Pyridoxine

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Harshi Dhingra, M.D.

Last Reviewed: Sep 18, 2023

Warnings

Vitamin B6 Risks, Warnings, and Complications

Vitamin B6 may cause or worsen health problems in some people. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking any vitamin supplementation. Some of the risks of taking vitamin B6 include:

OVERDOSE: High doses of vitamin B6 (500 mg per day or more) may cause headache, nausea, stomach pain, loss of appetite, and, in severe cases, problems with nerve and brain function.
USE DURING PREGNANCY AND BREAST FEEDING: Vitamin B6 is likely safe during pregnancy when used appropriately under the supervision of a healthcare professional. It is sometimes used to treat morning sickness in early pregnancy. High doses can be unsafe and may cause seizures in the newborn baby.
The recommended dietary allowance of vitamin B6 is 2 mg by mouth daily during lactation. There isn’t enough evidence to say whether higher doses of vitamin B6 are safe when breast feeding.
AFTER STENT PLACEMENT: Avoid taking a combination of vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and folic acid after surgical coronary stent placement for cardiovascular disease. This combination of vitamin supplements can increase the risk of narrowing of the blood vessels.
AFTER WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY: People who undergo weight loss surgery need to take vitamin supplementation because their diet does not provide adequate intake of important nutrients and they are at an increased risk of vitamin deficiencies. However, taking a vitamin B6 supplement is not required after weight loss surgery. High doses can cause side effects such as stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and skin discoloration.

Precautions Before Starting Vitamin B6

Tell your doctor if you have ever had an allergic reaction to vitamin B6, any of the active or inactive ingredients in vitamin B6 formulations, or any other medications. Your pharmacy can give you a list of ingredients.

Give your doctor and pharmacist a complete list of your medications, including prescription medications, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, dietary supplements, and herbal remedies. This can help avoid possible drug interactions between vitamin B6 and your other medicines.

Vitamin B6 may not be right for people with certain medical conditions. Give your doctor a complete medical history before starting any dietary supplements.

Tell your health care professional if you are pregnant, could be pregnant, plan to get pregnant, or are breast feeding.

Precautions During Use of Vitamin B6

Keep all your medical and lab appointments. Follow the dosing instructions on the prescription label or package label.

Tell your doctor if you become pregnant while on this medication.

Vitamin B6 Drug Interactions

Other drugs can affect how vitamin B6 works. Possible interactions with certain medications can increase the risk of severe adverse effects. Some of the medications that can have interactions with vitamin B6 include:

Medications used to treat Parkinson’s disease, such as levodopa (Sinemet)

Anti-epileptic drugs, such as phenytoin and phenobarbital

Other vitamins

Give your doctor or pharmacist a complete list of your medications, including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, dietary supplements, and herbal remedies. Also, tell your healthcare professional if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use recreational drugs because some of these substances can cause serious health complications when used with prescription medications, over-the-counter medicines, and dietary supplements.

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