Mocellin S, Briarava M, Pilati P. Vitamin B6 and cancer risk: a field synopsis and meta-analysis. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2017;109(3):1-9. doi:10.1093/jnci/djw230 Researchers suspect that B6 helps with emotional symptoms related to PMS due to its role in creating neurotransmitters that regulate mood. There's not enough evidence to know what the effects might be of taking high doses of chromium each day. What does the Department of Health and Social Care advise? Metta V, Sampath N, VM R, Iska A. Primary restless legs syndrome in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: efficacy of magnesium & co enzyme q10 therapy. Journal of the Neurological Sciences. 2015;357(1):e271. doi:10.1016/j.jns.2015.08.952

One study even found that a daily B6 supplement improved PMS-related depression symptoms, irritability, and tiredness by a whopping 69% 35. But it might be more effective with combined with magnesium 36. 7. Eye health You may have heard about magnesium before—a super mineral and the fourth most abundant mineral in the human body. But despite being a co-factor for over 300 enzymatic reactions, most people don’t consume enough magnesium through diet 1. We recommend supplementing with magnesium and vitamin B6 for several conditions due to the calming, muscle relaxing effects we covered – it’s very useful for things like muscle cramping (think menstrual cramps too), insomnia, anxiety, specific heart palpitations (PVCs) and even muscle recovery. Some women have an increased risk of having a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect and are advised to take a higher dose of 5mg of folic acid each day until they're 12 weeks pregnant. But as you can see, unless you’re eating a lot of these foods, magnesium can be a bit hard to come by in ample amounts, unless you supplement.Simental-Mendía LE, Sahebkar A, Rodríguez-Morán M, Guerrero-Romero F. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials on the effects of magnesium supplementation on insulin sensitivity and glucose control. Pharmacol Res. 2016;111:272-282.

You should be able to get all the copper you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. If you take copper supplements, do not take too much as this could be harmful. For some, taking supplements first thing in the morning may be easiest, while others may find that taking them with dinner or just before bed works well for them. For older people, who may be more sensitive to manganese, taking 0.5mg or less of manganese supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm. Molybdenum Niacin cannot be stored in the body, so you need it in your diet every day. What happens if I take too much niacin?DiNicolantonio, J. J., et al. (2018). Magnesium for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Another study noted the ability of magnesium supplements to reduce the frequency of leg cramps during pregnancy, reporting that those who took 300 mg of magnesium daily experienced less frequent and less intense leg cramps, compared with those who took a placebo ( 25).

More research that includes randomized trials and not merely observational studies is needed to assess the exact role of vitamin B6 in cancer prevention. In its phosphorylated and most active form, pyridoxal 5’-phosphate (PLP), vitamin B6 also plays a central role as a cofactor for several enzymes, especially those involved in amino acid and fatty acid metabolism. Individually, both zinc and magnesium have been shown to reduce muscle fatigue and either raise testosterone levels or prevent a fall in testosterone due to exercise, though it’s unclear if they’re more beneficial when used together ( 14, 15, 16). Research shows that people with low blood levels of vitamin B6 have almost double the risk of getting heart disease compared to those with higher B6 levels ( 30).

Although the exact mechanism behind the benefits of B6 on blood sugar isn’t clear, animal studies suggest that a B6 deficiency disrupts the function of the pancreatic cells that produce insulin and interferes with the activity of insulin 27, 28. Magnesium therapy may help prevent or relieve headaches. This is because a magnesium deficiency can affect neurotransmitters and restrict blood vessel constriction, which are factors doctors link to migraine. Breakfast cereals are also a good source if they have been fortified with pantothenic acid. How much pantothenic acid do I need? Some studies link low levels of magnesium with depression, and this has led researchers to wonder whether supplementing with this mineral could help treat this condition ( 13). This is likely due to the role of B6 in decreasing elevated homocysteine levels associated with several disease processes, including heart disease ( 31, 32, 33).