How to Take Vitamin B6 to Lower Cholesterol

Vitamin B6 is an essential nutrient and should be consumed on a daily basis. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, most adults do not receive the recommended daily dosage of B6. Although no studies have proven that B6 is capable of lowering cholesterol, a B6 deficiency has been proven to cause high cholesterol. When you fix the deficiency, you also lower your cholesterol. However, ensuring that your diet is high in vitamin B6 will not only help lower your cholesterol; it has also been known to help close to 100 other conditions such as depression and kidney stones.

Instructions

• 1

  Eat foods that are higher in B6. Foods high in protein such as roast beef, cottage cheese, salmon, halibut, nuts, beans, wheat germ, brown rice, and peas are also high in vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 can also be found in some fruits and vegetables such as bananas, carrots, avocados, potatoes, Brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, and tomatoes.

• 2

  Add a supplement that includes B6 to your daily routine. The RDA dosage for B6 is 1.3 mg for adults. However, some suggest that at least twice that amount should be taken daily in order to maximize the benefits.

• 3

  Combine your B6 intake with an increase of folate (folic acid). Studies show that the vitamins work together to help protect the heart and reduce coronary artery heart disease, according to the Journal of American Medical Association.

• 4

  Monitor your dosage to ensure that you do not take over the maximum recommended daily intake of vitamin B6 for adults, which is 100 milligrams.

• 5

  Add a supplement to your diet if you have any disorders that commonly cause B6 deficiencies such as hyperthyroidism, malabsorption syndromes, congestive heart failure (CHF), down syndrome, uremia, alcoholism, cirrhosis or are taking certain medications. Example of drugs that are known to cause B6 deficiencies include Cycloserine, Ethionarnide, Furfural, Hydralazine, Isoniazid, Penicillamine, Pyrazinamide, Theophylline, and Thiosemicarbizones.