Top 10 Foods Highest in Vitamin B6

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Dr. Patricia Shelton
Evidence Based. References sourced from PubMed. Powered by USDA Nutrition Data.
Top 10 Foods Highest in Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin necessary for processing amino acids in the body, which form the building blocks of proteins and some hormones. It is involved in red blood cell metabolism, proper functioning of the nervous and immune systems, and various other bodily functions. (1,2)

There are several compounds that are all considered to be vitamin B6, including pyridoxine, pyridoxal, and pyridoxamine. All of these can be converted in the body into the active form of the vitamin, so they're biologically equivalent.

While rare, a long-term deficiency in vitamin B6 can lead to skin inflammation and may increase the risk of heart disease. (2,3)

Foods high in vitamin B6 include fish, chicken, tofu, pork, beef, sweet potatoes, bananas, potatoes, avocados, and pistachios. The daily value (DV) for vitamin B6 is 1.7mg per day. (4)

Below is a list of high vitamin B6 foods sorted by a common serving size, see the nutrient ranking of all foods high in vitamin B6 to sort by 100 grams or 200 calories.

Foods High in Vitamin B6

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A printable list of foods high in vitamin B6.

Vitamin B6 Requirements By Age and Gender

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for Vitamin B6 ranges from 0.5mg to 1.7mg per day. The daily value for vitamin B6 is 1.7mg per day. (4)

Life StageRDA
Infants*
0-6 months old0.1mg
7-12 months old0.3mg
Children
1-3 years old0.5mg
4-8 years old0.6mg
Males
9-13 years old1mg
14-18 years old1.3mg
19-50 years old1.3mg
50+ years old1.7mg
Females
9-13 years old1mg
14-18 years old1.2mg
19-50 years old1.3mg
50+ years old1.5mg
Pregnancy
14-18 years old1.9mg
18+ years old1.9mg
Lactation
14-18 years old2mg
18+ years old2mg
*The amounts for children less than 12 months old is the adequate intake (AI) not RDA.
Source: Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin B6.

Health Benefits of Vitamin B6

  • Regulation of Mood - Vitamin B6 is needed for the production of many neurotransmitters, so it could have an effect on mood. Although there is a link between vitamin B6 deficiency and mood disorders like depression, taking vitamin B6 supplements has not been shown to be effective for depression. (5)
  • Reduced Homocysteine Levels - Homocysteine is an amino acid that's naturally produced in the body. High levels of homocysteine have been associated with an increased risk of many chronic diseases, including dementia, heart disease, and stroke. Vitamin B6 is needed for the body to break down homocysteine, so getting enough vitamin B6 can help to prevent high homocysteine levels. (5)
  • Supporting Long-Term Brain Function - Some studies have shown a link between getting more vitamin B6 and a reduced risk of dementia. However, this effect has not been consistent in the research, and there have been some studies that have shown no effect of vitamin B6 supplementation on the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. (6)
  • Alleviation of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) - Studies suggest that consuming vitamin B6 in conjunction with magnesium can help to alleviate symptoms associated with PMS (7).
  • Alleviation of mild morning sickness - Vitamin B6 has been shown to decrease symptoms of morning sickness. Other supplements and medications, including ginger, antihistamines, metoclopramide, and ondansetron, have also been found to be effective for this. (8)

Other Vitamin B Foods

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Data Sources and References

  1. Al-Tahan J, González-Gross M, Pietrzik K. Vitamin B6 status, deficiency and its consequences--an overview Nutr Hosp. 2006 Jul-Aug;21(4):452-65. 16913205
  2. Minović I, Kieneker LM, Gansevoort RT, Eggersdorfer M, Touw DJ, Voerman AJ, Connelly MA, Boer RA, Hak E, Bos J, Dullaart RPF, Kema IP, Bakker SJL. Vitamin B6 in Health and Disease Nutrients. 2020 Sep 4;12(9):2711. doi: 10.3390/nu12092711. 32899820
  3. Brescoll J, Daveluy S. Vitamin B group levels and supplementations in dermatology Am J Clin Dermatol. 2015 Feb;16(1):27-33. doi: 10.1007/s40257-014-0107-3. 25559140
  4. U.S.FDA - Daily Value on the New Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels
  5. Malouf M, Grimley EJ, Areosa SA. The effect of vitamin B6 on cognition Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2003;(4):CD004514. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004514. 14584018
  6. Wang Z, Zhu W, Xing Y, Jia J, Tang Y. Folate, vitamin B-6, and vitamin B-12 intake and mild cognitive impairment and probable dementia in the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study Nutr Rev. 2022 Mar 10;80(4):931-949. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuab057. 34432056
  7. Ebrahimi E, Khayati Motlagh S, Nemati S, Tavakoli Z. Evaluating the effect of magnesium and magnesium plus vitamin B6 supplement on the severity of premenstrual syndrome J Caring Sci. 2012 Nov 22;1(4):183-9. doi: 10.5681/jcs.2012.026. eCollection 2012 Dec. 25276694
  8. Jin J. Treatments for Hyperemesis Gravidarum and Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy: A Systematic Review JAMA. 2016 Oct 4;316(13):1420. doi: 10.1001/jama.2016.14737. 27701662
  9. Office of Dietary Supplements Fact Sheet: Vitamin B6
  10. U.S. Agricultural Research Service Food Data Central
  11. Malouf M, Grimley EJ, Areosa SA. The effect of vitamin B6 on cognition Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2003;(4):CD004514. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004514. 14584018
  12. Ebrahimi E, Khayati Motlagh S, Nemati S, Tavakoli Z. Evaluating the effect of magnesium and magnesium plus vitamin B6 supplement on the severity of premenstrual syndrome J Caring Sci. 2012 Nov 22;1(4):183-9. doi: 10.5681/jcs.2012.026. eCollection 2012 Dec. 25276694
  13. Jin J. Treatments for Hyperemesis Gravidarum and Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy: A Systematic Review JAMA. 2016 Oct 4;316(13):1420. doi: 10.1001/jama.2016.14737. 27701662
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