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Vitamin B6 is heavily promoted by many wellness companies for its potential benefits in helping the body adapt to stress and increase energy.
Although it is easy to consume sufficient vitamin B6 from dietary sources, many Americans take supplements that contain this vitamin.
As with other vitamins, people tend to focus on preventing vitamin B6 deficiency. However, many do not realize that prolonged intake of high doses of this vitamin from dietary supplements can accumulate in dangerously...
Vitamin B6 is heavily promoted by many wellness companies for its potential benefits in helping the body adapt to stress and increase energy.
Although it is easy to consume sufficient vitamin B6 from dietary sources, many Americans take supplements that contain this vitamin.
As with other vitamins, people tend to focus on preventing vitamin B6 deficiency. However, many do not realize that prolonged intake of high doses of this vitamin from dietary supplements can accumulate in dangerously high amounts in the body, leading to numbness and tingling in hands and toes, which are signs of neuropathy (nerve damage).
About vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble micronutrient that the body needs in small amounts.[1] For example, the vitamin plays a role in cognitive and immune functions and supports the work of dozens of enzymes that are involved in metabolism.
Vitamin B6 is found naturally in many foods of animal origin, potatoes and other starchy vegetables as well as some non-citrus fruits (see Table, below, for examples of rich sources of this vitamin). It also is added to some foods, such as cereals and protein shakes. Approximately three-quarters of vitamin B6 in dietary sources is bioavailable, meaning that it is well absorbed, metabolized and available for use by the body.
Table. Examples of Rich Food Sources of Vitamin B6
| Food (Standard Portion) | Vitamin B6 (milligrams) Per Serving | Percent (%) of Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Chickpeas, canned, 1 cup | 1.1 | 65 |
| Beef liver, pan fried, 3 ounces | 0.9 | 53 |
| Tuna, yellowfin, fresh, cooked, 3 ounces | 0.9 | 53 |
| Salmon, sockeye, cooked, 3 ounces | 0.6 | 35 |
| Chicken breast, roasted, 3 ounces | 0.5 | 29 |
| Banana, 1 medium | 0.4 | 25 |
| Potatoes, boiled, 1 cup | 0.4 | 25 |
| Squash, winter, baked, ½ cup | 0.2 | 12 |
The recommended daily allowance of vitamin B6 ranges from 0.1 milligrams (mg) for healthy newborns to 1.7 mg for healthy males aged 51 years or older. The recommended amount during pregnancy is 1.9 mg and during lactation is 2 mg.
Vitamin B6 is available in oral standalone supplements. It also is part of B-complex vitamins, magnesium, multivitamin, zinc and many other dietary supplements. Of concern, supplements that contain 50 to 500 mg (megadoses) of vitamin B6 are widely available on shelves at pharmacies and online.
Vitamin B6 deficiency
Frank vitamin B6 deficiency is relatively uncommon in the United States. However, certain people may have marginal vitamin B6 levels because of poor diet or underlying health conditions. Examples of such health conditions include alcohol dependence, autoimmune disorders (such as rheumatoid arthritis), inflammatory bowel disease (such as celiac disease, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) or kidney disease.
In addition, certain medications can deplete vitamin B6 levels in the body, such as high doses of the Parkinson’s disease drug carbidopa with levodopa and their combinations with other drugs (CREXONT, DHIVY, DUOPA, RYTARY, SINEMET, STALEVO and generics), as well as foscarbidopa with foslevodopa (VYALEV).[2] Seizures that do not respond to conventional anti-seizure medications but resolve after administration of vitamin B6 have been reported in patients taking these drugs.
Other drugs that induce vitamin B6 deficiency include certain antiseizure medications, such as carbamazepine (CARBATROL, EPITOL, EQUETRO, TEGRETOL, TERIL and generics) and phenytoin (DILANTIN, PHENYTEK and generics).
Signs and symptoms of vitamin B6 deficiency include anemia, scaly lips, cracks at the corners of the mouth, and tongue swelling. Moreover, depression, confusion and a weak immune system also may occur in severe cases of vitamin B deficiency. Infants who do not get enough vitamin B6 can become irritable, have sensitivity to sounds or develop seizures.
Vitamin B6 excess
Consuming large amounts of vitamin B6 from food does not cause adverse effects. In contrast, long-time use of high doses of this vitamin from supplements can lead to progressive sensory neuropathy and ataxia (loss of coordination of voluntary movements). These symptoms tend to be dose dependent but usually subside when vitamin B6 supplements are discontinued early.
Regulatory authorities in Australia and the United Kingdom have set an upper daily limit of 50 mg and 10 mg per day for vitamin B6, respectively, in supplements.
Moreover, starting in June 2027 products containing more than 50 mg per day of vitamin B6 will only be available behind the counter or by prescription in Australia.[3] In 2021, Emery Pharma — a California-based research laboratory — petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take a similar action regarding vitamin products that contain more than 10 mg of vitamin B6.[4] The petition also requested the FDA to ask manufacturers of vitamin B6 or B-complex vitamins to add a warning regarding toxicity and related neuropathy adverse effects to their products. As of August 2026, however, the agency had not responded to the petition.
What You Can Do
It is best to consume all vitamins, including vitamin B6, from dietary sources and to avoid taking supplements that contain megadoses of vitamin B6.
If you are taking a drug that can lower vitamin B6 levels, your clinician should evaluate your vitamin B6 levels before beginning (and periodically throughout) treatment and monitor you for symptoms of deficiency in this vitamin.
If you are currently taking supplements, check their labeling to determine the total amount of vitamin B6 that you are consuming. Other names for vitamin B6 include pyridoxal, pyridoxamine and pyridoxine.
If you develop burning, numbness or tingling in your hands or feet while taking supplements that contain vitamin B6, stop taking them and seek medical help promptly.
References
[1] Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health. Vitamin B6. Fact sheet for health professionals. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB6-HealthProfessional/. Accessed August 3, 2026.
[2] Food and Drug Administration. FDA is requiring warning about vitamin B6 deficiency and associated seizures for drug products containing carbidopa/levodopa. March 20, 2026. https://www.fda.gov/media/191605/download?attachment Accessed August 3, 2026.
[3] Therapeutic Goods Administration, Australian Government. Are you unknowingly taking too much vitamin B6? March 4, 2026. https://www.tga.gov.au/news/blog/are-you-unknowingly-taking-too-much-vitamin-b6. Accessed August 3, 2026.
[4] Emery Pharma. FDA Citizen petition regarding vitamin B6 supplements. September 20, 2021. https://www.regulations.gov/document/FDA-2021-P-1019-0001. Accessed August 3, 2026.
