Is there vitamin B6 hiding in your magnesium?

Written by Cassie, registered pharmacist
Founder of Clean Green Safe

If you take magnesium to help you unwind at the end of the day, you’re in good company. It’s one of the most popular supplements in Australia. What many people don’t realise is that a lot of magnesium products also contain vitamin B6, and it can quietly add up when you take more than one supplement.

This isn’t a reason to worry. It’s simply worth knowing, so you can check your labels with confidence.

Why vitamin B6 is in the news

Vitamin B6 is an essential nutrient, and most of us get enough from everyday foods. Taken in larger amounts over time, though, it can affect the nerves. This is called peripheral neuropathy.

The TGA has received around 250 reports of nerve-related problems linked to vitamin B6 products. In response, it has made two important changes:

• Since March 2022, products with more than 10 mg of vitamin B6 a day must carry a safety warning on the label.
• From 1 June 2027, products with more than 50 mg a day will become Pharmacist Only, and products over 200 mg a day will need a prescription.

Where B6 hides

B6 often turns up in products you might not expect, including:

• Magnesium supplements, especially those for muscles, stress or sleep
• Zinc products
• Multivitamins and B-complex supplements
• Energy and sports products, and some fortified foods and drinks

In the products we’ve rated at Clean Green Safe, almost half of those containing magnesium also contain vitamin B6.

How to spot it on a label

Vitamin B6 doesn’t always say “B6”. Look for any of these names:

• Pyridoxine hydrochloride
• Pyridoxal 5-phosphate (sometimes written as P5P)
• Pyridoxamine

You might also see the TGA warning, which mentions tingling, burning or numbness. If a label carries that warning, the product contains more than 10 mg of B6 a day.

It adds up quickly

One product on its own may be well within the limits. The concern is the total across everything you take. Here’s an example of how easily it builds:

• A magnesium supplement: 49 mg of B6
• A men’s multivitamin: 25 mg
• A B-complex: 41 mg
• Daily total: 115 mg of vitamin B6

For context, the daily nutritional target for most adults is between 1.3 and 1.7 mg, and the NHMRC upper limit is 50 mg a day.

Signs to look out for

The most common signs are tingling, burning or numbness, usually in the hands or feet. Some people also notice clumsiness or find it harder to feel things with their fingertips.

These symptoms can be easy to put down to something else, and they can look a lot like the symptoms people are trying to ease in the first place. If you notice any of them, stop taking the products that contain B6 and talk with your GP or pharmacist. Please don’t stop any medicine your doctor has prescribed without speaking with them first.

Three quick checks

• Read the label of every supplement you take, looking for pyridoxine or the other B6 names.
• Add up the daily amounts, using the number of tablets or capsules you actually take.
• If your total is high, or you’re unsure, bring your supplements to your pharmacist. We’re always happy to look through them with you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cassie, registered pharmacist

Cassie is a registered pharmacist, a parent and the founder of Clean Green Safe. With a background in Australian supplement regulation across the TGA, FSANZ and NHMRC, she built Clean Green Safe to help people understand what’s really in their supplements, and how it all adds up across everything they take.