Here you can find links on B6, dreams, and lucid Dreaming, links to research studies that mention B6 in relation to dreams, and review a list of sources cited in preparing the content of this website.
B6 Links
Dreams / Lucid Dreaming Links
- Dreams – Wikipedia
- Lucid Dreaming – Wikipedia
- Lucidity Institute: FAQ on Lucid Dreaming
- Lucidity Letter – extensive collection of research articles on dreams and lucid dreaming
- Dreamviews – Excellent resource site and forum on dreams and lucid dreaming.
B6 Studies and Scientific Research
We aware of 2 studies involving B6 and dreams:
1. “Effects of pyridoxine on dreaming: a preliminary study”– By Ebben M, Lequerica A, Spielman A. (2002)
Here is the abstract of this study:
“The effect of pyridoxine (Vitamin B-6) on dreaming was investigated in a placebo, double-blind study to examine various claims that Vitamin B-6 increases dream vividness or the ability to recall dreams. 12 college students participated in all three treatment conditions, each of which involved ingesting either 100 mg B-6, 250 mg B-6, or a placebo prior to bedtime for a period of five consecutive days. The treatment conditions were completely counterbalanced and a two-day wash-out period occurred between the three five-day treatment blocks. Morning self-reports indicated a significant difference in dream-salience scores (this is a composite score containing measures on vividness, bizarreness, emotionality, and color) between the 250-mg condition and placebo over the first three days of each treatment. The data for dream salience suggests that Vitamin B-6 may act by increasing cortical arousal during periods of rapid eve movement (REM) sleep. An hypothesis is presented involving the role of B-6 in the conversion of tryptophan to serotonin. However, this first study needs to be replicated using the same procedures and also demonstrated in a sleep laboratory before the results can be considered certain.”
Unfortunately, the full paper on this study is not available online. If you have more information on this study, please contact me.
The abstract above comes from this website.
2. Cheese and Dreams Study – By the British Cheese Board (2005)
Please take into consideration that this study was conducted by the British Cheese Board itself.
That being said, the results are highly interesting, suggesting the large amount of B6 in cheese (and perhaps other substances?) effects a persons dreams.
Here are some excerpts of the study:
“The in-depth Cheese & Dreams study, a first of its kind, reveals that eating cheese before bed will not only aid a good night’s sleep but different cheeses will in fact cause different types of dreams.”
“What is particularly interesting is the reported effect different types of British cheese have on influencing the content of dreams. It seems that selecting the type of cheese you eat before bedtime may help determine the very nature of often colourful and vivid cheese induced dreams”
“Females who ate Stilton had some of the most bizarre dreams of the whole study – although none were described as bad experiences. Highlights included … a vegetarian crocodile upset because it could not eat children.”
Click here to learn more about this study from the British Cheese Board website.
B6dreams.com requested additional information on this from the British Cheese Board but unfortunately never got a response.
Sources
The following sources were used in obtaining information for the FAQ on B6 and dreams.