New research indicates that taking Vitamin B6 tablets in high doses reduces anxiety and depression.

Researchers from the University of Reading studied the effects of high dosages of Vitamin B6 on young adults and discovered that they felt less worried and depressed after having the pills every day for a month.

The study, which was published in the journal Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, offers important proof in favor of the use of dietary supplements for treating or preventing mood disorders that are thought to alter brain activity levels.

The functioning of the brain depends on a fine balance between the excitatory neurons that move information around and the inhibitory ones that curb overactive behavior, says lead author Dr. David Field.

“Recent theories, according to the lead author, “have connected mood disorders and some other neuropsychiatric conditions with a disturbance of this balance, often in the direction of raised levels of brain activity.”

The findings of the new research show that “vitamin B6 helps the body produce a specific chemical messenger that inhibits impulses in the brain, and our study links this calming effect with reduced anxiety among the participants.”

Although earlier research has shown that marmite or multivitamins can lower stress levels, very little research has been done to determine which specific vitamins in these products are responsible for this outcome.

The current research concentrated on the possible function of vitamin B6, which is known to promote the body’s production of GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid), a substance that blocks impulses between brain nerve cells.

In the current study, more than 300 volunteers were randomly assigned to take one vitamin B6 or B12 supplement each day with food for a month, greatly above the daily recommended amount (about 50 times the recommended daily consumption).

The research found that during the course of the trial, Vitamin B12 had no effect compared to placebo, while Vitamin B6 produced a statistically significant difference.

Visual tests performed at the trial’s conclusion showed that those who had taken vitamin B6 supplements had higher GABA levels, confirming the theory that B6 was the cause of the decrease in anxiety. The visual performance showed minor, safe variations that were consistent with managed levels of brain activation.

Many foods, such as tuna, chickpeas, and numerous fruits and vegetables, contain vitamin B6, according to Dr. Field. 

However, Dr. Field adds, “the high doses used in this trial suggest that supplements would be necessary to have a positive effect on mood.”

“It is important to acknowledge that this research is at an early stage and the effect of Vitamin B6 on anxiety in our study was quite small compared to what you would expect from the medication. However, nutrition-based interventions produce far fewer unpleasant side effects than drugs, and so in the future people might prefer them as an intervention.”

In order to make this a viable option, additional study is required to uncover other nutrition-based therapies that improve mental health, allowing diverse dietary interventions to be integrated in the future for larger outcomes, according to the lead author.

“One potential option would be to combine Vitamin B6 supplements with talking therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to boost their effect.”

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