Excess vitamin B6 usually occurs in people who do vitamin supplementation without an indication of a nutritionist, and it is very rare to do so only by eating foods high in the vitamin, such as salmon, bananas, or potatoes. See which foods with more vitamin B6.
This is because in order to present symptoms of vitamin B6 poisoning it is necessary to consume more than 500 to 3000 times the recommended daily dose, which is quite difficult only with food.
Vitamin B6 is very important in keeping nerves and muscle cells healthy, so it is recommended that each adult drink between 1 and 2 mg per day. However, when that amount is well over 3000 mg for more than 2 months, the vitamin can injure the nerves, causing symptoms such as:
- Tingling in the hands and feet;
- Cramps and muscle spasms;
- Severe headache;
- Nausea and loss of appetite;
- Increased blood pressure;
- Excessive tiredness;
- Difficulty sleeping;
- Sudden mood swings.
Usually these symptoms disappear 1 to 2 weeks after reducing the intake of the vitamin, not leaving any kind of sequel.
However, in cases where the excess vitamin is maintained for several months, permanent damage to the nerves can occur, causing sequelae such as difficulty walking, constant pain in the legs and weakness of the muscles.
How to treat excess vitamin B6
Treatment for excess vitamin B6 is done by reducing or stopping the vitamin's intake, and symptoms disappear after a few weeks. However, when permanent nerve damage already exists, physical therapy may be needed, for example, to deal with sequelae and improve quality of life.
When it is necessary to take supplements
Vitamin B6 supplements are recommended to treat various health problems such as depression, frequent nausea, PMS symptoms, carpal tunnel syndrome and even to relieve symptoms of oral contraceptive use.
However, the use of this type of supplements should always be guided and supervised by a doctor or nutritionist, since they need to be used in high quantity, often more than 2000 mg and therefore it is important to be alert to the appearance of symptoms of excess vitamin, to suit the dose, if necessary.
