Vitamin
Vitamin B6
Also known as: Pyridoxine, P5P
An essential vitamin involved in neurotransmitter synthesis and brain metabolism.
KÖGN Health grades Vitamin B6 as A (Strong evidence) and rates it 4.3 out of 5.
Last reviewed · June 2026
Primary effects
- Improved mood
- Cognitive support
- Neurotransmitter balance
How it works
Supports synthesis of serotonin, dopamine, and GABA, influencing mood and cognition.
Overview
Vitamin B6 (especially in its active form P5P) plays a key role in amino acid metabolism and neurotransmitter production. Adequate levels are essential for healthy brain function, and deficiency can significantly impact mood and cognitive performance. Supplementation is most beneficial when dietary intake is insufficient or metabolic demand is high.
The evidence
Vitamin B6 supports neurotransmitter synthesis and, with B12 and folate, homocysteine metabolism. Its cognitive evidence is essentially the same story as the other B vitamins: useful for correcting deficiency or elevated homocysteine (as in VITACOG), with little proven benefit in already-replete people.
How to dose it
The requirement is small (~1.3–1.7 mg/day); the VITACOG trial used 20 mg/day as part of a B-vitamin combination.
When to take it
Chronic.
Safety & side effects
Safe at normal intakes, but B6 is the one B vitamin with a clear toxicity ceiling: sustained high doses (often cited above ~100 mg/day, and reported lower) can cause peripheral nerve damage — tingling and numbness in the hands and feet — which is usually reversible on stopping.
Who should avoid it
Avoid high-dose, long-term B6 without supervision because of the nerve-damage risk. It can interact with levodopa (without carbidopa) and some anti-epileptics — check with a clinician.
References
Related ingredients
Graded entries that target the same cognitive goals.
Categories
Draft — the dose, safety and evidence notes on this entry were prepared from the published literature and are pending editorial and clinical review.
Educational information, not medical advice. The evidence grade is KÖGN’s editorial assessment of published research, not a health claim. Speak to a qualified clinician before changing what you take.