Vitamin B6 and its role in inflammation and cancer
What it found
Vitamin B6 helps control more than 150 enzymes and may play a part in inflammation and cancer.
Scientists do not yet know if people need more than the current daily amount.
What they found
Studies in people
Link to chronic illness
Reports from the last 10 years connect vitamin B6 to inflammation and long-term illnesses, including cancer. Many things affect vitamin B6 levels, such as age, obesity, and inflammation from illness.
Animal and lab studies
Direct molecular interactions
Recent findings show vitamin B6 interacts directly with certain cell proteins that control inflammation. It also works with proteins that turn genes on or off, which may matter for cancer.
Studies in people and animals
Inflammation and immunity
Vitamin B6 and its related forms act as antioxidants and help lower inflammation. They also help control the immune system and gene activity.
Making hydrogen sulfide and taurine
Vitamin B6 helps the body make hydrogen sulfide gas and taurine. These molecules may protect cell powerhouses and help manage inflammation, but scientists need to study this more.
Other findings
Enzyme helper in the body
Vitamin B6 acts as a helper for more than 150 enzymes. These enzymes manage the breakdown and building of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, heme, and other key molecules.
What the authors conclude
- They suggest that the current recommended daily amount of vitamin B6 needs to be looked at again.
- They say vitamin B6 matters for human health beyond just helping enzymes work.
- They call for more research into how vitamin B6 affects inflammation, cell powerhouses, and cancer.
How it was done
Over the last 10 years, more reports have linked vitamin B6 to inflammation and long-term illnesses like cancer. The authors wanted to look at what is known about these links.
The authors gathered and examined published research on vitamin B6. They looked at how it works in the body, its link to inflammation, and its possible role in cancer. No new experiments were done for this work.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This work gathers past studies rather than testing a specific question in people.
- It cannot prove whether taking extra vitamin B6 prevents or causes any disease.
- Scientists do not yet fully understand the exact link between vitamin B6, inflammation, and cancer.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- University of Northern British Columbia, Canada
The paper
- Title
- The Emerging Role of Vitamin B6 in Inflammation and Carcinogenesis
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Bird RP (2018). The Emerging Role of Vitamin B6 in Inflammation and Carcinogenesis. Advances in food and nutrition research. doi:10.1016/bs.afnr.2017.11.004PubMed 29477221DOI
Summary written 1 Oct 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error