Although vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin and is excreted in the urine, long-term supplementation with very high doses (excess of 1,000 mg per day) of pyridoxine may result in sensory neuropathy. However, there have been a few case reports of individuals who developed sensory neuropathies at doses of less than 500 mg daily over a period of months. Yet, none of the studies in which an objective neurological examination was performed reported evidence of sensory nerve damage at intakes below 200 mg pyridoxine daily (20).
The European Food Safety Authority has established tolerable upper intake levels (UL) for vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) (38):
| Age (years) | UL (mg/day) | |
| 1–3 | 5 | |
| 4–6 | 7 | |
| 7–10 | 10 | |
| 11–14 | 15 | |
| 15–17 | 20 | |
| Adults | 25 |
To prevent sensory neuropathy in virtually all individuals, the U.S. Food and Nutrition Board has set a tolerable upper intake level (UL) for vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) (34):
Age Group | UL (mg/day) | |
| Infants 0–12 months | Not possible to establish* | |
| Children 1–3 years | 30 | |
| Children 4–8 years | 40 | |
| Children 9–13 years | 60 | |
| Adolescents 14–18 years | 80 | |
| Adults 19 years and older | 100 |
*Source of intake should be from food and formula only.
Please note:
Because of the potential for interactions, dietary supplements should not be taken with medication without first talking to an experienced healthcare provider.
Authored by Dr Peter Engel in 2010, reviewed and revised by Angelika Friedel on 14.06.2017
