Description
The vitamin B6 group comprises three natural forms: pyridoxine, pyridoxamine and pyridoxal.
During metabolism, these are converted to the enzymatically active form pyridoxal 5-phosphate (P5P). Pyridoxal 5-phosphate (described here as vitamin B6) is a cofactor in more than a hundred enzyme reactions. One of its functions is to perform transamination, a key step in both breaking down and producing amino acids in the body. Vitamin B6 is also necessary for the synthesis of neurotransmitters, as well as hemoglobin in red blood cells. Vitamin B6 also plays a central role in fat metabolism. Vitamin B6 deficiency can be considered as a risk factor for myocardial infarction, peripheral vascular diseases and atherosclerosis, especially in connection with the regulation of homocysteine metabolism.
