Good question. Not often, i don't think. I think most people treat b12 & folate, take a B complex with less than 10mg b6, and see how it goes. If symptoms don't resolve as expected, then b6 & maybe the others Bs may be tested. I've seen a handful of people mention it. I think malabsorption of other Bs is rare, though not unheard of.
But i actually just had B6 tested for the first time, mostly out of curiosity. (I've been SI for 7 years). Still waiting for results.
Whilst B12 absorption problems can also affect the absorption of other micronutrients the most commonly affected are iron and folate. Continual testing and worrying about levels of everything isn't something I personally do or would want to do.
High doses of B6 (>100mg a day) have been associated with neurological issues and in a few cases they haven't reversed when supplementation stops - not saying that is necessarily a factor here.
Unfortunately there are many things that can cause pins and needles and other symptoms associated with B12 deficiency.
The vitamin B6 paradox: Supplementation with high concentrations of pyridoxine leads to decreased vitamin B6 function
Misha F Vrolijk 1 , Antoon Opperhuizen 2 , Eugène H J M Jansen 3 , Geja J Hageman 4 , Aalt Bast 4 , Guido R M M Haenen 4
• PMID: 28716455
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2017.07.009
Abstract
Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin that functions as a coenzyme in many reactions involved in amino acid, carbohydrates and lipid metabolism. Since 2014, >50 cases of sensory neuronal pain due to vitamin B6 supplementation were reported. Up to now, the mechanism of this toxicity is enigmatic and the contribution of the various B6 vitamers to this toxicity is largely unknown. In the present study, the neurotoxicity of the different forms of vitamin B6 is tested on SHSY5Y and CaCo-2 cells. Cells were exposed to pyridoxine, pyridoxamine, pyridoxal, pyridoxal-5-phosphate or pyridoxamine-5-phosphate for 24h, after which cell viability was measured using the MTT assay. The expression of Bax and caspase-8 was tested after the 24h exposure. The effect of the vitamers on two pyridoxal-5-phosphate dependent enzymes was also tested. Pyridoxine induced cell death in a concentration-dependent way in SHSY5Y cells. The other vitamers did not affect cell viability. Pyridoxine significantly increased the expression of Bax and caspase-8. Moreover, both pyridoxal-5-phosphate dependent enzymes were inhibited by pyridoxine. In conclusion, the present study indicates that the neuropathy observed after taking a relatively high dose of vitamin B6 supplements is due to pyridoxine. The inactive form pyridoxine competitively inhibits the active pyridoxal-5'-phosphate. Consequently, symptoms of vitamin B6 supplementation are similar to those of vitamin B6 deficiency."
Thank you everyone who has replied, your answers have been helpful.
I guess I was wondering if B6 is as fraught with 'things that can go wrong' as B12 ie dietary, absorption, anaemia, tandem relationship such as folate and B12, that kind of thing.
I'm not planning on testing it or other B vits unless the pathway I'm following on this site doesn't improve symptoms.
jade_s it would be interesting to know your result when you get it if you want to share it.
Good Lord yes unbelievably tricksy to negotiate our biochemistry🤪
I'll look at my B complex B6 level and make sure it's not over 10mg👍
And now...What causes low stomach acid?!
Head exploding. Maybe for me I should assume because I'm hypothyroid, that the low stomach acid comes from that. It's important to me to figure out where this comes in to the whole picture, because if I'm not doing a good job processing the various nutrients, then...well then what?
Do I take higher doses to compensate the low stomach acid? Will that make things worse? How to help the acid increase?
Questions, questions. Any advice or pointers to info much appreciated😀
Yes hypo can cause it. Getting on the right dose seems to help many people. Go by TUK advice, don't raise too quickly.
With PA, autoimmune metaplastic atrophic gastritis (AMAG) - a mouthful Lol - can cause it. It causes destruction of the gastric parietal cells, which in turn causes low acid & lack of IF. Will send some links later. Back on small phone lol.
Options are apple cider vinegar, betaine HCl, or my favorite, lime juice in water, take with meals.
What causes low stomach acid ? The Intrinsic factor antibodies that Pernicious Anaemia patients produce destroy the Parietal cells in the stomach . These cells produce not only the Intrinsic Factor that B12 needs to be absorbed , but also the stomach acid that all vitamins and minerals need .
Thank you that's helpful.I'm not diagnosed with PA at least for now, but am researching on behalf of myself and my daughter (who has an IF test coming up shortly).
So both the antibodies in PA and being hypothyroid can cause low stomach acid.
This is clear for me now!
If you happen to know of anything else which causes it, please let me know.
it is my understanding b6 toxicity symptoms are the same as b12 and b6 deficiency . It might not be a bad idea to have B6 tested as it is the only B VIT that can cause toxicity.
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