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Vitamin b6 toxicity

Posted , 21 users are following.

LyLy
LyLy

After having symptoms of fatigue, weakness, numbness in hands, heavy legs, brain fog, lack of concentration, lightheaded and muscle weakness for 9 months with no answers.

A doctor had some sense to test my b6 after describing my symptoms to her. My level was at 47 (3-30) from only taking a multivitamin with 24mg of b6. I've learned that b6 is a water soluble from food intake but not from supplements and it can store toxic levels because your body can't get rid of it fast enough.

There is not much the doctors can do but advise you to stop taking your multivitamin. There is not much information online either. Has anyone gone through this? What were your symptoms? How long to recover?

Any advice or information will be greatly appreciated.

1 like, 28 replies

28 Replies

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  • ImagineOneDay
    ImagineOneDay LyLy

    Posted

    Oh dear Taro, that sounds awful. We think it will help with our symptoms and take thee viramins /multivitamins easily available to all. I am taking various vitamins including vitamin B complex in an expectation that it will help with my fatigue and energy levels. I asked my GP -visiting him due to abdominal pain only yesterday whether it is OK to take them. He said it should be OK. But I know that these vitamins can ve harmful too as inn your case. I am sorry to hear it. I hope ypu feel better soon.
    • LyLy
      LyLy ImagineOneDay

      Posted

      Thank you ImagineCelebi, that's good that you are aware and cautious about b vitamins. Be sure that your b vitamins are not the synthetic kind which is more harmful and cause more side effects.

    • ImagineOneDay
      ImagineOneDay LyLy

      Posted

      Hi Taro, how do I know if I they are or not synthetic type please? Oh dear. I am worried!
    • LyLy
      LyLy ImagineOneDay

      Posted

      Hi ImagineCelebi,

      The synthetic form of b6 is pridoxine hydrochloride which cannot be used by your body without being converted. Sometimes the body cannot convert it and it gets stored and becomes toxic especially taking mega doses. I was taking the synthetic kind for 1 year with only 25mg.

      Pyridoxal 5-phosphate is the active form that the body can absorb but be aware some people have become toxic on this also. It is best to monitor your levels by blood test to keep from getting elevated levels of b6.

      Have you considered bee pollen as mother nature's natural source of vitamin b? I wish I knew this before ever taking supplements.

    • ImagineOneDay
      ImagineOneDay LyLy

      Posted

      THANK YOU VERY MUCH Taro! I didn't know any of this. sad

  • ptolemy
    ptolemy LyLy

    Posted

    Dear Taro, what a rotten thing to happen. I think it is better to try and get our nutrition from food rather than supplements if possible. Supplements tend to make a lot of money for the suppliers but do not necessarily do much for us!  Have you had your vitamin D level and iron checked? 
    • LyLy
      LyLy ptolemy

      Posted

      Hi Ptolemy, you are absolutely right and I am learning it the hard way. I was healthy before supplements hardly went to the doctors until a co-worker recommended vitamins she was taking to increase energy. Big mistake.

      I've had so many tests done it's crazy. My iron is good and I am still deficient in vitamin d. Still working to raise my levels up. It was at 13 now 25. With vitamin d deficiency and b6 toxicity I'm getting hit hard with fatigue and weakness.

      There's always light at the end of the tunnel =)

    • ptolemy
      ptolemy LyLy

      Posted

      Hi Taro, you were pretty deficient in vit D, that can cause quite nasty symptoms. Also it can take a while to build up to a normal level.
    • LyLy
      LyLy ptolemy

      Posted

      Hi Ptolemy,

      I have always thought that my vitamin deficiency was the root cause of my symptoms because all tests have come back normal.

      Doctors are very reluctant to say that it is the cause. They say it could be and leave it at that and refer you to another specialist to do more testing as I am waiting to see a rhuematologist next to rule out anything else.

      I started digging deeper into this and have come to learn that quite a few people who have vitamin d deficiency also had vitamin b6 toxicity. Doctors rarely test for b6 unless you ask. God was looking out for me, I was lucky.

      I come to learn that vitamin b6 depletes magnesium and being deficient in magnesium means being deficient in vitamin d because your body can't convert. It's very interesting.

  • elaine62759
    elaine62759 LyLy

    Posted

    It might be possible that you don't just have a vitamin deficiency but could possibly have CFS as all of your symptoms match those for CFS. Did you have an illness like flu or a trauma before you started to feel ill about 9 months ago that might have triggered this?

    • LyLy
      LyLy elaine62759

      Posted

      I didn't have an illness prior just stress from work. The symptoms did started out with flu like symptoms but without the flu. I've asked my doctor about CFS and she said I don't fit all the criteria. So she is referring me to a rhuematologist.

  • l19069
    l19069 LyLy

    Posted

    How are you doing now? Have your symptoms subsided? I have the same symptoms

    along with b6 toxicity. 

    • l19069
      l19069 ImagineOneDay

      Posted

      Diagnosed with small fiber neuropathy. Symptoms were increased heart rate,

      orostatic intolerance, extreme exhaustion. Was constantly dizzy, so neurologist

      took blood and did a skin biopsy. High prolactin, low testosterone and hig b6(72)

      came up on blood work

    • ImagineOneDay
      ImagineOneDay l19069

      Posted

      Thank you for sharing. So assume you stopped taking vB6. I was twice high on prolactin but gp did not suggest me stop taking it. I wonder if I should stop. Oh dear!
    • LyLy
      LyLy l19069

      Posted

      It's been 8 months and my symptoms have improved a little bit. They are still there but not as intense or frequently as before. I think it will take some time for the body to get rid of the extra b6 stored in the tissues.

      Hopefully you will feel better soon in time. I wish you well.

    • vanessa08070
      vanessa08070 l19069

      Posted

      Hey there,

      I am having a similar thing. I have hyperprolactinemia with a microadenoma and my B6 is at 50 and I see a neuro tomorrow. I cannot shake the burning and nervousness and heart palpitations. Are you any better?

    • tara50448
      tara50448 l19069

      Posted

      Hi 19069, did anyone say you could recover from the SF neuropathy in time?  All of my doctors deny it could be the Vitamin B (mine was 39.3 with upper limit being 27).  I have constant tingling/pinching, mostly in hands and feet.  I also would like to ask....are your symptoms worse when you do physical work and exercise?  I was moving some heavier file boxes around at work today and my tingling kicked up a notch from it.
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