Your central nervous system requires adequate levels of vitamin B-6 to function normally. That's why health professionals with the Office of Dietary Supplements recommend adults get 1.3 to 2.0 mg of vitamin B-6 daily, depending on age and health status. Despite its beneficial attributes, vitamin B-6 can be dangerous in large amounts. In fact, people who take more than 200 mg of this nutrient daily are at risk of developing vitamin B-6 overdose symptoms. If you think you've overdosed on vitamin B-6, contact your medical provider as soon as possible for additional care.
Poor Muscle Coordination or Paralysis
The movement of your muscles is initiated by a signal that travels along a nerve from your brain to the appropriate muscle. Taking too much vitamin B-6 can disrupt this nerve transmission, leading to poor muscle coordination. When you can't control your muscles properly, you may have difficulty standing up or walking around normally. In severe cases of nerve damage, you may completely lose the ability to engage certain muscles during physical activity -- a symptom called paralysis. Though these symptoms can be severely disruptive, they subside once your vitamin B-6 levels return to normal.
Burning or Tingling
Nerve degradation caused by high levels of vitamin B-6 in your body may result in unusual burning or tingling sensations in your hands, feet or legs. The uncomfortable pins-and-needle sensation may be constant and can disrupt your ability to move the affected limb.
Difficulty Breathing
A vitamin B-6 overdose may also damage the nerves responsible for regulating your respiratory system. In the absence of proper respiratory nerve control, you can experience severe difficulty inhaling or exhaling. Seek emergency medical care if you develop any breathing problems, including shortness of breath, rapid breathing or wheezing. Severe nerve damage throughout your respiratory tract may cause you to stop breathing.
Allergic Skin Reaction
High doses of vitamin B-6 may induce an allergic skin reaction on rare occasions. You may develop swollen red welts across your body that begin to itch profusely. Additionally, irritated skin regions may appear dry or flaky. If skin irritation persists for more than a few days, consult your physician for further evaluation. High doses of vitamin B-6 may induce an allergic skin reaction on rare occasions.
References
- Office of Dietary Supplements; Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin B-6; August 2007
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Vitamin B-6 (Pyridoxine); Steven D. Ehrlich; June 2009
- The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library; Vitamin B6: Vitamin Deficiency, Dependency, and Toxicity; April 2007
- American Pregnancy Association; Symptoms of Overdose: Vitamin B-6 (i.e., Pyridoxine); October 2008
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