Vitamin B6

It has been a long proven fact that vitamin B6 is one of the wonder nutrients, recommended for the treatment of different types of diabetes. This vitamin has the capability to lower down the rate of glycosylation, a process by which excessive sugar in blood starts sticking to the stored body proteins, including hemoglobin. Recommended dosage of vitamin B6 in regular diet can reduce this process, which is largely responsible for diabetes.

It has also been proved that deficiency of vitamin B6 can lead to rise in glucose intolerance, a situation when level of sugar in blood keeps on rising with every subsequent meal. Apart from this, vitamin B6 deficiency can hamper the production of two important hormones, namely insulin and glucagons, resulting in higher level of blood sugar.

Metabolic processes have been measured to slow down with deficiency of vitamin B6, leading to gestational diabetes mellitus in pregnant women. Another undesirable situation caused due to the deficiency of vitamin B6 is increased production of xanthurenic acid, which is found in the urine of diabetics. However, proper intake of vitamin B6 can repair all these problems and help your body maintain the appropriate sugar level in blood.

You can easily avail vitamin B6 from food sources like chicken, fish, liver and kidney. Apart from this, you can also consider nuts, legumes and whole grains as the rich sources of vitamin B6. Fortified cereals, tomato juice, spinach, beans and soya bean are also recommended in your diet for consuming a balanced content of this vitamin.

Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA)

19-50 yrs 1.3 mg
50 + yrs 1.7 mg
Pregnancy 1.9 mg
Lactating 2.0 mg
For a diabetic patient, 2.0 mg of vitamin B6 are suggested in general. Overdose of this vitamin can cause damage to nerves and thus, you are required to consult a doctor before deciding the dosage. Vitamin B6 is a useful nutrient, capable of making life normal for those suffering from diabetes. So, make sure that you meet the recommended dosage of this nutrient correctly.