Vitamin B6 foods, and what it does.

Quick answer. The NHS lists pork, poultry, some fish, peanuts, soya beans, wheatgerm, oats, bananas, milk and some fortified breakfast cereals as sources of vitamin B6. In the UK government's food composition data (CoFID 2021), wheatgerm has 2.58mg per 100g, grilled skinless chicken breast 0.63mg and plain peanuts 0.59mg. Vitamin B6 helps the body use and store energy from protein and carbohydrates, and adults aged 19 to 64 need about 1.4mg a day (men) or 1.2mg (women). The NHS advises not taking more than 10mg a day in supplements unless a doctor advises it.

What foods are high in vitamin B6?

The NHS keeps the list broad. Its page on B vitamins says "Vitamin B6 is found in a wide variety of foods" and names pork, poultry such as chicken or turkey, some fish, peanuts, soya beans, wheatgerm, oats, bananas, milk and some fortified breakfast cereals.

For the numbers, the source is the Composition of Foods Integrated Dataset (CoFID), the UK government's food composition tables. Every figure below comes from its 2021 release, per 100g of the food as described.

The right-hand column is calculated: each CoFID figure divided by 1.4mg, the nutrient reference value (NRV) used on food labels. Fortified cereals vary by brand, so check the pack. Milk scores low per 100g but is often drunk in larger amounts: a 200ml glass of semi-skimmed adds about 0.12mg (calculated).

What does vitamin B6 do?

The NHS says vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, helps "the body to use and store energy from protein and carbohydrates in food". The NHS describes thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid in similar terms, as helping the body release energy from food.

In Great Britain, what a food or supplement may say about a nutrient is set by law. The wording comes from the GB nutrition and health claims register, and it is fixed. These are the authorised claims for vitamin B6 that we use:

• Vitamin B6 contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
• Vitamin B6 contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
• Vitamin B6 contributes to normal psychological function.
• Vitamin B6 contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
• Vitamin B6 contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity.

The word "normal" matters. The claims describe the vitamin's part in the body's ordinary processes. They do not promise more than a well-fed body already has. Vitamin B6 is one of five B vitamins that hold the tiredness claim; our guide to which B vitamins help with tiredness goes through them one by one.

How much vitamin B6 do I need a day?

The NHS says adults aged 19 to 64 need about 1.4mg of vitamin B6 a day if they are men and 1.2mg if they are women. The government's own dietary recommendations give the same figures for people aged 65 and over.

Food labels use a single figure instead, the NRV, which is 1.4mg for vitamin B6. That is the number behind the "% NRV" column on a supplement. Our explainer on what NRV means covers how it differs from the NHS amounts.

The NHS adds that "You should be able to get all the vitamin B6 you need from your daily diet", and that "The bacteria that live naturally in your bowel are also able to make vitamin B6."

Is it safe to take a vitamin B6 supplement?

At modest amounts, yes. For most B vitamins the NHS gives an amount that is "unlikely to cause any harm". For vitamin B6 it sets a firm limit instead. The Department of Health and Social Care advice reads: "Do not take more than 10mg of vitamin B6 a day in supplements unless advised to by a doctor."

The NHS gives the reasons on the same page:

• "Taking 200mg or more a day of vitamin B6 can lead to a loss of feeling in the arms and legs".
• "The effect of taking vitamin B6 at doses between 10mg and 200mg is unclear."

The 10mg line applies to supplements, not to food, and it applies to your total. If you take more than one product, such as a multivitamin and a separate B complex, add up the vitamin B6 in each. If you are unsure, ask a pharmacist.

How can I get more vitamin B6 from food?

Because vitamin B6 is spread across meat, fish, nuts, grains and fruit, small swaps add up. Some examples, with figures calculated from CoFID:

• Add wheatgerm to breakfast. 10g sprinkled on porridge or yoghurt adds about 0.26mg.
• Choose poultry at lunch. 100g of grilled skinless chicken or turkey breast gives 0.63mg, around 45% of the NRV.
• Keep peanuts in the cupboard. A 30g handful of plain peanuts adds about 0.18mg.
• Put a banana on your oats. 100g of banana flesh and 50g of dry porridge oats together give about 0.48mg.
• Include fish. Poached haddock (0.37mg) and canned tuna (0.31mg) both sit above 0.3mg per 100g.

If you eat no meat or fish, peanuts, soya, oats, wheatgerm, bananas and fortified cereals all appear on the NHS list.

Where Immufix fits.

Food comes first, and the table above shows a varied diet covers vitamin B6 for most people. Immufix is a daily food supplement for people who want a consistent base under their diet. One scoop (25g) in around 200ml of water, once a day, provides 0.5mg of vitamin B6, which is 36% of the NRV and one twentieth of the NHS 10mg supplement line (calculated). Vitamin B6 contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to the normal function of the immune system. Every amount is listed on the science page.

The short version.

• The NHS lists pork, poultry, some fish, peanuts, soya beans, wheatgerm, oats, bananas, milk and some fortified cereals as vitamin B6 sources.
• Per 100g in CoFID, wheatgerm (2.58mg), grilled chicken and turkey breast (0.63mg) and peanuts (0.59mg) lead the everyday foods.
• Adults need about 1.4mg a day (men) or 1.2mg (women), and most get it from food.
• Vitamin B6 contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism, the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and the normal function of the immune system.
• The NHS says not to take more than 10mg a day in supplements unless a doctor advises it.

Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking medication, speak to your GP or pharmacist before taking any food supplement.