Pyridoxine hydrochloride

Studies in people

• Benefit

  Stress and quality of life²

  In stressed adults with low magnesium, magnesium plus vitamin B6 improved daily physical activity more than magnesium alone.

• Benefit

  Stress levels in adults³

  In adults with severe stress, magnesium with vitamin B6 improved stress scores more than magnesium alone.

• Open question

  Supplement overdose risk⁴

  In blood tests, vitamin B6 overdoses rose to nearly 40%, likely from supplements, not food.

• Benefit

  Cancer risk⁵

  People who ate more vitamin B6 from food had lower cancer risk, but vitamin B6 pills showed no such benefit.

• Benefit

  Birth control side effects⁶

  In women in Cambodia taking birth control pills, vitamin B6 led to fewer reports of nausea, headache and depression.

• Benefit

  Colon cancer risk in women⁷

  In women not taking supplements, higher dietary vitamin B6 may lower colorectal cancer risk, the authors suggest.

Study type not stated

• Benefit

  Age-related muscle loss⁸

  Pyridoxine with nicotinamide helped older muscles repair and regain strength.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.