Men, you have a very special reason to love vitamin B-6
I Love You, Man
Come on…you’ve got to love vitamin B-6.
Your body certainly does.
Your body puts B-6 to use in activating nearly 120 enzymes and 19 of your body’s 20 amino acids. And all of that contributes to DNA repair, healthy immune, hormone, and cognitive functions, as well as prevention of heart disease, depression, kidney stones, and some cancers.
Men, you have a special reason to love this valuable vitamin: B-6 has been shown to modify the way the prostate responds to testosterone. And that modification just might prolong your lives.
You can’t go wrong
Research suggests that the B complex of vitamins have a preventive effect on the development and progression of prostate cancer.
To investigate this link, a team from the Harvard School of Public Health looked at dietary habits of 525 men with prostate cancer. Survival over a period of 20 years was compared to the intake of four B vitamins: folate, riboflavin, B-6, and B-12.
Results: Men with highest B-6 intake were significantly more likely to survive the two decades compared to men with the lowest intake of the vitamin. None of the other nutrients were linked to longer survival time.
Most importantly, men with the best survival records were those who had localized-stage prostate cancer at the outset of the study and also had the highest B-6 intake. In other words, high levels of the vitamin were most effective when the cancer was newly diagnosed and had not yet spread beyond the prostate.
Men who had the highest intake averaged 2.2 to 2.9 mg of B- 6 daily–about twice the recommended intake.
So–pencils ready? Here’s what your B-6 shopping list should look like…
Bananas and chicken breast have particularly high levels of vitamin B6. Red meat, fish, beans, fruits, vegetables, and leafy greens are also good sources.
Dr. Allan Spreen recommends 100 mg of B-6 daily, along with other B vitamins, of course, and magnesium. Dr. Spreen: “B- 6 is definitely more effective in the company of magnesium.”
To Your Good Health,
Jenny Thompson
Source:
“One-Carbon Metabolism-Related Nutrients and Prostate Cancer Survival” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 90, No. 3, September 2009, ajcn.org
