Vitamin B6 and B12: Benefits, Differences and Why You Need Both

A common problem in the modern day is mental clarity and brain fog. The vitamins B6 and B12 could perhaps be your solution to that. They are responsible for building and maintaining your neural pathways. B6 and B12 are very common supplements.

What is Vitamin B6 and B12?

You might already know the basics about B6 and B12, with their functions in the body.  However, let's dive into each one and their differences, since they both function slightly differently.

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)

Vitamin B6 (also known as pyridoxine) is a water-soluble vitamin that is used in over 100 enzyme reactions. The human body cannot produce it naturally, so it must rely on supplements or diet to get B6. 

1. Protein metabolism: Vitamin B6 turns into PLP, its active enzyme form. PLP is essential for the metabolism of amino acids. It helps break down proteins in food, then converts them into muscle and other places around the body.
2. Neurotransmitter Synthesis: B6 plays a big part in creating chemicals that transmit signals in the brain, think serotonin and dopamine. These signals are responsible for regulating sleep and reward feelings in the brain.
3. Hemoglobin production: B6 is also used to make hemoglobin, the protein that is inside your red blood cells that carries oxygen around. Without enough B6, your cells won't get enough oxygen, which will make you tired or foggy.
4. Gluconeogenesis: Vitamin B6 also assists in gluconeogenesis, which is the process of turning amino acids into glucose. This is important for keeping blood sugar levels steady, even if you haven't eaten in a while.

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)

Vitamin B12 (also known as Cobalamin) is also a water-soluble vitamin. Just like B6, it is important in a few major bodily processes. Worth noting that it must be obtained either through supplementation or diet, like B6.

1. Myelin sheath production: B12 is what builds and repairs the myelin sheath. Myelin sheath is a protective coating around your nerves; without it, your nerves can either misfire or slow down, causing either a tingling sensation or numbness.
2. Red blood cell production: Vitamin B12 works alongside your bone marrow to produce new red blood cells. When your body doesn't have enough B12, your blood cells may come out misshapen and cannot carry oxygen as efficiently. When this happens, it is called megaloblastic anemia.
3. DNA synthesis: Every time your body is preparing to make a new cell, it needs B12 to copy the DNA correctly. Without this, the cell division can become sloppy, and this can affect every cell in your body.
4. Energy Metabolism: When trying to convert food into usable energy, B12 helps alongside that process. This is mainly why low B12 can present itself through fatigue.

How Vitamin B6 and B12 Work Together

1. Homocysteine regulation: Homocysteine is an amino acid in your blood,  both B6 and B12 are needed to break it down. High Homocysteine levels are often linked to heart disease and cognitive decline. Without both vitamins working together, levels can rise and cause damage.
2. Myelin sheath maintenance: Although B12 helps build the myelin sheath, B6 is responsible for sending neurotransmitters through the nerve. So B12 builds the pathways, and B6 uses them.
3. Red blood cell health: In the body, B12 affects the formation of red blood cells, and B6 makes hemoglobin, which is inside those cells. Hemoglobin is what carries oxygen inside red blood cells; you need both for a full picture.
4. Energy production: Both vitamins are involved with processing food for energy on some level. B6 handles the amino acids and the conversion of glucose, and B12 helps the actual cells with metabolism. Having low levels either will leave you tired. 
5. Brain and mood: B6 makes neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. B12 maintains neural pathways to make sure those chemicals are intact during transit. Without both, you can experience brain fog and a low mood.
6. Cognitive protection with age: Together they work to keep homocysteine low, maintain nerve insulation, and support healthy brain cell production. Which, after years of either low levels of B6 or B12, can add up to a faster cognitive decline. Studies have linked a deficiency to a higher rate of dementia.

Food Sources of Vitamin B6 and B12

Both B6 and B12 are found in many types of foods, but they don't always come from the same sources. B12 is almost exclusively found in animal products, which is why vegans often struggle to get enough of it. B6 is a bit more flexible and shows up in some plant sources, too.

Who Is Most Likely to Be Deficient?

1. Vegans, vegetarians: Oftentimes, the lack of meat and dairy in the diet becomes a concern for these risk groups. Without these essential foods, they oftentimes must take supplements or fortified foods to not become B12 deficient. B6 is easier to get in a vegan diet; however, for some, it can still be a concern.
2. The Elderly: As you get older, your vitamin B12 absorption changes. It gets harder to get enough B12 in your food since absorption is much lower. This makes them naturally one of the primary risk groups.
3. Medical-related conditions: Specifically, people with digestive conditions like Crohn’s disease or celiac disease, since it affects the gut lining, which lowers absorption. People who take metformin may also have trouble since metformin lowers B12 absorption rates. As well as long-term antacid users, who also have lower absorption rates.

What Vitamin B6 and B12 Do for You

1. Energy: B6 and B12 are both used to convert food into usable energy. Without either of them, you can feel tired. This is usually what people notice first.
2. Mood and focus: B6 is used to create serotonin and dopamine, and B12 keeps the neural pathways intact. Without enough of either, your mood can drop, as well as your focus throughout the day.
3. Long-term health: Since they both work to break down homocysteine, you could have high levels of it without them. High levels of homocysteine have been linked to heart disease. Long-term, this can translate to cognitive decline.

Supplementation of B6 and B12

Since B6 and B12 are water-soluble, this means that your body takes enough of what it needs and gets rid of the rest. Toxicity is usually not a concern as long as you follow normal dosing. B6, however, can cause nerve damage if supplemented at high dosages over long periods of time. The upper limit is 100mg daily; anything more than this requires a doctor's supervision. The 100mg ceiling can essentially only be reached through supplementing.

Conclusion / TL;DR

Both B6 and B12 are vital to the processes of the body. If you fall into any of the risky categories mentioned above, you should consider supplementation. However, most people get enough just through their diet alone.