Vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, is a nutrient required for normal brain function and brain development, as well as the production of the hormones melatonin, norepinephrine and serotonin. While recommended dosages of B6 are typically safe, excessive intake can trigger toxic effects that include nerve damage and allergic skin reactions.
Sources, Names and Forms
Food sources of B6 include tuna, salmon, turkey, beef liver, milk and cheese, beans, spinach and whole-grain flour, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC. You can also buy B6 supplements in isolated form or as a component of multivitamins or B-complex vitamins. Commonly available forms of these products include softgels, children's chewables, tablets, lozenges and liquid drops. In addition to pyridoxine, the B6 content of these products may be marketed under names that include pyridoxamine, pyridoxine hydrochloride, pyridoxal and pyridoxal-5-phosphate.
Recommended Dosages
Like all other B vitamins, B6 is water-soluble and does not remain in your system long after ingestion, the UMMC reports. However, significant B6 deficiencies are relatively rare. If you are a male between the ages of 14 and 50, or a female between the ages of 19 and 50, you have a recommended daily B6 intake of 1.3 mg. Males over the age of 50 have a recommended daily intake of 1.7 mg, while females over 50 have a recommended intake of 1.5 mg. Teen girls have a recommended daily intake of 1.2 mg. Younger children have significantly lower B6 requirements than adults or teens, while pregnant and nursing women have slightly higher requirements.
Toxic Effects
If you take 200 mg or more of B6 daily, you may develop nerve damage in your arms or legs, according to the UMMC and the National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements. Potential symptoms of this damage include balance problems and loss of normal sensation. Use of high doses of B6 can also produce symptoms that include skin reactions, abdominal pain, lack of appetite, nausea, headaches, seizures and unusual sensitivity to sunlight. To diminish the potential for B6 toxicity, the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine limits the maximum safe daily adult dosage to 100 mg.
Therapeutic Dosages
In some cases, your doctor may prescribe a B6 dosage in excess of 100 mg to treat certain ailments, the UMMC notes. Examples of these ailments include depression, rheumatoid arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, pregnancy-related nausea, Parkinson's disease and heart disease. Be aware that scientists have not fully established the usefulness of B6 in treating these conditions. Do not take therapeutic amounts of B6 to treat any ailment without the explicit advice and supervision of your doctor.
Considerations
While B6 is typically safe at recommended dosages, some individuals have unusual B6 sensitivities, according to the Mayo Clinic. If you have this type of sensitivity, normal dosages may produce toxic effects. Pregnant women should not use B6 without advice and monitoring from their doctors. The safety of relatively high B6 doses for breastfeeding women has not been fully established.
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