This hardworking vitamin does many big jobs for the body. Vitamin B6 affects your mood, appetite, sleep and thinking. It helps fight infections, convert food into energy, and help your blood carry oxygen throughout your body.

The symptoms of vitamin B6 deficiency, which has many benefits, are actually quite obvious.

Signs You're Not Getting Enough Vitamin B6

Lack of Energy

If the level of B6 in your body is too low, you can get anemia, which means too few red blood cells. This causes you to feel tired and weak.

Skin Rash

Symptoms of your B6 deficiency may appear on your skin. This often leads to a scaly, itchy rash on your face called seborrheic dermatitis.

Dry and Chapped Lips

Your mouth can be a good place to detect B6 deficiency. Your lips may flake and their corners may crack. Your tongue may swell.

Weak Immune System

A B6 deficiency can make it harder for your body to resist infections and diseases. On the other hand, cancer and other diseases can deplete your B6 supply.

Numb Hands and Feet

Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet can be caused by a nerve disorder called peripheral neuropathy. B6 deficiency can help trigger it. This and other B vitamins like B12 are essential for keeping your nerves healthy.

Grumpy and Crying Baby

A cranky and constantly crying baby may be trying to tell you that he has low B6 levels. This can happen if you don't feed your baby anything other than breast milk for more than about 6 months. It can also make your baby's hearing extra sensitive so noises can easily annoy him.

Foggy Brain

B6 helps regulate your mood and memory. If you are feeling confused or upset, it may be due to a lack of this vitamin. It can increase your chances of becoming depressed after a major illness.

Cancer

Low B6 may play a role in your chances of getting cancer. B6 deficiency has been associated with cancers of the stomach and esophagus. Vitamin deficiency can also increase your chances of developing cancers caused by steroid hormones, such as breast and prostate cancers.

Daily Dose of Vitamin B6

The amount of B6 you need each day depends mainly on your age. Babies 7-12 months old need 0.3 milligrams per day. As you grow, you need more. If you're over 50, you need at least 5 times more: 1.7 milligrams a day for men and 1.5 milligrams for women. Pregnant women need it most - 1.9 milligrams per day.

Foods Containing Vitamin B6

It's easy to get all the B6 you need from food. Poultry, beef and fish are among the easiest sources. A mere 3-ounce package of tuna provides almost half of an adult's daily requirement. The same amount of salmon gives 30%, chicken 25%.

Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, yams and corn contain vitamin B6. Citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruit are good sources of vitamin B6. In addition, a bowl of chickpeas meets half of the vitamin B6 you need daily.

Source: WebMD - Photos: Unsplash