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America’s Poison Centers Report 40% Rise in Vitamin B6 Poisoning Cases
America’s Poison Centers reports that vitamin B6 poisoning cases have increased by about 40% in the last decade. The report highlights that vitamin B6 poisoning remains extremely rare despite the rise in reported cases.
Vitamin B-6:
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Vitamin identity | Vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine) comprises a water-soluble vitamin. |
| Water-soluble vitamins | Water-soluble vitamins comprise vitamins that dissolve in water so the body cannot store them. |
| Occurrence in diet | Vitamin B-6 comprises a vitamin found naturally in many foods, and it is also added to foods and supplements. |
| Functions | Vitamin B-6 provides for normal brain development, and it provides for keeping the nervous system and immune system healthy; it also provides for the body to make antibodies, maintain normal nerve function, make hemoglobin, break down proteins, and keep blood sugar (glucose) in normal ranges. |
| Food sources | Food sources of vitamin B-6 comprise poultry, fish, potatoes, chickpeas, bananas, and fortified cereals. |
| Supplement forms | Vitamin B-6 supplements comprise oral capsule, tablet, or liquid forms. |
| Higher deficiency likelihood | Higher likelihood of vitamin B-6 deficiency comprises people with kidney disease, people with conditions that prevent the small intestine from absorbing nutrients from foods (malabsorption syndromes), and people with certain autoimmune disorders; some epilepsy medications and alcohol dependence also comprise factors linked to vitamin B-6 deficiency. |
| Deficiency: health outcomes | Vitamin B-6 deficiency comprises a condition in which a person does not have enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to the body’s tissues, and it comprises symptoms such as confusion, depression, irritability, mouth and tongue sores (glossitis), and peripheral neuropathy. |
| Large doses: effects | Large doses of vitamin B6 comprise difficulty coordinating movement, numbness, and sensory changes. |