B vitamins

B vitamins act as cofactors in many metabolic processes. They help the body to obtain energy from food, support the nervous system, and are involved in the formation of messenger substances and red blood cells. As they are water-soluble, they are not stored for long and must be regularly replenished through diet.

Vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, is particularly important for protein metabolism and the formation of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. These messenger substances also influence processes associated with nausea. Vitamin B6 is therefore often used to treat these symptoms during pregnancy, is generally well tolerated, and can be administered in individually tailored doses.

B vitamins are found in many everyday foods. These include whole grains, legumes, nuts, green vegetables, and bananas, as well as animal products such as meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products.

During pregnancy, the requirement for vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) increases slightly to around 1.9 mg per day. Vitamin B6 is involved in numerous metabolic processes, but also plays an important role in regulating the nervous system and has long been used to relieve morning sickness and vomiting. Clinical experience and studies show that additional pyridoxine supplementation can reduce the intensity of nausea. The doses used for this purpose are usually well above the nutritional requirement, often 10–25 mg once or several times a day, but are considered safe and well tolerated. Such therapeutic amounts cannot usually be achieved through normal diet alone, so targeted supplementation may be useful in cases of severe nausea.