Vitamin B6 and Bodybuilding

Most professional bodybuilders out there will let you know of the importance of B vitamins in their diets. Vitamin B6 is one of them and it is particularly important if you are lifting weights. We are talking about one nutrient that is crucial in fueling our body when we are working out. It is also very important in protein metabolism. According to some research studies performed, vitamin B6 is one of the nutrients that aids in controlling homocysteine. This basically means that it aids in reducing artery damage in the human body. Bodybuilders usually need more calories and they do have to take in more quantities of most nutrients, including vitamin B6. The reason behind this stands in the fact that more chemical reactions take place in an athlete’s body when compared with regular people. Since vitamin B6 aids in many that are related to the metabolism we must not neglect it.

There are many more benefits that can be associated with vitamin B6 and bodybuilding. If you work out and combine it with higher than normal levels of B6, growth hormone levels are increased. This claim has been proven scientifically thanks to more than one controlled laboratory study.

The best way to get vitamin B6 while working out is through infusions but this is clearly not possible. This means that oral supplementation steps out as the only real alternative possible for bodybuilders. People that take vitamin B6 at higher levels than the recommended daily amount show an increase in growth hormone while working out. The good news is that it is not important to include vitamin B6 at very high levels. Even doubling and tripling the amount of this nutrient can be beneficial. On the other hand, it has been shown that a quantity between 20 and 25 mg of vitamin B6 daily is perfect for bodybuilding.

The real problem with vitamin B6 and bodybuilding stands in the fact that it takes time to show results. Bodybuilders need to take B6 up to a month before they will have increased growth hormone levels. The maximum quantity that should be considered is 100 mg, although it is really a lot higher than what is required. We have seen many bodybuilders overdoing vitamin B6 intake in hope of increasing growth hormone levels. You have to be aware that quantities that go over 100 mg are eventually eliminated and not used properly by the human body. To make everything even worse, if you really overdue it you can be faced with serious problems. Dosage that stands between 1000 and 3000 mg daily will cause nerve paralysis. Although it is only temporary, it will keep you from exercising and will cause damage on the long run. As already mentioned, doses over 100 mg do not have any extra effect on the human body so taking vitamin B6 in such quantities is basically a waste of nutrients.

Most people do not take into account vitamin B6 while bodybuilding because this influence on the growth hormone is not really known. On the other hand, those that do know will always add that little extra that makes a difference. We recommend that you combine vitamin B6 supplementation with really good workouts. The best way to do this is to pay even more attention to what you eat and include foods that are rich in all B vitamins. Every single water soluble vitamin out there can aid the person that lives a healthy and active life. Bodybuilders need all the extras they can get in order to build more muscle. Vitamin B6 does add something extra to the table and you should not neglect the effects it can have on your workout and muscle mass building.