Vitamins and minerals are essential for health, but more is not always better. Recently, there have been reports of patients experiencing peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage affecting movement and sensation in the limbs) due to excess vitamin B6 (pyridoxine). While B6 is important for nerve and immune function, too much can be harmful.
Benefits and Uses of Vitamin B6
B6 supplementation can help with an inherited blood condition called sideroblastic anaemia. There is also some evidence supporting its use for morning sickness and PMS. It was trialed as a treatment for coronary artery disease by reducing homocysteine, an amino acid associated with heart disease. However, studies did not show a significant reduction in heart disease and stroke with B6 supplementation.
Understanding B6 Toxicity
The Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI) maximum for B6 is 2mg for breastfeeding individuals and only 1.3mg for adults aged 18-50. However, some multivitamins contain much higher doses, such as 100mg in Cenovis Women’s multi-vitamin “Energy Boost” and 50mg in many other multivitamins.
Toxicity generally occurs at doses over 100mg per day, but there are reports of toxicity at doses as low as 50mg per day. While there is small print on bottles about potential toxicity, it should be made clearer, especially given the claims made by vitamin companies about “energy boosts” and other benefits. These claims are only true if there is an actual deficiency, which is unlikely for most people with a balanced diet.
The Role of Multivitamins
Multivitamins still have a role, particularly for individuals prone to nutritional deficiencies due to poor absorption (e.g., post-bariatric surgery, short gut syndrome) or during pregnancy and lactation. If you take a multivitamin, check the nutrition panel for B6 content to ensure it is not excessive.
If you are concerned that your B6 levels might be too high from taking a multivitamin, B6 can easily be tested with a blood test. 👩🏼⚕️