Vitamin B6 explained: what it is and side effects
Vitamin B6 occurs naturally in foods, including fish, organ meats, starchy vegetables, and noncitrus fruit, and your body needs it for more than 100 enzyme reactions involved in processing nutrients. Adults ages 19 to 50 need 1.3 mg daily. One product we reviewed lists vitamin B6 and prints its amount: 3 mg per serving.
- What it is
- Vitamin
- What adults need a day (ages 19 and older.)
- 1.3 to 1.7 mg
- Upper limit
- 100 mg per day from food and supplements.
- In the products we reviewed
- 1, its label prints the amount
What vitamin B6 is
- Rich food sources of vitamin B6 include fish, organ meats, starchy vegetables, and noncitrus fruit.2
- Vitamin B6 occurs naturally in foods and is also added to some foods.1
- Your body needs vitamin B6 for more than 100 enzyme reactions involved in processing nutrients.1
- Most vitamin B6 supplements use pyridoxine hydrochloride, while some use PLP.2
- Vitamin B6 supplements come as capsules, liquids, and tablets, including chewable tablets and tablets taken under the tongue.2
- Vitamin B6 is available on its own or combined with other B vitamins.1
Foods that have it2
- Fish
- Beef liver
- Other organ meats
- Potatoes
- Other starchy vegetables
- Fruit other than citrus
How much vitamin B6 each product gives
Adults need 1.3 to 1.7 mg a day
Before you take it
If you take medicines
- Cycloserine (Seromycin)
- Vitamin B6 supplements might interact with cycloserine (Seromycin) and worsen seizures or nerve cell damage caused by the medicine.1
- Valproic acid (Depakene, Stavzor), carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Epitol, Tegretol, and others), and phenytoin (Dilantin)
- Valproic acid (Depakene, Stavzor), carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Epitol, Tegretol, and others), and phenytoin (Dilantin) can speed up vitamin B6 breakdown and lead to low levels of its active form in the blood.2
- Theophylline (Aquaphyllin, Elixophyllin, Theolair, Truxophyllin, and many others)
- Theophylline (Aquaphyllin, Elixophyllin, Theolair, Truxophyllin, and many others) can decrease vitamin B6 levels and cause seizures.1
Side effects
- Taking high amounts of vitamin B6 supplements for a year or longer can cause severe nerve damage and loss of control over body movements.1
- Too much vitamin B6 can cause painful skin patches, extreme sensitivity to sunlight, nausea, and heartburn.1
Ask a doctor first
- People taking medicines regularly should discuss their vitamin B6 levels with their healthcare provider.2
- The European Food Safety Authority sets a lower adult upper limit of 12 mg of vitamin B6 per day.1
- Infants should get vitamin B6 only from breast milk, formula, and food.2
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. A supplement is not a medicine.
The product we reviewed that lists vitamin B6
| Product | Form and serving | Vitamin B6 per serving | Our score | Price a bottle | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 SeroBurn#3 in weight loss support | Capsules2 capsules | 3 mg176% of daily need | 9.3 | $49 | Check price |
Questions people ask
What is vitamin B6 called in supplements?
Most vitamin B6 supplements use pyridoxine hydrochloride, while some use PLP. It is available on its own or combined with other B vitamins, as capsules, liquids, and tablets.
What foods are high in vitamin B6?
Rich sources of vitamin B6 include fish, beef liver, other organ meats, potatoes, other starchy vegetables, and fruit other than citrus. Vitamin B6 also is added to some foods.
How much vitamin B6 do adults need per day?
Adults ages 19 to 50 need 1.3 mg of vitamin B6 daily. Men ages 51 and older need 1.7 mg daily, and women ages 51 and older need 1.5 mg daily.
How much vitamin B6 is too much?
The NIH lists an adult upper limit of 100 mg of vitamin B6 per day from food and supplements. The European Food Safety Authority sets an adult upper limit of 12 mg per day. Ask a clinician before starting a vitamin B6 supplement.
What are the side effects of vitamin B6?
Too much vitamin B6 can cause painful skin patches, extreme sensitivity to sunlight, nausea, and heartburn. Taking high amounts of vitamin B6 supplements for a year or longer can cause severe nerve damage.
Which products we reviewed contain vitamin B6?
SeroBurn lists vitamin B6. Its label prints 3 mg per serving of 2 capsules, or 176% of the daily value.
Sources
The products, amounts and prices come from each product's label and checkout, as its review shows them. AI drafts our pages from listed sources, figures are checked against them, and we have not tried the products.
- 1NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Vitamin B6 - Consumerods.od.nih.gov/factsheetschecked
- 2NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Vitamin B6 - Health Professionalods.od.nih.gov/factsheetschecked