Vitamin B6 is found in three forms: pyridoxine hydrochloride, pyridoxal, and pyridoxamine, all of which must be converted into activated pyridoxal-5-phosphate (P-5-P) by the liver. P-5-P is the form of vitamin B6 the body ultimately uses and is necessary for a wide range of actions, including the production of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), for the conversion of 5-HTP to serotonin, and also for the decarboxylation of levodopa (L-Dopa) to dopamine. Vitamin B6 is also needed for glucose production and amino acid and lipid metabolism.
