Vitamin guide
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin involved in energy metabolism, nervous-system function, red blood cell formation and hormonal activity. Supplements commonly use pyridoxine hydrochloride or pyridoxal-5-phosphate (P-5-P).
Compare products ↓What is vitamin B6?
Vitamin B6 is a group of related compounds involved in many enzyme reactions. In supplements, the most familiar forms are pyridoxine hydrochloride and pyridoxal-5-phosphate (P-5-P), the phosphorylated coenzyme form.
What does vitamin B6 support?
Vitamin B6 contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism, normal functioning of the nervous system and normal psychological function. It also contributes to normal immune-system function, normal red blood cell formation, normal homocysteine metabolism, regulation of hormonal activity and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. It also contributes to normal protein and glycogen metabolism and normal cysteine synthesis.
What happens if you don’t get enough vitamin B6?
Vitamin B6 deficiency can cause anaemia, itchy or scaly skin, cracks at the corners of the mouth and a swollen tongue. Very low levels can also be associated with depression, confusion and impaired immune function.
Some health conditions and medicines can increase deficiency risk. At the same time, long-term high supplemental vitamin B6 intake can damage nerves, so suspected deficiency is not a reason to choose the highest-dose product.
Vitamin B6 and pregnancy nausea
Pregnancy nausea is one of the most interesting evidence-based uses of pyridoxine. A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis of 18 studies found beneficial effects from pyridoxine alone and in combination with other active ingredients for nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
ACOG states that vitamin B6 can be tried first for nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, with doxylamine added if B6 alone does not relieve symptoms. This is a clinical treatment context rather than an EU-authorised food-supplement health claim, so it is kept separate from the authorised B6 benefit claims.
Pyridoxine or P-5-P?
Pyridoxine hydrochloride is a common and well-established supplemental form. P-5-P is the phosphorylated coenzyme form and is often marketed as an “active” form. Form is useful comparison information, but an “active” label by itself does not establish that a product will deliver a better outcome for every user.
Everyday B6 or a higher-strength formula?
Vitamin B6 appears in ordinary multivitamins, B-complexes, magnesium combinations and much stronger standalone products. This makes the B6 amount per recommended day a useful first comparison, especially when several supplements in your routine contain B6.
B6 is water-soluble, but long-term high supplemental intake can cause peripheral nerve damage. Compare the total B6 across combination products rather than using % NRV as a score to maximise.
What should you compare?
Vitamin B6 / day
Compare the amount supplied by the recommended daily serving.
Form
Check whether the product provides pyridoxine hydrochloride, P-5-P or another labelled form.
Single ingredient or combination
B6 is frequently combined with magnesium, other B vitamins or ingredients aimed at women’s health, so compare the whole formulation rather than B6 in isolation.
Product comparison
Compare vitamin B6 supplements
Compare vitamin B6 per day, form, serving, other active ingredients, format and vegan suitability.
How products are ordered: by the lowest labelled daily vitamin B6 amount, lower to higher; equal amounts alphabetically. This is not a ranking.
| Product | Vitamin B6 / day | Form | Recommended serving | Other active ingredients | Format | Vegan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lamberts P5P 20 mgView product ↗ | 20 mg | Pyridoxal-5-phosphate (P-5-P) | 1 tablet daily with a meal | — | Tablet | Yes |
| Sunday Natural Vitamin B6 P-5-P 20 mgView product ↗ | 20 mg | Pyridoxal-5-phosphate (P-5-P) | 1 capsule daily | — | HPMC capsule | Yes |
| Solgar Vitamin B6 25 mgView product ↗ | 25–50 mg | Pyridoxine HCl | 1 tablet 1–2 times daily, preferably with a meal | — | Tablet | Yes |
| Thorne Pyridoxal 5′-PhosphateView product ↗ | 33.8–101.4 mg | Pyridoxal-5-phosphate (P-5-P) | 1 capsule one to three times daily | — | Capsule | Yes |
| NOW P-5-P 50 mgView product ↗ | 50 mg | Pyridoxal-5-phosphate (P-5-P) | 1 veg capsule daily | Magnesium | Veg capsule | Yes |
EU health claim details
Authorised health claims
A quick consumer view — full regulatory list available below● Vitamin B6 contributes to the normal function of the immune system.Immune system · General population
Health functions (Article 13)
Condition of use
Food must be at least a source of vitamin B6.
General food: 0.21 mg / 100 g or 100 ml
Beverage: 0.105 mg / 100 ml
Single-portion pack: 0.21 mg per portion
Calculated from the EU NRV significant-amount reference. Claim-specific conditions take precedence.
EFSA / scientific assessment
EFSA Journal 2009;7(9):1225
EU legal source
Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012
● Vitamin B6 contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.Tiredness & fatigue · General population
Health functions (Article 13)
Condition of use
Food must be at least a source of vitamin B6.
General food: 0.21 mg / 100 g or 100 ml
Beverage: 0.105 mg / 100 ml
Single-portion pack: 0.21 mg per portion
Calculated from the EU NRV significant-amount reference. Claim-specific conditions take precedence.
EFSA / scientific assessment
EFSA Journal 2010;8(10):1759
EU legal source
Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012
● Vitamin B6 contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.Energy metabolism · General population
Health functions (Article 13)
Condition of use
Food must be at least a source of vitamin B6.
General food: 0.21 mg / 100 g or 100 ml
Beverage: 0.105 mg / 100 ml
Single-portion pack: 0.21 mg per portion
Calculated from the EU NRV significant-amount reference. Claim-specific conditions take precedence.
EFSA / scientific assessment
EFSA Journal 2010;8(10):1759
EU legal source
Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012
×Other assessed health claims (6)
Not authorised for use in the EUView claims ↓
Other assessed health claims (6)
Not authorised for use in the EU● Necessary for healthy teeth, bones, hair, skin and nails — assessed relationship: maintenance of normal bone.Bones ·
Health functions (Article 13)
Condition of use
—
EFSA / scientific assessment
EFSA Journal 2010;8(10):1759
EU legal source
—
Additional statement / restriction
Non-compliance with the Regulation because on the basis of the scientific evidence assessed, this claimed effect for this food has not been substantiated.
● Necessary for healthy teeth, bones, hair, skin and nails — assessed relationship: maintenance of normal hair.Hair ·
Health functions (Article 13)
Condition of use
—
EFSA / scientific assessment
EFSA Journal 2010;8(10):1759
EU legal source
—
Additional statement / restriction
Non-compliance with the Regulation because on the basis of the scientific evidence assessed, this claimed effect for this food has not been substantiated.
● Necessary for healthy teeth, bones, hair, skin and nails — assessed relationship: maintenance of normal nails.Nails ·
Health functions (Article 13)
Condition of use
—
EFSA / scientific assessment
EFSA Journal 2010;8(10):1759
EU legal source
—
Additional statement / restriction
Non-compliance with the Regulation because on the basis of the scientific evidence assessed, this claimed effect for this food has not been substantiated.
● Necessary for healthy teeth, bones, hair, skin and nails — assessed relationship: maintenance of normal skin.Skin ·
Health functions (Article 13)
Condition of use
—
EFSA / scientific assessment
EFSA Journal 2010;8(10):1759
EU legal source
—
Additional statement / restriction
Non-compliance with the Regulation because on the basis of the scientific evidence assessed, this claimed effect for this food has not been substantiated.
● Necessary for healthy teeth, bones, hair, skin and nails — assessed relationship: maintenance of normal teeth.Teeth ·
Health functions (Article 13)
Condition of use
—
EFSA / scientific assessment
EFSA Journal 2010;8(10):1759
EU legal source
—
Additional statement / restriction
Non-compliance with the Regulation because on the basis of the scientific evidence assessed, this claimed effect for this food has not been substantiated.
● Positive impact on the mood especially in women.Mental performance ·
Health functions (Article 13)
Condition of use
—
EFSA / scientific assessment
EFSA Journal 2009;7(9):1225
EU legal source
—
Additional statement / restriction
Non-compliance with the Regulation because on the basis of the scientific evidence assessed, the proposed conditions of use would encourage excess consumption of this food, which is contrary to the criteria laid down in the Regulation.
Regulatory details
Check how the claims on this page are classified and where their regulatory information comes from.
View page-level details
- Ingredient
- Vitamin B6
- Category
- Vitamin
- NRV
- 1.4 mg
- Authorised claims
- 10
- Other assessed claims
- 6
- Claim framework
- EU nutrition and health claims framework. Individual claim cards show the specific claim type, conditions of use, EFSA reference and legal source available in the version data.
Tip: expand any claim above for its claim-specific source details. The European Commission's EU Register is an information service; legal acts are the authoritative source for legal requirements, and some pending claims are not shown in the Register.
Claim use requirements
How much of this nutrient must a food contain for an EU health claim to be used?
0.105 mg / 100 ml for beverages
0.21 mg per portion if the package contains only one portion