Anybody have a bad reaction to vitamin B6 supplements? I get some awful headaches from B6. I need not take an entire 100 mg capsule, just a few mg of the stuff will bring it on. Tried different brands, same result. Easily repeatable.
I'm wondering if I have high B6 such that a little extra is toxic to me. Lyme screws up so much of our biochemistry that I'm wondering if it causes B6 levels to rise. Anyone know?
I found the following patient reports of B6 toxicity. Their reports overlap many of our symptoms, making me wonder if some of these folks have lyme:
B6 is water soluble -- any excess is excreted pretty quickly. My guess is that there is an additive you may be allergic to or more likely you may have a methylation issue.
B6 is one of those weird supplements where the symptoms of too little or too much are very similar I think.
What happens if you take B complex?
Just remembered, actually the B6 is probably being converted to quinolinic acid. This happens in Lyme patients in the presence of brain inflammation. Try taking resveratrol (Japanese knotweed source) with the B6 -- per Buhner this blocks the conversion of B6 and l-tryptophan to quinolinic acid. It definitely helps hubby.
Bea Seibert
Posted by dguy (Member # 8979) on :
Hi Bea - thanks for your reply. Haven't tried B-complex. Used to take that sometimes pre-lyme, no problem. FWIW, B12 I tolerate fine now.
I also tolerate l-tryptophan, which would seem to suggest it's not a quinolinic acid issue. I've tried resveratrol, but for me even a little has too potent a laxative effect.
Due to the strong adverse reaction to B6, I'm looking to have my level checked. Excess levels can cause brain fog and paresthesias, which we lymies are all too familiar with.
I'm thinking that if lyme drives up B6 enough to gives us problems, we might get some symptomatic relief by avoiding foods with high amounts of B6.
OTOH, if few here react negatively to B6 like I do, perhaps it's not lyme related.
Posted by seibertneurolyme (Member # 6416) on :
I read some of the comments on the website you listed -- one other possibility I saw mentioned -- you might have a problem converting B6 into the active form. Hubby takes B complex and also P5P -- pyridoxal 5 phosphate -- which is the activated form of B6. So that might be something else to try.
Bea Seibert
Posted by dguy (Member # 8979) on :
Bea - I had missed the P5P info there, thanks for the heads up. I'm going to look into that. Sounds worth a try to learn what happens.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I take a B-Complex by Solaray. No trouble. I never have taken B-6 by itself.
Posted by cordor (Member # 9449) on :
I was having pins and needle in my hands and feet a few years ago. Neurologist thought to run Vit b levels. I had WAY too much Vit b6 she said. At the time I was taking a regular multi-vit AND a daily magnesium supplement (which also contained B6)
Posted by canefan17 (Member # 22149) on :
B vitamins (and most vitamins in general) should never been taken alone/by themselves.
Posted by tricia386 (Member # 29623) on :
Anyone have any experience with this? I think i am going through this right now?
Posted by Marnie (Member # 773) on :
You need to be able to breakdown B6 to its active form (PLP/P5P).
Sublingual PLP/P5P is available from Source Naturals. It is called Coenzymated B6.
B6 has the most functions of ANY vitamin - according to my nutrition book.
It works esp. with Mg.
"What is pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (P-5-P)? Pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (P-5-P) is the active coenzyme form of vitamin B6 that is directly utilized by the body.
Vitamin B6 naturally occurs in 6 forms: pyridoxine (PN), pyridoxal (PL), pyridoxamine (PM), and the respective 5'-phosphates of these vitamers (PNP, PLP, PMP).
While each of these forms of B6 has vitamin activity, only PLP (also called P-5-P) has an active coenzyme function in the body.
P-5-P plays an important role in more than 100 different metabolic steps involved with amino acid metabolism, neurotransmitter production, and a variety of other metabolic reactions.
Non-P-5-P forms of B6 ingested in the diet are generally converted to P-5-P in enterocytes or the liver before being released into the general circulation."
Is your liver healthy? Have you had an ultrasound done of your liver (fasting one). Is it "fatty"?
How do I know all this? Seizure meds caused my son to develop a fatty liver (not uncommon as most seizure meds raise glucose levels). Sublingual B6 as P5P/PLP can stop his seizures! Honest! It took us a long time to figure that out.
BTW...normally our very strong stomach acid (HCL) destroys B vitamin supplements - not so the B's normally present in FOODS.
This doesn't happen when you take SUBLINGUAL (under the tongue) P5P/PLP which works almost immediately.
Posted by tricia386 (Member # 29623) on :
I have been taking 50 mgs of P5P for 2 months and then I was taking some other supplements with B6 in it I am worried I have this.
I am going to ask my llmd to test
Posted by Marnie (Member # 773) on :
Unless a person is eating no foods that have B vitamins in them...taking supplemental B6 (sublingual) alone is not nec. a bad thing, IMO.
ONE sublingual B6 as PLP/P5P = 17mg of B6 = 850% if DV (daily value)! Source Naturals...on the bottle.
Yes, we don't normally STORE the B vitamins to a great extent. They are water soluable.