Vitamin B6 is important during pregnancy and helps fight the nausea and vomiting that are common at this stage and still decreases the likelihood of postpartum depression.
Although it is easily found in foods such as bananas, potatoes, hazelnuts and spinach, there may be a need to take a supplement of this vitamin, especially because it has the following benefits:
- Fight nausea and vomiting because it acts on the parasympathetic nervous system reducing this stimulus;
- Improve the immune system ;
- Combat neuralgia because it improves nerve conduction between the peripheral nerves;
- Prevent anemia;
- Prevent postpartum depression because it keeps the serotonin levels more constant and also the concentration of vitamin B6 in the body, since its decrease favors the installation of depression at this stage.
The daily dose required during pregnancy is 1.9 mg and during breastfeeding is 2 mg. A banana has 0.7 mg of vitamin 6 so for those who need to increase the consumption of this vitamin should consume at least 3 bananas throughout the day, but there may still be no improvement in the symptoms of nausea and vomiting, and it is necessary to take supplements of vitamin B6 alone or in combination.
How to take Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 supplementation should be taken according to medical advice, but it is generally recommended to take between 50 and 200 mg of pyridoxine per day, the maximum recommended dose being 500 mg per day because it may lead to adverse effects such as numbness and difficulty to walk, and can still compromise the safety of the baby.
Some names of supplements for pregnant women that contain vitamin B6 are Materna, Damater, Ogestan plus and Dramin B6.