Vitamin B6 Toxicity Prompts Action in Australia

Health officials respond to rising concerns about nerve damage.

Following a spike in poisoning cases, Australian regulators are taking swift action regarding vitamin B6 supplements. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is now urging that products containing the vitamin be removed from store shelves due to unexpected health risks.

TGA’s Response to Rising Toxicity Cases

The TGA has acknowledged that its prior measures failed to halt the increasing number of blood toxicity cases linked to Vitamin B6. Now, they are recommending stronger restrictions. The agency concedes it failed to prevent growing number of blood toxicity cases linked to Vitamin B6.

Sweeping restrictions have been proposed. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) reported the details on their news platform, newsGP.

Unexpected Dangers of Vitamin B6

The dangers of Vitamin B6 toxicity are worse than previously understood. There have been confirmed links to nerve damage. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported, ‘Nerve damage’: B6 recommended to come off shelves by TGA.

Adverse reactions may occur even at doses considered within the normal range. It’s a growing concern, as the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports that some individuals experience symptoms of B6 toxicity at doses as low as 100 mg per day (NIH, 2024).

Call to Action

The TGA is advocating for the removal of the common vitamin from shelves after a surge in poisoning cases. The Herald Sun reports on the call to remove products. The TGA has been investigating the issue, leading to the current recommendations.

The ABC reports, Blood toxicity from Vitamin B6 worse than originally thought, TGA admits.