My B6 Toxicity Journey

When I look back on the past year, I can hardly believe how blind I was to what I was doing to my own body. My name is Melissa Page, I’m 51, and I’ve made my living for decades as a remedial massage therapist. I thought I was doing everything right—taking supplements to help with cramps and supporting my lifestyle—but I never imagined I was slowly poisoning myself.

Last Year’s Symptoms (Early–Mid 2024)

In hindsight there were many symptoms for many years on and off. 

I’d finish a long day of treatments, lay on my couch, and feel a strange buzzing beneath my skin—as if I’d left my TENS machine on too high a setting. I also had what I thought was golfer’s elbow. At first, I chalked it up to over‑use: carrying my table up stairs, leaning into treatments, rolling clients right off the couch. But nothing was getting better.

I also noticed I was constantly thirsty and I was running to the bathroom more than usual. My vision blurred in patches. I felt wobbly, I was forgetting words. Muscle cramps and spasms woke me in the middle of the night; I’d wake up and go and grab my magnesium.

Chasing Scans and Second Opinions

Worried, I went back to a sports doctor who’d helped me with a stubborn shoulder injury with a cortisone. I thought he could help with what I thought was Golfer’s Elbow. MRIs showed torn tendons, tendonitis, even ulnar nerve compression and early signs of radial tunnel syndrome. I had a cortisone in the elbow and the pain went for 6 weeks, however, within a day of getting relief the pins and needles started down my arm. The sports Dr wanted me to see a GP and he said Cymbalta might help and gave me a script for 30mg a day. I was reluctant to take it without knowing what was going on.

A new GP sent me for a full cervical‑spine MRI late in 2024. I remember the sinking feeling as I read the report: multilevel spondylosis, severe foraminal stenosis at C4/5 and C5/6, spinal‑cord flattening. It sounded dire, like a traffic jam of nerves being crushed. I was referred to a neurosurgeon… who didn’t have an opening until March 2025. In the meantime, a neurologist I saw ordered a brain MRI. I had looked at my symptoms and they really aligned with MS. I devoured MS podcasts, scanned images online, convinced I’d find lesions on my own scans. I even endured painful nerve‑conduction studies the person conducting these tests said I should further investigate my Income Protection.

The Supplements I Trusted

All this while, I was dutifully taking supplements I believed were helping me heal:

- Cenovis Mega B every morning (50 mg of B6)

- Blackmores Super Magnesium + each night (another 50 mg of B6)

- Blackmores Bio‑Zinc whenever I felt off‑colour (50 mg more)

I thought these were standard doses for someone with muscle spasms and joint pain. I never stopped to consider that I was taking upwards of 100–150 mg of vitamin B6 every day—more than fifty times the recommended daily intake of 1.3–1.9 mg.

The Misdiagnosis That Broke Me

When I finally received the Nerve Conduction results in early April 2025, she listened patiently, reviewed my scans, and then said, “Melissa, you’re just aging. See a good physio and take it easy.” I was in tears when I left her surgery—devastated that after all the tests and scans, I was told there was no real cause for my agony.

I’d been offered Gabapentin by my neurologist, but I refused—I wanted a definitive diagnosis before adding another drug to my body. Over the preceding months I’d weighed up both Gabapentin and Cymbalta; in the end, I decided to try Cymbalta because it offered relief for both depression and nerve pain. It helped my mood, and was amazing with the nerve pain until I started to get terrible reflux and constipation, so I stopped it.

The Moment of Clarity

My Physio kept encouraging me to find a good GP. The turning point came with a visit to a new GP in the same practice, recommended by a client. She asked about my supplements, ordered a B6 blood test on the spot, and warned me that high‑dose pyridoxine could be toxic. When the labs confirmed my B6 levels were sky‑high, I felt a mix of relief and anger—I’d been suffering for years for something so I had done to myself. I had poisoned myself.

Recovery and Reflection

I immediately stopped all B6‑containing supplements, including Protein Bars. 

I joined online support groups, read up on healing from B6 Toxicity. 

Today, my nerve symptoms are improving and manageable. I am working and can educate people on the effects of excess B6.

My Message

I share my story in the hope that no one else endures the needless years of pain and fear I faced. 

I’m Melissa Page, and this was my B6 toxicity Diagnosis Journey.

Proposed Class Action Against Blackmores Limited

 

In May 2025, Polaris Lawyers announced that it is investigating a potential class action on behalf of anyone who has suffered injuries after taking Blackmores Vitamin supplements containing higher than recommended levels of vitamin B6. Polaris Lawyers represents Mr Dominic Noonan-O’Keeffe as the lead Plaintiff in a proposed class action against Blackmores Limited.

 

In May 2023, Dominic Noonan-O’Keeffe purchased and started taking Blackmores vitamin supplements to maintain his health in anticipation of the birth of his first child on 26 May 2023. He was unaware that the Blackmores Super Magnesium+ and Ashwagandha+ he was taking contained potentially toxic levels of vitamin B6 and could not have imagined the significant long term medical problems that taking the supplement would cause.

 

In August 2023, Dominic started experiencing significant fatigue, excruciating headaches and hypersensitivity to his environment. His symptoms escalated with Dominic experiencing muscle spasms, neuralgia, heart palpitations, visual disturbances and loss of sensation across his body. Dominic was left unable to concentrate, struggling to sleep, constantly in pain and even at times found it difficult walking. His medical team would go on to identify neuropathy caused by excessive B6 levels in the Blackmores supplements.   

 

Dominic later discovered that the Magnesium+ he had been taking contained approximately 29 times the recommended daily intake of vitamin B6.

 

Despite stopping the supplements in February 2024, he continues to experience a variety of symptoms daily including nerve pain, visual disturbances, muscle spasms and loss of sensation.

 

Dominic wants changes to the way that supplements containing B6 are sold, to make sure that what he and countless other people have suffered does not happen to someone else.

 

Link to read:

 

https://www.polarislawyers.com.au/vitaminbclassaction

A little something called B6 toxicity and me.

 

I started going to the gym the second half of 2022 and all of 2023 five days a week, taking pre workout, Bcaas for recovery, a Celsius drink everyday, liquid IV on occasion and women’s one a day multivitamin by Rainbow Light (1,176%DV).  

 

 I am a 38 year old mother of two boys, seemingly healthy. I felt myself getting stronger every day, then little things started to happen. I would’ve never imagined in 2024 small things snowballing into major health problems. My hair started falling out in early 2024 and soon after I had debilitating panic attacks multiple times a day. Extreme sensitivity to lights of any kind, also with sounds. Soon after, the left side of my face and my tongue started to go numb along with my arms and head feeling heavy. Hands and feet tingling, nasal cavity feeling numb, heart palpitations, hands cramping and insomnia. All of these experiences threw me off of my gym routine, and I stopped taking the supplements because lack of gym going. Thank goodness because I still had no clue about my B6 toxicity. 

 

After testing, some ER doctors and psychiatrists were just telling me I have panic disorder and generalized anxiety. I knew deep down this was not me and something terribly wrong was going on inside me. I would often cry asking out loud “why is this happening to me?” Thankfully I have a great GP who tested for all major health conditions and sent me to a Neurologist who tested me for B6 in April 2025.  

 

I live in Las Vegas, Nevada. I actually saw the neurologist back in December 2024, and was supposed to take lab work then, but got distracted with my kids bdays, holidays, work life. I ended up taking my labs late…in April of this year. 🤦🏻‍♀️I stopped taking the supplements I was taking for the gym when I started having symptoms the beginning of 2024, in January-February ish. I did recently have liquid Iv early this year 2025 though because of hand cramping… Thinking I was dehydrated and I wasn’t.

 

I had stopped taking the supplements in early 2024 without knowing it was those supplements that were causing me harm. I stopped taking them because I couldn’t go to the gym anymore due to panic and everything else. Blessing in disguise.

 

It’s been about it 15 months of recovery. I still have photophobia, tingly hands and feet tongue numbness, nasal cavity still feels numb on and off and occasional panic attacks. My hair feels like it’s getting healthier and I’m starting to get some more sleep.

 

 I have faith I’ll feel somewhat back to normal within 2025 year and B6 toxicity can kick rocks!! We got this!! ✨💞

 

Big thank you to the B6 toxicity community for sharing your stories and being so kind. 

 

Written by~ Samantha C

PSA: B6 Overdose is Real — Please Read if You Take Supplements or Energy Drinks!

 

I live in northern Michigan with my family in a quiet, rural area. We’re pretty health-conscious and live an active, outdoorsy lifestyle — hiking, working on our land, and trying to keep up with the kids. Like many people, I’ve always tried to stay hydrated and healthy, especially with how physically demanding our days can be.

 

A few months ago, I started noticing strange, painful sensations in my hands and feet. Tingling, burning, numbness — like my nerves were misfiring. It wasn’t just uncomfortable — it was frightening, especially with no obvious explanation.

 

After a long road of researching, ruling things out, and finally putting the pieces together, I discovered the cause: vitamin B6 toxicity.

 

Here’s how it happened:

 

I was regularly drinking Liquid I.V. for hydration (which contains B6)

 

Occasionally grabbing an energy drink to get through a busy day (also packed with B6)

 

Taking daily supplements that included even more B6

 

None of these things seemed excessive on their own — but they added up.

 

Vitamin B6 toxicity, or pyridoxine toxicity, is very real. It can cause neuropathy (nerve damage), even at levels just above the recommended daily intake, especially if you're sensitive or taking it long-term.

 

I had no idea this could happen. Most of us are led to believe that water-soluble vitamins like B6 are just flushed out if we get too much. But in reality, B6 builds up in the body and can cause lasting harm.

 

I’m sharing my story because I don’t want anyone else to go through this. If you’re taking multiple supplements, drinking energy drinks, or using products like hydration powders — check the labels. Add up the total B6 you’re getting, and talk to your doctor if you’re experiencing strange symptoms.

 

I’m still on the road to recovery. Some days are better than others. But I’m grateful to have finally found the cause and hope this post helps someone else catch it early.

 

Written by: Jessica Thompson

I have been a serious athlete my entire life. A gymnast, marathoner, bodybuilder, and Iron Man triathlete. It is the only thing in my heart. It is every fiber of my being. B6 toxicity has taken it from me.

 

It would take me two hours to explain the details of my situation. So please find this very abbreviated story and heed my warning about the dangers of vitamin B6.

 

In the September of 2022, I was a 45 year-old female from Northern Kentucky training as usual for triathlons. I could run a 5K in 19 minutes. I would do a minimum of 100 pull-ups a day. In total, I spent roughly 20 hours a week training. I had been having some very low-key strange side effects for a while, but it was not impacting my life in any way.

 

Fast forward to December 2022. Yep, three months later. I was attempting to fall asleep for the night as I cradled a Bible and sobbed. I prayed to the Lord that I would wake up in the morning. I had full body severe pain. Neuropathy in arms, legs, hands, and feet. Full body muscle twitching. Hair loss, incontinence, night sweats, SEVERE anxiety, etc. I could go on. That is less than half of the horrible side effects I was having. I couldn’t brush my teeth, shower, vacuum or drive without resting my arms. I could only walk about a quarter of a mile. I thought I was going to die.

 

There were countless doctors and tests. To name a few… Multiple MRIs, upper scope, colonoscopy, CT scan, sonogram, and tons of labs. My liver enzymes and ferritin had been coming back quadruple normal for about two years. Only in hindsight do I see that this was caused by the B6. Aside from that, all tests were normal except for vitamin B6. It was five times the normal range. 

 

I had stopped taking supplements for over two weeks when the neurologist finally checked the B6, so it was probably even higher than that. Completely unaware of the dangers of B6, I was ingesting an incredible amount. Sports drinks, electrolyte drinks, amino acids, multivitamins (all containing added B6) and even large amounts of chicken (high amount of naturally occuring B6).

 

Most people, even doctors, think vitamin B6 is perfectly safe because it is water soluble. This is not true. It is a known neurotoxin. It is broken down in the liver and stored in the muscle. It can then spill over to the nerves. Vitamin B6 can cause sensory, motor and autonomic nerve damage.

 

It is now April, 2025. I have improved by approximately 80%. It is still a roller coaster of fluctuating symptoms. It is a vast improvement, but nowhere near what I was before. My neurologist tells me that most healing is done in the nerves on the front end, which is usually six months to a year. He says this is most likely my new baseline.

 

I still hope to find a doctor that knows how to treat B6 toxicity and I can be 100% again.

 

Vitamin B6 toxicity has caused me more physical and mental anguish & pain than I can even put into words.

 

Written by: Alexandra Eddins

 

Hello everyone!! I am David Cullom. I live in the United States in Crown Point, Indiana just 45 minutes outside of Chicago. This has been a long road for me. I’ve had underlying conditions which made it next to impossible to diagnose my B6 toxicity.

 

 In 2002 I was in a scaffolding accident where I broke my back and had severe head trauma. While I was not diagnosed with any neck injury, I had a neck fusion in 2010. By 2012, ten years later, I felt better again. I ran triathlons, half marathons and was an avid cyclist. I worked out daily. I was trying to be healthy as possible and started taking b6 supplements in 2012. Worst decison of my life. 

 

In 2015 I began my decline. I had my first of 3 Cryo ablations for a-fib. Last one in 2022 was successful and it seems to be behind me now. Elbow surgery in 2019 and felt good after that then covid hit. Had my second Cryo ablation in 2020. I was the second person at Northwestern University to receive that procedure when they opened it back up during Covid. I had heart rates up to 279 during that AFib cycle. While still having off and on a-fib issues, I started to have spinal issues late 2020. While fighting neck pain for 6 months it was decided by my neuro surgeon to have my second cervical spine fusion. I’ve now had C5-7 fused. 

 

Was B6 the cause of my heart issues? I’m not sure. I believe my neck issue was from the scaffolding accident. In 2022, I had my 3rd Cryo ablation and now seem to be symptom free of a-fib, but my peripheral neuropathy was becoming debilitating. I was having shoulder issues and that was being diagnosed as neck issues starting in the summer of ‘22. I had seen two different pain management doctors for about a year. I then felt it was more of a shoulder problem than a neck problem. I got the mri of my shoulder and fast forward, last week, I finally had shoulder surgery to repair my severely torn labrum complete tear of biceps tendon, rotator cuff repair and also had my bursitis removed. 

 

Now, I go back to 2023. Since then, I have seen 5 different neurologists at Northwestern Hospital in Chicago, which is considered one of the best hospitals in the US. I had some severe peripheral neuropathy especially on the left side. I had MRI of the brain and cervical spine, thoracic spine and lumbar spine. Doctors saw I have stenosis and herniated disc compression of my L4-L5 nerve root. It was deemed mild so back to therapy etc. I got to the point where I can no longer tolerate PT.

 

 The same old story continued of my doctor saying “I don’t understand why the symptoms are so severe.” It was progressively getting worse so in July of 2024 I received another MRI. Now my stenosis in L2- S1 has worsened and so has my nerve root. Neurosurgeon says I need a laminectomy of L4-L5. It’s a spinal decompression surgery. I get it completed in October of 2024. My neuropathy is now getting worse so the neuro orders me another MRI. He looks at the imaging and concludes I must have another underlying condition causing my decline, because the spine doesn’t show any imaging that would result in my condition to be worsening. So I get sent to another neuro and he confirms, so then second neuro sends me to a neuro disease doctor. He tests my B6 and it was 207. Normal range is between 2-20. I was ten times over the high end normal range and 100 times above the low end normal range. He said this is the cause after seeing my lab work. I found this out a little over a month ago.

 

My peripheral neuropathy over the last few years has crippled me. Headaches have been brutal as well. Between my underlying issues and my B6 toxicity, it’s been a battle. I can no longer do much of anything. It is debilitating to even stand for more than ten minutes at a time. I’m hopeful that I can eventually make a full recovery. I am here for you all for support as I’m still learning about this awful disease. Best of luck to all of you and I wish you all a full recovery.

 

Written by: David Cullom

 

I spent most of the last year thinking I was going to die. My health has been ruined by Vitamin B6.

I am a married (20 years!) mother of 2 amazing teenagers from Washington State USA. I have a passion for helping others. The awful experiences I have had with my health have to mean something, so here I am sharing.

June 2024 I discovered I was taking 40 mg of B6 daily. (1.3 mg is the recommended daily allowance). Someone had posted about vitamin B6 toxicity in one of the POTS support groups I was in. I had a sick feeling in my stomach. After reading about it, I went and looked at all of my supplements and to my horror, seven of the supplements I was taking had vitamin B6 added. It was added to my daily multi, magnesium, sleep blend, and several fibromyalgia supplements I was taking.

I unfortunately did not get a blood test when I was still taking the B6, and it drops fast in the blood. So I will never know my original toxicity level. My first blood test had me at the very high end of the range at 2 weeks off all supplementation. At 6 months off, my blood test showed me in low normal range.

I ate a very high B6 diet as a child/teen (cereal, sunflower seeds, chicken, Flintstones vitamins). I have seen different health care providers over the years, many who prescribed me B vitamins, in excessive amounts. I have found many mostly empty bottles with at least 25 mg in B6 in a daily dose that I took from 2010-2024. It is my belief that I have been B6 toxic pretty much my whole life. And not one doctor knew about it or helped me figure it out, they all just kept prescribing me stuff that kept me sick. My OB prescribed me B6 and Unisom when I was pregnant 19 years ago! It didn't help the morning sickness and it made me couch ridden.

In 2020 I started seeing a doctor to help me figure out my issues and he diagnosed me with fibromyalgia and I did a bunch of genetic testing. He told me that I'm not processing vitamins well from my food and that I needed to supplement specific vitamins. He put me on a supplement protocol and at times I was taking 200 to 300 mg of B6 daily. As you can imagine I was not tolerating it well and I was often bedridden. I was told that it was me over methylating but there was no explanation of why this was happening to me and why my body couldn't handle the B vitamins. So I stopped taking B complex but I was still taking multiple supplements that had added b6. I was not taking b6 on purpose it was just part of the supplements that I was taking.

In May 2022 I had a major surgery. Hysterectomy with diagnosis and removal of endometriosis stage 3, and adenomyosis. I had a perineal revision, removing scar tissue that the surgeon thought was causing my pain. Instead the pain worsened. I have been unable to sit well and have had lots of pain issues ever since. None of the specialists could figure out why, and now I know... Nerve pain and polyneuropathy are symptoms of B6 toxicity.

Back in May and June 2024, right before I figured out the B6 toxicity, I was very, very sick. I actually thought that I wasn't going to make it. I did some blood work with a naturopathic doctor and she diagnosed me with long haul covid due to my high viral load (bloodwork showed high Epstein Barr virus, cytomegaly, hsv1 and strep A). She looked at every single one of my vitamins and did not flag the 40 mg of B6 I was taking even though it was right in front of her and she combed through each supplement. When I asked her about B6 toxicity after figuring it out, she said she had heard of it but it didn't click for her when she was looking at my supplements.

After stopping the supplements, I became bedridden. For 6 months. I had extreme fatigue, migraines, bad brain fog. I remember one time grabbing a knife to eat my food with fully thinking it was just as good as a fork. Another time I had a little brain glitch and I started moving and talking in slow motion. My family thought I might be having a stroke. I had extreme sensitivity to lights and sound, I almost didn't leave my house more than about five times the entire summer last year. And when I did I had to wear sunglasses and earplugs often. I could not go to the store or church. Everything was too loud and bright and overwhelming for my nervous system.

Thankfully I started going to acupuncture and it really helped me get through some of the hard bits. It's still continuing to help.

My hormones are absolutely messed up (Low progesterone, estrogen and testosterone. High cortisol and insulin) and nobody knows why. I currently went through testing for Cushing's and my results were not making sense. I have been diagnosed with Non-neoplastic hypercortisolism. It's difficult to find doctors that know anything about anything, and clearly as you can see by my history, I have put trust in a lot of doctors that have hurt me badly, unintentionally.

I go around and around and I have wonderful people that are also dealing with massive health issues like me to talk with. I'm very thankful for my support team because I'm clearly not getting the healthcare that I need. I stump every single doctor because I don't make sense.

Now I'm kind of at a crossroads. And maybe I just need some more time to clear this B6 out of my system. I know it can take one to three years to really see improvement. I'm at almost 11 months into my healing journey at the time of writing this, April 2025.

I'm still dealing with a lot of brain fog, low energy, fatigue, insomnia, inability to lose weight, insulin resistance, hirsutism, buzzing and tingly in my hands, feet and face at times though it's much improved in intensity. I go through periods of time where things get a little worse and then I'm better. But overall things are much better than they were 11 months ago.

I don't know what's next. I'm a very spiritual person and I'm really leaning into God's direction on my journey. I spend a lot of time in prayer and many times my prayers are wordless and I just send an urgent plea to guide and protect me. I don't have the answers. But, I'm somehow still waking up every morning.

Please learn from my mistakes. Read labels on every single thing you're putting in your mouth. Cereal, energy drinks, electrolytes, pre-made shakes, shoot I've even found B6 added to mints! If you are ingesting any, I recommend you stop immediately. Go get your blood checked at the doctor and see if you are toxic. And even if you are not, you shouldn't be supplementing with it. 

Most people have a very high B6 diet naturally. There's no need to supplement this one. Deficiency is a whole other beast but many people that become deficient then become toxic because they start taking too much. We need more research and eyes on this. The absolute wretched experience I have went through I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

I'm so grateful for my support group. I don't know where I would be without the other B6 toxic friends I have made on this journey. INCUDING several friends in my own circle who are also dealing with B6 toxicity.

One day at a time, I'm on my way to better health. Maybe my 40's will be the best years of my life. Here's to hoping, and healing!

Written by: Cariann Royall

 

I am an Australian man of Indian origin. My story started on 7th June 2024 when I was sent to ER by my GP due to horrible burning sensations in my lower limbs, chest pain and palpitations. Prior to that I used to have pins and needles in my left leg but I didn't pay much attention as GP thought it's because I am diabetic. 

 

When in ER, doctors ordered all tests including MRIs and CT of my hip. Nothing showed nerve damage. Blood results were fine too. I was put on some opiods and discharged after 5 days. I didn't feel normal even after that and 20 days later my chest pain and panic attacks worsened with super high blood pressure and I was back into ER, but this time I chose a different hospital. Cardiologist did all my heart scans and all came back normal. 

 

While I was admitted there I was researching on my phone what was going on, in Australia we have My Health App where you can see all your results. I checked them from my prior hospital admission and everything but B6 was normal. My B6 was over 1100 and when I Googled it, I got the answer.

 

I stopped my b complex vitamins, all energy drinks and those energy capsules which all had B6. When I started looking at labels, everything I've been consuming in the last 20 years was FULL of B6. I am currently on Pregabalin and antidepressants which are keeping me sane and one more thing, amitriptyline gives me QT prolongation so never taking that one. 

 

I still have a few episodes of tingling and palapitations sometimes, but 70% better since stopping B6 and also not 100% sure, but R-ALA along with B1 supplements may have helped me.

 

Message to all: Don't take any supplements unless you've been told by your doctors after blood tests.