Pyridoxine hydrochloride and hydrochloride, what it is used for, dosage, and benefits

The pyridoxine (vitamin B6) is a water-soluble vitamin that functions as a coenzyme. It is used to treat anemia and improve muscle performance.

It has a commercial name and vitamin B6 properties or pyridoxal phosphate, and is available for sale for its properties and benefits as hydrochloride and chloride, in capsules and tablets, or mixed with other vitamins and minerals to complement foods that contain it.

It has several functions in the human body, with its dosage varying depending on its intended use, such as eliminating deficiencies, taking it during pregnancy, for tuberculosis, or to counteract cyanocobalamin deficiency (vitamin B12).

So, as it has several uses, we will now explain what it is used for, its properties, and benefits for people and the required amounts.

What Pyridoxine is and What It is Used For

It is a vitamin from the B group and works as a coenzyme for several enzymes in the human body. Pyridoxine is used to treat vitamin B6 deficiency.

It has properties for regulating mood along with natural serotonin reuptake and is highly recommended to avoid its deficiency when suffering from anxiety or depression, just as with serotonin deficiency.

Its function is also to break down nutrients from food, facilitating the assimilation of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.

This vitamin has an action mechanism related to the human psyche and metabolism, playing a crucial role in human health and in maintaining proper nutritional balance.

We can say that pyridoxine is used for:

• Stabilizing mood.
• Improving sleep.
• Strengthening against stress, depression, and anxiety.
• It works in the synthesis of brain neurotransmitters.
• Increasing physical endurance.
• Participating in the body’s energy production.
• Metabolizing food proteins.
• Boosting the immune system and producing more T lymphocytes and red blood cells (antibodies and red blood cells).
• Vitamin B12 and mineral metabolism, such as magnesium.
• Preventing pregnancy-related issues such as gestational diabetes.
• Eliminating nausea.
• Treating nighttime muscle cramps and involuntary spasms.
• Remedy for leg numbness.
• Effective against dry mouth.
• Involved in myelin formation.
• Improving iron absorption in the blood.

Pyridoxine vitamin B6 is essential for many processes in the body. When there is a deficiency, many areas of health begin to destabilize, affecting the general health of the person who gets it in small amounts through food, in which case it is necessary to include it in capsule form.

All of this is also because it has characteristics to intervene in the synthesis of neurotransmitters and activate the dopamine effect in the human body, norepinephrine, adrenaline, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), all of which are vital for the brain and mental health.

Pregnancy

During human gestation, it is administered to prevent the onset of preeclampsia, a type of disorder that causes high blood pressure in women from the 20th week of pregnancy.

Although its benefits in these cases have not been proven, it is thought that pyridoxine and pregnancy are beneficial. It can prevent problems during labor for both the mother and the baby.

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that the administration of pyridoxine during pregnancy may have medicinal properties, but the latest studies indicate that the data does not demonstrate its effectiveness at this stage in women, which is why it should be taken with caution, and a diet rich in vitamin B6 should always be chosen to prevent its deficiency during the 9 months of pregnancy.

Vomiting

Another use of pyridoxine is to treat pregnancy vomiting and morning sickness, especially during the early stages of pregnancy.

In this case, vitamin B6 or pyridoxine is effective in reducing the discomfort of pregnant women, as well as the vomiting and nausea that sometimes occur during menstruation.

At the same time, it also works to stop milk production after childbirth, halting lactation when it is no longer needed.

Menopause

It is often used to regulate some of the side effects of menopause and reduce the incidence of menopausal and post-partum depression.

During menopause, pyridoxine helps prevent vitamin B6 deficiency that often occurs due to metabolic changes, as well as changes in hormone and estrogen production. Taking pyridoxine during menopause helps reduce hot flashes and irritability, and it is advisable to use it along with other vitamins like folic acid to alleviate hot flashes and vitamin E, which will also help improve sleep.

Now, there are different formulas and presentations, which can be bought under various commercial names. Therefore, we will list the most well-known and most commonly used ones.

Vitamin B6 Deficiency

Perhaps the most common use, that is, what pyridoxine is used for, is to prevent vitamin B6 deficiency.

Since it is a water-soluble vitamin, it is eliminated through urine, which means that excess is not stored in the body and, in some cases, supplementation may be necessary.

Pyridoxine deficiency is rare, and the way to treat it is simple. To eliminate the deficiency of B6, one should take tablets and regulate the diet, including foods rich in vitamin B6 such as meat, fish, eggs, legumes, and nuts. Cereals like wheat, which contain a high amount of B6, can also be included in the diet.

The most frequent cases of this deficiency occur in developing countries or when tuberculosis treatment is carried out, as well as with the use of medications that hinder its absorption. Low levels may be observed when psychological problems and pain in the extremities (arms and legs) occur.

Body Energy

It also plays a key role in generating energy in the body. When there is a higher demand, it enhances the release of glycogen, a polysaccharide stored in the liver and muscle fibers, allowing sudden activity changes to be used as extra energy.

Brain

Furthermore, the presence of pyridoxine and vitamin B12 is essential for creating the nerve coating through the myelin sheath, which allows electrical impulses to reach their target without loss of information.

Alcohol

Many people have doubts about whether it is advisable to take pyridoxine and alcohol at the same time. Some people consume it because there is a belief that it helps to eliminate a hangover and the side effects of alcohol intoxication. However, it has not been proven to have an effect on people who have consumed large amounts of alcohol or have alcoholic symptoms.

On the other hand, metadoxine, a pyridoxine derivative, is effective in acute alcohol intoxication when administered intravenously in doses between 300 mg and 900 mg.

Pyridoxine Hydrochloride

It is one of the forms of vitamin B6, also known in the medical field as pyridoxine. Both in its HCL form and in its pyridoxine hydrochloride formula, it is the most commonly used and common in dietary supplements, that is, to complement the diet and prevent B6 deficiencies.

The differences between pyridoxine hydrochloride and hydroxychloride are that hydrochloride is made by combining hydrochloric acid.

Pyridoxine Hydrochloride

Pyridoxine hydrochloride is a vitamin compound used to treat pellagra, a disease that causes skin spots due to vitamin deficiency and digestive disorders. It also has effects to alleviate the side effects of radiation. It is good for patients undergoing oncology treatment and helps prevent damage from excessive sun exposure.

The other properties of pyridoxine hydrochloride or hydrochloride contribute to energy metabolism, and, unlike the previous form, pyridoxine hydrochloride is made with hydrochlorides instead of hydrochloric acid.

Its benefits for humans remain similar, so it can be used in the same cases and situations where there is a deficiency of pyridoxine or B6, as well as to prevent the cases mentioned in the section What pyridoxine is used for.

Now that we know the properties and health benefits, as well as what it is used for, let’s look at the amounts you should take each day.

Pyridoxine HCL

Pyridoxine HCL is the same except that it is abbreviated, meaning pyridoxine HCL refers to it being hydrochloride, hence the “HCL.” You can be sure that it works the same for toning nerves and helping with their coating, preventing muscle spasms and cramps at night, and activating the metabolism of muscle glycogen.

Pyridoxine Dosage

In all cases, it is important to consider pyridoxine intake in food to regulate the daily amounts to be taken. The daily pyridoxine dosages are as follows:

• Adults: 2 to 7 mg/kg per day (for each kilogram of weight, take that amount).
• Pregnancy: 1.9 mg/day
• Adolescents: 1.2 mg/day.
• Pediatric dose (children): 2 to 7 mg per kilogram per day.
  • Between 9 and 13 years old: 1 mg per day.
  • Between 4 and 8 years old: 0.6 mg per day.
  • Between 1 and 3 years old: 0.5 mg per day.
• Infants:
  • Between 6 and 11 months old: 0.3 mg/day.
  • Infants under 5 months old: 0.1 mg/day.

This table with the daily dosages refers to use as a dietary supplement or to eliminate deficiencies. For other uses, consult a professional, as it may vary for each person.

Also, as it can be used as treatment for various human conditions, these amounts will serve as a reference, but always follow the professional’s indications. The pyridoxine dose for treating health issues should be prescribed by the corresponding specialist who will monitor your specific case.

Once we know the uses and when to use it, let’s now look at the brands available so you can choose the one that best suits your needs.

Commercial Name

• Benadon.
• Acetuber.
• Aneurol.
• Antineurina.
• Astenolit.
• Becozyme C forte.
• Cemidon.
• Cariban.
• Biodramina caffeine.
• Soluvit injectable.
• Trimetabol.

All products contain Vitamin B6, pyridoxine hydrochloride, or pyridoxine hydrochloride in their composition. The effects and results are similar.

Depending on the region where you live, city, or locality, you may find pyridoxine commercial brands with different names. Be sure to check the composition of the capsules or tablets when you buy them at the pharmacy as medication or as a dietary supplement. The active ingredient must be one of the listed (pyridoxine hydrochloride or pyridoxine hydrochloride).

Contraindications

• Treatment with levodopa for Parkinson’s disease.
• Immunosuppressants.
• Uremia or high urea concentration in the blood.
• Alcoholism.
• Hyperthyroidism.
• Malabsorption syndromes.
• Congestive heart failure.

Side Effects

Never exceed the recommended daily dose. Taking more than 1 gram per day may cause side effects from pyridoxine, which include:

• Tingling, numbness, or loss of sensation in the legs, arms, and hands.
• Feeling of cold and/or hot.
• Poor coordination (ataxia).
• Headache.
• Drowsiness.
• Neuropathic syndrome (after long-term use).

Properties and Benefits

We have indicated and explained the uses and what vitamin B6 (which is the same as pyridoxine) is for, but it is also important to understand the possible benefits of pyridoxine and its properties:

• Prevent vitamin B6 deficiency.
• Regulate mood.
• Combat stress.
• Treat depression.
• Regulate the sleep cycle and prevent insomnia.
• Improve the absorption of proteins, amino acids, carbohydrates, fats, and minerals.
• Boost the immune system and the synthesis of antibodies.
• Improve the quality of hemoglobin, a substance present in the blood.
• Prevent the onset of muscle spasms and the feeling of “sleepy legs.”

Pyridoxine has benefits for the nervous system and human metabolism, acting on many functions in the body.

Its properties in balancing brain function are important, preventing the appearance of spasms and cognitive decline.

Additionally, its benefits extend to the muscular system, which is closely related to the transmission of nerve signals and mood. When a deficiency of this vitamin occurs, irritability, mood swings, and nutrient absorption disorders are commonly observed.

What Happens if I Take More Pyridoxine per Day?

Since it is a water-soluble vitamin, any excess consumed is expelled through urine. Having an excess of pyridoxine is quite difficult, although you should still avoid exceeding the daily dose.

Taking vitamins when not needed is not healthy, so while it’s reassuring to know that it is expelled daily from the body through urine, always stick to the amount specified by each brand, whether you have purchased pyridoxine in 25 mg, 50 mg, or 100 mg and 300 mg sizes.

Is It Better to Take It in Capsules, Tablets, or Ampoules?

The result is the same. The difference lies in the presentation. Pyridoxine in capsules is easier to digest since the gelatin coating dissolves quickly with gastric juices. On the other hand, tablets take a little longer to dissolve and may irritate the stomach if not taken with plenty of liquid, preferably water.

In contrast, ampoules are very easy to absorb, and since they are liquid, the metabolization process is simple, allowing the body to assimilate it much faster.