
Dry, cracked lips
The average Nigerian must have met a person with cracked lips, particularly around the major bus stops and bus parks in urban settings like Lagos, Ibadan, Aba, Port Harcourt, Benin and others, where you find touts popularly called agbero in Lagos, who consume a lot of alcoholic beverages and such other concoctions sold in sachets and small dark green plastic bottles. The mouth is a good place to spot any shortage of B6. Your lips might be scaly, and the corners could be cracked. Your tongue might swell.
Weak immune system
A shortage of B6 may make it harder for your body to resist infections and diseases. That can turn into a vicious cycle. Cancer and other illnesses can deplete your B6 supply. So you’d need to get even more of the vitamin to make up for that. You can do that easily with a B6 supplement.
Numb hands or feet
Do your fingers tingle? Do your feet feel numb? The culprit may be a nerve disorder called peripheral neuropathy. Lack of B6 may help trigger it. It and other B vitamins like B12 are essential to keep your nerves healthy.
Cranky baby
A fussy baby could be trying to tell you they’re low on B6. That could happen if you feed your infant nothing else but breast milk for more than about six months. Too little of the vitamin can even lead to seizures. It also can make your baby’s hearing extra sensitive so that noises can easily upset them.
Morning sickness
Moms-to-be need more B6 in their diet than anyone else. Vitamin B6 can be helpful if you are feeling sick with nausea or vomiting and not just in the mornings. But you should take it only with your doctor’s guidance.
Foggy brain
Vitamin B6 helps regulate your mood and memory. If you notice feeling confused or sad, especially if you are old, a shortage of this vitamin could be the reason. It may make you more likely to get depressed after a stroke, fractured hip, or other major illness. B6 sometimes works in tandem with other B vitamins. If you run low, it may slow your mental abilities.
Cancer
Low B6 may play a role in your chances of having cancer. Researchers don’t know exactly why. But studies have linked a lack of B6 to stomach and esophageal cancers. A lack of the vitamin also may make you more likely to get cancers driven by steroid hormones, such as breast and prostate cancers.
Daily dose
The amount of B6 you need each day depends mainly on your age. Babies that are seven to 12 months old need 0.3 milligrams a day. You need more as you grow. If you’re over age 50, you need at least 5 times as much: 1.7 milligrams a day for men and 1.5 milligrams for women. Pregnant women need it most of all — 1.9 milligrams a day.
Sources of Vitamin B6
Proteins: It’s easy to get all the B6 you need from foods. Poultry, beef, and fish are among the easiest and most available sources. Eating fishes like salmon, scumbia, tilapia, catfish, sardine, regularly provides enough B6 for the body. You can also get B6 from eating chicken.
Vegetables and fruits: You should fall in love with starchy vegetables like potatoes, yams, and corn. They are very good sources of B6. Fruits are another major source (except for citruses like oranges and grapefruits). One cup of chickpeas, aka garbanzo beans, will take care of half of your daily requirement.
Supplements: If you’re unable to get enough B6 from foods, supplements can fill the gap. Most multivitamins have B6, or you can take it separately. Tell your doctor if you’re on any routine medication or taking other supplements.
And go easy on it. Taking too much B6 might damage your nerves or give you sores, heartburn, or nausea. The safe daily limit for adults is less than 100 milligrams.
Adapted from webmd.com