Proper Name: Pyridoxine Hydrochloride

Common Name: Vitamin B6

Evidence of Efficacy: statement to the effect of Vitamin B6 deficiency or imbalance plays a role in the symptoms of mood disorders. Observational and experimental studies have shown an association between vitamin B6 and aggression¹, anxiety^2,3,4, ADHD^{5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12}, bipolar disorder^13,14, depression^{15, 16 ,17 ,18 ,19 ,20 ,21 ,22 ,23 ,24 ,25 ,26}, obsessive compulsive disorder^27,28, premenstrual syndrome^{29, 30, 31, 32, 33,3 4,3 5,36 ,37, 38, ,39 ,40, 41, 42,43 ,44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50 ,5 1,52, 53},and schizophrenia^{54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59,6 0,6 1,62 ,63 ,64 .65}

References:

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15. Noted in McLaren DS. Clinical manifestations of nutritional disorders, in ME Shils, VR Young, Eds. Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease, Seventh Edition. Philadelphia, Lea & Febiger, 1988.

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52. Abraham GE et al. Effect of vitamin B6 on plasma and red blood cell magnesium levels in premenopausal women. Ann Clin Lab Sci 11(4):333-6, 1981.

53. Holley J et al. Effect of vitamin B6 nutritional status on the uptake of [3H]-oestradiol into the uterus, liver and hypothalamus of the rat. J Steroid Biochem 18:161-6, 1983.

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58. Cruz R, Vogel WH. Pyroluria: A poor marker in chronic schizophrenia. Am J Psychiatry 135(10):1239-40, 1978.

59. Parry GJ. Sensory neuropathy with low-dose pyridoxine. Neurology 35:1466:8, 1985.

60. Kleijnen J, Knipschild P. Niacin and vitamin B6 in mental functioning: a review of controlled trials in humans. Biol Psychiatry 29(9):931-41, 1991.

61. Brooks SC et al. An unusual schizophrenic illness responsive to pyridoxine HCl (B6) subsequent to phenothiazine and butyrophenone toxicities. Biol Psychiatry 18(11):1321-8, 1983.

62. Yamauchi M. Effects of L-dopa and vitamin B6 on electroencephalograms of schizophrenic patients: A preliminary report. Folia Psychiatrica et Neurologica Japonica 30(2):121-51, 1976.

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