23 August 2026
A daily high-dose Vitamin B6 supplement could significantly reduce symptoms of depression in people who already experience them, new research from the University of Reading has found.
The double-blind randomised trial, published this month in the journal Depression and Anxiety, asked participants to take a 100mg Vitamin B6 tablet every day for a month. Those who reported mild or more severe depression at the start showed a reduction in symptoms compared to those given a placebo or Vitamin B12.
The findings are the first from a randomised controlled trial to demonstrate the potential of Vitamin B6 as a treatment for depression, and build on a substantial body of epidemiological evidence linking Vitamin B6 status with depression risk.
Dr David Field, lead author from the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences at the University of Reading, said: "Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions in the world, but many patients choose not to take existing drug treatments either due to the side effects or because they find them ineffective.
"Vitamin B6 plays a crucial role in the production of several chemical messengers in the brain, including serotonin and GABA, both of which are central to mood regulation. An increase in these neurotransmitters is the most likely reason why we found that taking a regular high dose of B6 for a month produced a significant reduction in depression symptoms in people who were experiencing them.
"This is a promising result that we believe justifies large-scale clinical trials to properly evaluate Vitamin B6 as a treatment for depression, either on its own or alongside existing therapies. While no side effects were reported by participants in this study, any trials would also monitor any potential side effects.”
Vitamin B6 is found in a wide range of everyday foods, including chicken and turkey, fish, liver, eggs, whole grains such as oats and brown rice, bananas, fortified breakfast cereals, lentils, leafy greens, sunflower seeds, walnuts and avocados. Another good source of Vitamin B6 is Marmite.
Outright Vitamin B6 deficiency is uncommon but findings from previous studies suggest that lower than normal levels exacerbates depression symptoms, while increasing levels above those achieved through normal dietary intake reduces them.
The study follows on from research published in 2022, also led by Dr Field, which found that high-dose Vitamin B6 reduced anxiety symptoms. In this latest study, a total of 268 participants were randomly assigned to receive either Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12 or a placebo for a month. Participants were divided into those who showed mild or more severe symptoms of depression, anxiety or stress at the start of the study, and those who did not.
Those with depression symptoms at the start showed a large reduction compared to the other two groups. The effect was also seen, to a lesser degree, in participants whose scores fell just below the clinical threshold for mild depression.
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The Academy of Medical Sciences press release labelling system:
Full reference: Field, David T., Cracknell, Rebekah, Biagi, Nicolo, High Dose Vitamin B6 Reduces Depression Symptoms, Depression and Anxiety, 2026, 8926512, 10 pages, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1155/da/8926512
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