Vitamin B6

[Milosevic]

Hi, my 14yr old son is a bit of a handful at school sometimes and his diet is appalling. His food tech teacher mentioned that vitamin B6 could be beneficial to him in calming him down. I realise that I'm going to have to give it to him in supplement form so can anybody point me in the right direction as regards to different brands, I;e is one better than the others and also dosage please? It's seems a bit of a minefield researching online as there are so many conflicting opinions on supplements. All help appreciated! Thanks.

[gangesboy]

I would suggest that you speak to your doctor about this

[cassa333]

I agree with gangesbody. See your Dr.

Has your son ADHD or is he just badly behaved?

His diet, I am afraid to say, is more down to you. Simply don't buy the stuff you know or think is not good.

Whatever he does make sure that good behaviour is praised and bad behaviour has consequences.

I work in a school and can tell you through experience that 99% of bad behaviour not addressed and not delta with in a consistent manner will never change. No amount of food supplements alone will change the overriding issue of bad behaviour.

[Milosevic]

I try my best with his food....I make him fresh sandwiches every morning which I've been told today he's throwing away....I also cook from scratch every night. There's only so much "control" for want of a better word, that I can assert over him re food....I'm not seeing him from 8am until whatever time he walks in from school. I don't give him money to buy food but I suspect his friends will buy food for him or share theirs. I don't know cassa333 if you have any children but if it was as simple as me buying food that was only "good" then I wouldn't need to be on this forum. Teenagers are a law unto themselves & will mostly do the opposite of what is right or what you tell them. I merely asked for advice on buying vitamin B6, not for a critique from a stranger on my parenting skills & as for seeing my GP well easier said than done as unless you are on the phone from 8am constantly you don't stand a chance of getting an appointment....having just tried to make one for myself I've been told no appointments are available for the next 51/2 weeks. Thank you.

[Patsy33]

Ask a pharmacist, they are usually very helpful. I would stick to a well known brand, probably a bit more exspensive but hopefully worth it. Good luck.

[Sqad]

Bottom line?

I would doubt very much that your son has a VitB6 deficiency.....very doubtful, in fact I would put my month's pay that he was B6 deficient.

The relationship between B6 and behaviour is "abracadabra medicine."

[Sqad]

^^wasn't" B6 deficient.

[Milosevic]

Well thank you but when I say his diet is bad I mean appalling .....so therefore it may be quite feasible that he is deficient. He eats no fruit, very few vegetables, only chicken. He won't eat my homemade flapjacks as they've got fruit/sultanas in. He won't have homemade smoothies or anything like that, so as you see, it's possible he is deficient.

[Milosevic]

He also won't eat eggs or brown bread, nuts, seeds.....the list goes on

[Old_Geezer]

There are ways of pureeing veg and hiding it in things he does like.

Maybe tell he that you've had enough, and if he doesn't eat the sandwiches you make him then you'll take him back to the shop where you bought him, for a credit note, and start again with a son that will appreciate what you do for them.

[dunnitall]

I do hope you get things sorted for him, must be a nightmare trying to get things right when they really won't listen or do as you ask. However, one question, how will you get him to take the supplements if he won't eat or drink things you give him now, do you think he will take the tablets? Hope so for his sake and your stress levels.

[Milosevic]

Good question dunitall but bizarrely I don't have a problem getting g him to take pills or medicine in general...crazy I know but I'm only a mum...I long ago gave up trying to second guess my boys!

[Samuraisan]

Well that you, Cassa !

[Samuraisan]

" told you " :)

[cassa333]

Sumuraisan, yes that told me a lot.

If he is binning his lunch then he should be coming home starving and eating the things that are at home.

It hasn't been established if he has ADHA or is just badly behaved. Of course being 14 it might be his hormones are raging around his system. We don't know how long he has been a little.... Tyke.

As I said, food alone is rarely the cause of bad behaviour but it is easier to blame food than anything or anyone else.