Vitamin B6 Quest

The Vitamin B6 test is used to detect vitamin B6 deficiency. The vitamin B6 family includes pyridoxine, as well as B6 activity contributed by aldehyde (pyridoxal) and amine (pyridoxamine) derivatives, pyridoxin being the alcohol form of the 3-hydroxy-2-methylpyridine basic structure. In biological material, the B6 compounds exist largely as phosphorylated derivatives. The vitamin is synthesized by plants and many microorganisms, but not by the higher animals. It is widely available in natural diets, being present in fish; chicken; some fruits and vegetables; and wheat germ. It is partially destroyed by cooking and food processing. Vitamin B6 is water soluble and is absorbed largely from the jejunum. Vitamin B6 deficiency has been implicated in a wide variety of clinical conditions. Important in neonatology is the syndrome of jittery characteristics, colic, irritability, easy startling, and seizures due to B6 deficiency following ingestion of formula rendered B6 depleted by excessive heating. B6 may be decreased with malabsorption and inflammatory disease of the small bowel, and in some cases of jejunoileal bypass.