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Vitamin B6 – Important for Metabolism and Our Immune System

Vitamin B6 is one of the vitamins of the B complex and is involved in many metabolic processes. Utopia explains what happens in the event of an overdose and which foods contain the vitamin.
As with many other vitamins, there is no such thing as “the one” vitamin B6. Rather, vitamin B6 is a collective term for various, very similar chemical compounds with the same biological effect on metabolism: These substances include, for example, pyridoxine, pyridoxal and pyridoxamine. Our body cannot produce these substances itself – which means we have to absorb them through food.

What are the functions of vitamin B6?

Like all vitamins of the vitamin B complex, vitamin B6 is also involved in a number of metabolic processes. As the most important coenzyme in amino acid metabolism, it is particularly important for protein metabolism. Together with folate, riboflavin and vitamin B12, vitamin B6 regulates homocysteine metabolism. Other functions of the vitamin are:

carbohydrate metabolism
fat metabolism
Formation of messenger substances and niacin
Effects on the immune system
Influencing hormone activity

What happens with vitamin B6 deficiency?

A vitamin B6 deficiency is very rare in healthy people and usually does not occur in isolation, but is usually accompanied by other vitamin deficiencies. The main reasons for a vitamin B6 deficiency are alcohol dependence, chronic diseases of the digestive system, side effects of certain medications or insufficient food intake (e.g. in older people). The symptoms of a vitamin B6 deficiency are diffuse:

anemia
neurological disorders
Diarrhea
Vomit
cramps
rashes
inflammation of the mouth

Overdose side effects

With a normal diet, it is not possible to absorb too much vitamin B6. Only those who overdose on vitamin B6-containing dietary supplements, medicines or fortified foods must expect serious side effects. Long-term intake of more than 500 mg of vitamin B6 per day can lead to neurological disorders, skin changes and muscle weakness. And even with a lower dosage of over 100 mg per day, slight neurological impairments can occur.

In an American study (2017), male participants who overdosed on vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 for years had a 30 to 40 percent increased risk of lung cancer. In addition, drugs can interact with vitamin preparations and impair their effectiveness.

Other side effects of overdosing on vitamin B6 include:

sensitivity to sunlight
skin rashes
Uncomfortable tingling in hands or feet
Painful discomfort or numbness
Due to these risks, the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has set a maximum amount of 3.5 mg vitamin B6 per day for food supplements. Nevertheless, it happens that vitamin preparations are overdosed and athletes in particular should be careful with special sports products: As the Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety determined in 2015, these dietary supplements sometimes provide more than 3000 percent of the daily requirement.

Daily requirement of vitamin B6

Because of the importance of vitamin B6 for the amino acid metabolism, it was previously assumed that the daily vitamin B6 requirement is related to the amount of protein that one ingests daily: the more protein one eats, the more vitamin B6 is needed to make it available in the body use the body for energy.

However, recent findings indicate that there is no connection between the intake of protein and the need for vitamin B6. For this reason, the German Society for Nutrition (DGE) revised the recommendations in 2019: The recommended intake of vitamin B6 for adults is now between 1.4 and 1.6 mg per day.

Which foods contain vitamin B6?

Vitamin B6 is very sensitive and also water-soluble. Heat and UV light damage it, so it is best to prepare foods rich in vitamin B6 gently or eat them raw and store them in the dark. If you cook food that contains vitamin B6, you should make sure that you use as little water as possible so that the vitamin is not released from the food.

Foods high in vitamin B6 include:

whole grain products
fatty sea fish (mackerel, salmon, sardines, kippers)
Soybeans and other legumes
meat (especially liver)
bananas
Nuts and seeds (walnuts, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds)
potatoes
Red pepper
carrots
Cauliflower
A large portion of potato or carrot salad (300 g), refined with a handful of walnuts, covers an adult’s daily vitamin B6 requirement. Although potatoes and carrots are not in season all year round, they are also available outside of the times indicated in the seasonal calendar from regional cultivation.

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Food

Tangerines Stimulate Metabolism

In the dark season, they often end up on the plate again: tangerines. The orange-colored fruit, which many like to snack on in the winter months, tastes refreshingly fruity. In addition to the numerous positive health aspects, they provide plenty of fuel to the body, because tangerines stimulate the metabolism and promote blood clotting.

Important energy suppliers

The white skin of the tangerines – i.e. the separating tissue – is meticulously peeled away by many fruit lovers. It is precisely there that there are a lot of secondary plant substances that can help prevent cardiovascular diseases and stimulate metabolism.

In addition, tangerines have the highest selenium content of all citrus fruits. Thus, they have an antioxidant effect and protect the body cells from damaging external influences, which are important for blood clotting and for the thyroid gland.

Mandarins are so healthy

Tangerines not only stimulate the metabolism, they are also packed with vitamin C: just one fruit covers 43 percent of the daily requirement of the vitamin! Anyone who enjoys tangerines thus gets their immune system going, which is particularly important in the cold season. In addition, the fruit is low in calories and provides fiber, which regulates appetite and is important for intestinal health.

Wash off hot

Before peeling the tangerines, they should be washed with hot water and your hands cleaned, otherwise the residues of preservatives can migrate into the flesh.

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health

Basal Metabolism: What Does That Mean?

Every person has an individual basal metabolic rate. We’ll show you what basal metabolism means and what it has to do with calorie consumption.

What is a basal turnover?

The basal metabolic rate, also known as the resting metabolic rate, indicates the amount of energy a person needs at rest per 24 hours. This energy keeps vital bodily functions such as breathing and heartbeat going. The basal metabolic rate depends on various factors such as age, gender, height, weight, muscle mass and state of health. It is therefore different from person to person and individual.

How can you calculate your basal metabolic rate?

The basal metabolic rate is a theoretical construct that is calculated using a formula. A formula that you can use to calculate your approximate basal metabolic rate is the “Harris-Benedict formula”:
Women: Basal Metabolic Rate = 655.1 + (9.6 * body weight in kg) + (1.8 * height in cm) – (4.7 * age in years)
Men: Basal Metabolic Rate = 66.47 + (13.7 * body weight in kg) + (5 * height in cm) – (6.8 * age in years)
There are other formulas like the “Mifflin-St.Jeor formula” which are similar but different:
Women: Basal Metabolic Rate = (10 * weight in kg) + (6.25 * height in cm) – (5 * age in years) – 61
Men: basal metabolic rate = (10 * weight in kg) + (6.25 * height in cm) – (5 * age in years) + 5
You notice that these formulas can only reflect a guideline and no binding, actual information.

If you don’t want to calculate your basal metabolic rate yourself, you can alternatively use one of the numerous free basal metabolic rate calculators on the internet.

Understanding Calories

Calories, actually kilocalories (kcal), is a unit that indicates the calorific value of food. Calorific value means heat energy that is released when a substance is burned. The more calories a food contains, the more energy it provides. You can find information on calories in Germany on every packaged food item in the nutritional information.

Note: Even healthy foods can contain a lot of calories. Pay attention to the quality of your food and a healthy diet.

Basal metabolic rate and calorie requirement

As mentioned, your basal metabolic rate is the amount of energy your body needs to survive. Your calorie requirement (or energy requirement) is the energy that you consume through exercise and work in addition to the basal metabolic rate.

This is how you can calculate your calorie requirement: total energy requirement = basal metabolism + performance metabolism

Each activity of the day is added up and, together with your basal metabolic rate, represents your specific daily calorie requirement. Another factor that influences your total energy requirement is thermogenesis. This is the energy you need to metabolize the food you eat.

Just as there are online calculators for basal metabolic rate, there are also calculators for calorie needs and total energy expenditure.

Lose weight with the knowledge of basal metabolic rate and calorie requirement

The more you train, the more you move every day, the more calories you burn. Your basal metabolic rate is always the same, you can only make a difference with exercise and food intake.

When you consume calories from food or drink, you have to use that energy to keep from gaining weight. Otherwise, the excess energy is converted into body fat. This is due to evolution, because in the past it was vital to have (fat) reserves for bad times. In today’s society, this is no longer an issue.

There are three options:
If you take in more calories than you expend, you gain weight. (calorie excess)
If you take in the same number of calories as you expend, you will maintain your weight.
If you take in fewer calories than you expend, you lose weight. (calorie deficit)
If you’re a little over your energy needs, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re gaining weight. For example, if you do strength training, this excess energy is used to build muscle.

In order to burn one kilogram of body fat, almost 7,000 calories must be burned. Every body burns energy and therefore calories at different rates. People with a higher proportion of muscle, for example, have a higher basal metabolic rate because muscles also use energy at rest.

In short: More exercise means more calories burned. If you also pay attention to a correct diet, you can lose or maintain your weight.

Important: You should never consume so many calories that you fall below your basal metabolic rate. Because this is essential!

Note: Losing weight quickly is unhealthy and usually has a yo-yo effect. Listen to your body and take your time. Avoid cheat days, extremes are rarely good. A balanced diet is the be-all and end-all.

You can calculate your BMI as a guide to your current weight status, because this makes statements about whether you are normal, underweight or overweight. However, the BMI does not say whether you are healthy or not and should therefore be viewed with caution.

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health

Burn Fat: This is How You Stimulate The Fat Metabolism

In order to lose weight healthily and permanently, the body has to burn fat. But how does it work? We have tested various methods for you.

The body constantly needs energy – for the body’s own processes such as the formation of new cells, to warm up or to move. The body obtains this energy from food, especially from the macronutrients fat, carbohydrates and protein. When it gets more energy than it needs, the body stores the excess calories – in the form of fat. This means: If you constantly take in more calories than you expend, your fat stores will grow.

In order to empty them again, you have to burn fat. What exactly happens? Fats consist mainly of carbon and hydrogen. With the additional supply of oxygen, the body can “burn” the fats. This produces energy, CO2 and water. The water is sweated out, the CO2 expelled through the breathing air. In this way, the body loses about 200 grams of carbon a day.

This value can be increased – but how? One obvious possibility is physical exertion. But some foods are also said to stimulate fat metabolism.

Burn fat through food – is that possible?

As described above, the body stores excess energy in the form of fat. If you have a balanced calorie balance, your fat stores will not grow. You can do this by eating a healthy and balanced diet. However, if you want to burn existing fat, you have to supply your body with less energy than it needs. That can be difficult. So wouldn’t it be easier if certain foods stimulated fat burning?

Such foods should exist. The following candidates are particularly often said to stimulate fat burning:
Some vegetables are said to provide “negative calories” to help burn fat. This means that these foods have fewer calories than you need for digestion. Lose weight by eating? Sounds good, but unfortunately has no scientific basis, according to Stern. In 2012, a study examined the myth of negative calories using the example of celery. 15 healthy women ate celery while their calorie balance was being measured. The result: even a low-calorie vegetable like celery (16 kilocalories per 100 grams) supplies the body with calories. This does not fundamentally disprove the phenomenon of negative calories, but it is very doubtful.
Certain enzymes are said to boost fat metabolism. The enzyme bromelain, which is found in pineapples, among other things, is particularly well known. According to Stern, there is no scientific evidence here either. The Apothekenumschau adds that enzymes from food are mostly broken down in the digestive tract and do not even get into the blood.
Vitamins are important and healthy – but do they also help burn fat? Vitamin C in particular is considered a promising candidate. This is partly due to observational studies that show that people with a high vitamin C intake tend to have a smaller waist circumference. As the star judges, there is still no connection between vitamin C and fat burning. Perhaps people who consume a lot of vitamin C simply eat healthier.
Another candidate comes from a completely different group of foods: the substance L-carnitine is found primarily in meat and dairy products and plays a role in burning fat. So eat more meat? This is not only a bad idea for animal welfare and climate protection reasons: According to the Apothekenumschau, the body only absorbs as much L-carnitine as it needs. It excretes excess L-carnitine.

Burning fat – does it have to be?

As described above, visceral abdominal fat is considered particularly unhealthy. Too much fat or being overweight is associated with many diseases, such as diabetes. If you want or need to burn fat for health reasons, you can do that with a combination of regular exercise and a healthy diet.

Important: Health should be the priority – not the desire to conform to an ideal of beauty. If you live a generally healthy life, there is no reason to additionally boost your fat metabolism.

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