[EasyEJL]

Vitamin B6 has a wealth of uses in the human body, and a number of them particularly beneficial to bodybuilders. For a start, B6 is necessary for protein + fuel metabolism during exercise. Without B6, your body is unable to create the enzymes necessary to handle managing amino acids effectively. The release of glucose from glycogen is also handled by a B6 created enzyme. For bodybuilders, both of these are critical.

In the nervous system, another interesting role is the conversion of tryptophan to serotonin. Other neurotransmitters including GABA, norepinephrine and dopamine are all created from B6 dependent enzymes. So B6 is necessary for proper brain functioning as well.

Within the blood system B6 is a coenzyme for the creation of heme, a component of hemoglobin. Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, which is critical to their ability to transfer oxygen to cells. And in the hormone systems B6 helps control cortisol levels.

So all of these sound great, but big whoop, lots of vitamins have varied effects and uses in the body, whats so special about B6 for bodybuilders? Lets start with the protein synthesis part. Since B6 is used in breaking + recreating amino acids, taking in more protein means you use more B6. Right off the bat, this means that just to reasonably process the food you eat requires significantly more B6 than what is in the USRDA. Interestingly as well, having higher B6 in bloodstream during exercise means heightened GH release. so taking this from the other view, your large protein uptake may be cutting into your GH release.

Here is the big kicker. B6 is tied to prolactin levels. Clinical studies have proven that a sufficient level of B6 can suppress lactation in women. Delving deeper into prolactin we find that the hypothalmus controls prolactin through inhibition and that in all individuals it will rise if not properly controlled. B6's mechanism for controlling prolactin is through aiding in additional dopamine production (magnesium is also necssary for this, but you should be taking ZMA or ZMK already). Another important point is that hypoglycemia stimulates prolactin release. In a clinical environment, women have stopped lactating after 600mg of b6 a day for 7 days.

So wrapping this portion up for bodybuilders... Going on a hormonal cycle and loading up with protein causes you to go into a low b6 state, which can cause poor sleep and climb in prolactin levels. Then post cycle therapy begins, and your B6 is getting used up fighting cortisol, continuing elevated prolactin levels. I'm not saying this happens to everyone, but it could be a factor in explaining prolacting and progesterone induced gyno issues.

Take more B6 right? its not entirely that simple. Vitamin B6 as its commonly sold as Pyridoxine which is a precursor of what the body actually uses, Pyridoxal 5 Phosphate. The problem is that pyridoxine taken in doses as low as just 200mg has been shown to cause deadening of nerve endings. Not exactly what you are looking for. Luckily, it is possible to buy p-5-p directly, and it does NOT have any known toxicity issues. So dosing it at the somewhere between 200-1000mg a day during a cycle to cover your protein needs as well as stop prolactin rising. So don't just pop extra B6, make sure you find P-5-P instead.

As an end note i'm still researching the interaction between L-Dopa (major ingredient in powerfull, IGF-2, Somnidren GH, etc) as it seems that high levels of b6 may cause the L-dopa to convert to dopamine outside the brain barrier, and have it be wasted. i'll update when I find anything vaguely conclusive.

[poopypants]

Great lil article Easy! Very informative and usefull for all. Where does one find p-5-p? And is that how it is sold as, "p-5-p" or another name? In all of your studies for this did you come across the halflife for p-5-p for us that do dose l-dopa at night just in case? again good read, reps

[nelix]

Now foods coenzyme B has p5p and other more bioavalable forms. It is check too.

[Xodus]

Originally Posted by poopypants

Great lil article Easy! Very informative and usefull for all. Where does one find p-5-p? And is that how it is sold as, "p-5-p" or another name? In all of your studies for this did you come across the halflife for p-5-p for us that do dose l-dopa at night just in case? again good read, reps

Vitamin Shoppe carries P-5-P.

[poopypants]

Originally Posted by Xodus

Vitamin Shoppe carries P-5-P.

thats perfect my workout partner works there and i have use by proxy of his discount thanks for the reply man!

[pistonpump]

nice article.

[EasyEJL]

Both ZMK and MVP365 from millenium sport use P5P as their source of B6, written out as its full name Pyridoxal 5 Phosphate. 25mg in each so a nice dose if you aren't taking something where there is prolactin or progesterone based risks. For day to day thats still 50x USRDA for 50mg.

[celc5]

Originally Posted by EasyEJL

The problem is that pyridoxine taken in doses as low as just 200mg has been shown to cause deadening of nerve endings. Not exactly what you are looking for.

I remember a while back (like 10 years ago or so) that B6 was used as a treatment for neuropathy, or degradation of the peripheral nerves. The most common symptoms of PN are decreased sensation and "pins and needles" in the fingers and toes. It's usually a SE from diabetes or some aggressive heart medications.

The irony is that, the "deadening" effect from B6 was well published while B6 was marketed with the pontential to have "regenerative" properties. It's scary how everything can be twisted in the name of marketing.

I'm thinking the medical field has pretty much given up on treating peripheral neuropathy at this point. I'm seeing now that meds are prescribed to mask the symptoms so that patients can sleep at night without pain.

Easy, this is interesting stuff about the p-5-p!

[EasyEJL]

I can't really take 100% credit for this, as a few other people had talked about it, but I pulled together some of the factual data all in once place instead of relying on broscience The negative potential of regular b6 is kind of scary, given all the ways they use it. the fact that 600mg a day for 5-7 days stops lactation in women who were breastfeeding is astounding for sure.

[pistonpump]

here is something i posted awhile back but i dont think too many people read it or followed links. Easy did a good job at putting all the info together so its easier to understand and read.

P-5-p > B6 ?

[Lanbane]

How did I miss this? Didst thou submit for inclusion in yon AN newsletter kind sir?

[EasyEJL]

Ah no, I didn't think it was all that professional sounding enough to go into a newsletter but now that you mention it

[ImJ2x]

So I'm pulsing Superdrol/DHEA, and I started to get itchy, sensitive nips. Following someone's suggestion, I started taking 500mg B6 ED. And now I'm starting to get minor "nerve" type sensations, especially in my right foot. Could the B6 be causing this?