Vitamin B6 Sources

Food sources

Surveys in the U.S. have shown that dietary intake of vitamin B₆averages about 2 mg/day for men and 1.5 mg/day for women. A survey of elderly individuals found that men and women over 60 consumed about 1.2 mg/day and 1.0 mg/day, respectively, both less than the current RDA. Certain plant foods contain a unique form of vitamin B₆ called pyridoxine glucoside. This form of vitamin B₆ appears to be only about half as bioavailable as vitamin B₆ from other food sources or supplements. Vitamin B₆ in a mixed diet has been found to be approximately 75% bioavailable. In most cases, including foods in the diet that are rich in vitamin B₆ should supply enough to prevent deficiency. However, those who follow a very restricted vegetarian diet might need to increase their vitamin B₆ intake by eating food, fortified with vitamin B₆, or by taking a supplement. Some foods that are relatively rich in vitamin B₆ and their vitamin B₆ content in milligrams (mg) are listed in the table below.

Food	Serving	Vitamin B-6 (mg)
Fortified cereal	1 cup	0.5-2.5
Banana	1 medium	0.68
Salmon	3 ounces*	0.48
Turkey, without skin	3 ounces	0.39
Chicken, light meat without skin	3 ounces	0.46
Potato, baked, with skin	1 medium	0.70
Spinach, cooked	1 cup	0.44
Hazelnuts, dry roasted	1 ounce	0.18
Vegetable juice cocktail	6 ounces	0.25

*A 3-ounce serving of meat or fish is about the size of a deck of cards.

Supplements

Vitamin B₆ is available as pyridoxine hydrochloride in multivitamin, vitamin B-complex, and vitamin B₆ supplements.