Supplements containing high doses of vitamin B6 should carry a detailed warning to consumers that they can be potentially toxic and damage the nervous system, according to Australia’s medicine watchdog.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration’s complementary medicines evaluation committee says warning labels required on products containing 50mg or greater doses of vitamin B6 should be expanded to include more specific advice about potential toxic effects. High doses can cause peripheral neuropathy, which causes numbness, tingling and burning sensations in limbs.
The TGA says there has been a well-established link to the condition and taking big amounts of vitamin B6 — which is also known as pyridoxine, pyridoxal and pyridoxamine — but some consumers may be unaware of the risk, particularly if they take several supplements including multivitamins.
The agency’s adverse drug reactions advisory committee has received two reports of people suffering peripheral neuropathy after taking vitamin B6.
The committee said it was concerned that the overuse of single vitamin products while taking multivitamins could lead to people routinely taking excessive amounts of vitamins B6 and A.
CATHY O’LEARY
MEDICAL EDITOR
Tags: adverse drug reactions, advisory committee, burning sensations, complementary medicines, evaluation committee, excessive amounts, medical editor, nervous system, numbness, peripheral neuropathy, pyridoxal, pyridoxamine, tga, therapeutic goods administration, toxic effects, vitamin b6, vitamin products, vitamins b6, warning labels, watchdog
