There’s growing awareness of rare, but potentially serious side effects from high doses of vitamin B6, a nutrient that’s become popular in a range of dietary supplements, electrolyte drinks and fortified foods.Vitamin B6, or pyridoxine, is a nutrient critical to many bodily functions, including nerve health, protein metabolism and blood sugar regulation. Because vitamin B6 is also vital to brain development, it’s important during pregnancy and infancy. It’s often promoted to help boost energy, as well as relieve stress.It naturally occurs in many foods and is added to a number of ready-to-eat products, namely cereals. Most multivitamins contain B6, according to the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSome energy drinks also contain it as a caffeine alternative, said Jamie Alan, an associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University.“People might be surprised, the number of places B vitamins occur,” she said.That’s part of the problem.In high doses, B6 can accumulate in body tissues and cause nerve damage, neurologist Dr. Norman Latov, director of the Peripheral Neuropathy Clinical and Research Center at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York, said.In November, suspected vitamin B6 poisonings prompted the Australian government to tighten restrictions on supplements containing high amounts of the nutrient. Beginning mid-2027, products containing more than 50 milligrams per daily dose will be sold behind the counter at pharmacies; those exceeding 200 mg already require a prescription.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementStill, vitamin B6 products continue to surge in popularity. Their global market share is projected to exceed $712 million by 2030, with a 5.8% compound annual growth rate from 2024 to 2030, according to research analytics firm IndustryArc.Poisoning is rare, although incidences are rising. Nationwide, 439 cases of vitamin B6 exposure were reported in 2024, none of which was fatal, up from 369 in 2019 and 311 in 2014, National Poison Data System records show.Joanne Slavin, a registered dietitian and professor of food science and nutrition at the Uni …
