Vitamin B₆, a water soluble organic micronutrient, belong to the group of vitamin B-complex.
Vitamin B₆ is believed to be involved in more bodily reactions than any other micronutrient.
There are traditionally three active forms of this vitamin, namely pyridoxamine, pyridoxine and pyridoxal.
Pyridoxal is the highly useful form and is very important for human metabolism.
VitaminB₆ is essential for human body to turn carbohydrates, fats and proteins into energy.
This vitamin also plays a very important role in the maintenance of healthy nervous and immune systems.
Vitamin B₆ along with folic acid and vitamin B₁₂ controls and inhibits the formation of an amino acid called homocysteine, which is found to cause cardio vascular diseases by depositing cholesterol.
Vitamin B₆ by regulating hormone production, helps in the control of red blood corpuscles from forming blood clots, which can endanger life.
Gluconeogenesis is a process in which glucose is generated from amino acids and vitamin B₆ is a coenzyme for this reaction.
Vitamin B₆ helps in the making of many neurotransmitters which are the chemicals responsible for carrying signals between the nerve cells.
Vitamin B₆ helps in the production of the red blood corpuscles and white blood corpuscles.
The proper absorption of vitamin B₁₂ depends on the availability of vitamin B₆
Vitamin B₆ is an essential micronutrient for the development and function of brain and for the synthesis of the hormones melatonin, norepinephrine and serotonin which are connected with brain functions.
Nearly hundred enzymes in the body are in some way or other connected with vitamin B₆ for their normal functions.
Vitamin B₆ is believed to help in treating diabetes, heart ailments, seizures and many premenstrual syndromes.
Vitamin B₆ is believed to increase the body's resistance to cancer.
In amino acid metabolism, vitamin B₆ is required for their synthesis as well as their break down.

Deficiency
Deficiency of vitamin B₆ is very rare and mild deficiency may exist in alcoholics, children and aged people.
Certain medicines also may cause deficiency of this vitamin. Pyroluria is caused in case of severe deficiency.
Muscle weakness, dermatitis, nervousness, ulcers, irritability, angular cheilitis, depression, conjunctivitis, memory loss and neuropathy are the symptoms encountered in the deficiency of vitamin B₆

Toxicity
Toxicity of vitamin B₆ is not come across in consuming of food sources rich in this vitamin.
There are certain side effects like neuropathy, nerve damage and imbalances in the activity of the nervous system, when excess of supplements are consumed.
However in most occasions this is reversed on stoppage of the supplements.

Sources
Protein rich foods are good sources of vitamin B₆. Cereals, fish, meat, poultry, eggs, fruits and vegetables, avacados, and dairy products are good sources of vitamin B₆.