Australia Takes Action on High-Dose Vitamin B6 Supplements
In a significant move for consumer safety, Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has announced that supplements containing high levels of vitamin B6 will be removed from general sale. This decision comes after the regulator identified hundreds of reports linking long-term use to serious nerve damage.
What's Changing and When?
From June 2027, any vitamin B6 product containing more than 50mg per recommended daily dose will no longer be available on open shelves. Instead, these higher-dose supplements will be moved behind pharmacy counters, where they can only be purchased after consulting with a pharmacist. Products with more than 200mg per daily dose will continue to require a prescription.
This regulatory shift follows a comprehensive TGA review and public consultation that uncovered 250 reports of peripheral neuropathy – damage to nerves outside the brain and spinal cord – with most cases reported since 2023.
Understanding Vitamin B6 Toxicity Risks
While the body can eliminate some excess vitamin B6, it cannot efficiently remove it all. Over time, toxic levels can accumulate in the blood, leading to peripheral neuropathy. Symptoms include tingling, burning, or numbness, typically in the hands or feet. Without prompt diagnosis and discontinued use, this nerve damage can become permanent.
Dr Evangeline Mantzioris, a sports dietitian at the University of South Australia, supports the TGA's decision. She notes that the rapid growth in vitamin B-enriched products and supplements, combined with aggressive marketing, makes these changes "sensible and needed to protect the general population."
Mantzioris highlights that vitamin B6 is now commonly added to energy drinks and protein powders, meaning people might unknowingly consume it from multiple sources. This cumulative exposure can cause nerve damage even at doses below 50mg when using several B6-containing products.
Practical Advice for Consumers
The recommended dietary intake of vitamin B6 for healthy adults is just 1.3mg to 1.7mg daily – an amount easily obtained through a varied diet rich in fruits, vegetables, animal foods, and dairy. Deficiency is uncommon in Australia, making high-dose supplements unnecessary for most people.
Until the new regulations take effect in 2027, Mantzioris advises consumers to "err on the side of safety" and avoid supplements with higher B6 levels unless they have a medically confirmed deficiency. The TGA recommends checking product labels for vitamin B6 (also listed as pyridoxine, pyridoxamine, or pyridoxal) and immediately stopping use if experiencing tingling, burning, or numbness in hands or feet.
While the 2027 implementation date might seem distant, Geraldine Moses from the University of Queensland explains that such timelines are standard for major regulatory changes, particularly given the supplement industry's size and the widespread presence of B6 in numerous products.
