vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride) hyper-sensitivity?
 

Hi folks,
I suffer from mild depression and mild OCD. I currently take 2 Becalm'd in the morning and 2 at night. They help but I was hoping to improve things further by taking vitamin B6.

I purchased a B50 complex and took 1 capsule at lunch time. When I woke up the next morning I had temporary numbness in my left foot and left hand.

Numbness is a side effect of B6 but usually only at dosages exceeding 200mg, and then usually only after prolonged usage. I've been unable to find reports of such a reaction after taking only 1 50mg capsule.

Has anyone else experienced such a reaction?

Also, if I switched to B6 P5P would that be better? Is numbness a side effect only of pyridoxine?

Thanks for your insights.

Welcome to NeuroTalk.

Would you please list the ingredients of that Becalm'd for me?

I cannot find them listed on the net.
names of ingredients and dosage in milligrams.

Thanks for the superfast reply mrsD.

The ingredients in 2 capsules are shown below. I take 4 caps a day so my daily intake would be double this:

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxal 5 Phosphate) 2mg
Folic Acid (Folate) 200mcg
Calcium (Citrate) 21mg
Magnesium (Citrate) 8mg
D/L-Phenylalanine 600mg
L-Glutamine 300mg
5 HTP (5 Hydroxy Tryptophan) 10mg

Thanks for the list.
I don't really see a problem with B6 here. But I do think based on your health status, that high dose folic acid taken long term without any B12 can begin some neuro problems. Most B50mg complexes have 400 mcg of folic acid, and you are taking 400 more. If you are low in B12 and don't know it, then some nerve issues may appear. I don't know if you take acid lowering drugs or your age etc so this is really just a "shot in the dark".

It is not typical to get B6 side effects from one dose.
There could be other reasons for your symptoms. Compression palsies occur in people with diabetes, Charcot Marie Tooth neuropathy, MS, low magnesium, low potassium, and all sorts of things.

Your supplement B'calmd has very low magnesium and calcium levels. I wonder why they are included even in there?

Also taking large amounts of phenylalanine can raise blood pressure in some people. It would be prudent for you to have that checked.

If you consume alot of salt daily from snacks and soups, or MonoSodium Glutamate, you can get numbness and tingling in the extremities. MSG is added to many processed foods, and is not good for the nervous system.

That's all I can see at this time.

Thanks for your help mrsD.
I'll pursue the B12/folic acid angle.

I eat pretty healthy, certainly not too much salt and almost never any snack food like chips. I do have the occassional Chinese buffet so I'm getting some MSG. My blood pressure is a little on the low side.

I don't take any acid lowering drugs but I did just start taking a vitamin D. I had probably taken one/day for 3 days by the time I had the B complex reaction.