Hi, folks! I hope you are all doing well. I haven't posted in a long time because my B6 toxicity symptoms have gradually lessened. I have been able to incorporate more and more foods back into my diet to the point where B6 toxicity plays only a small role in my life (I should note that I've essentially been vegetarian since my symptoms started, since meat is so high in B6. That might be a bigger struggle for some people than others).
My recent meals have included chili and a medium-sized baked potato, avocado and tomato sandwiches, and even a few french fries here and there. I could not have eaten those things 670 days ago.
The last time I had noticeable B6 toxicity symptoms was over the holidays (baked ham) and about two months ago, when I ate a a lot of candies that contained walnuts. The recurrence in December was pretty bad, but the more recent one was over within a few hours.
For the most part, I feel like my life is back to normal. There's still some lingering nerve damage, but not enough to cause concern. I feel good.
Before I sign off (probably for another few months, at least), I want to share a few habits that have helped me in my own recovery:
(1) Drink water with every meal. Drinking water is always important, but it's most important when you are digesting food. If you drink water when you eat, then the B6 has a higher chance of passing from your body; otherwise your body absorbs the B6 like any other nutrient. I always drink a full glass of water with my meals, and if I eat something unusually high in B6 (like potato or avocado), then I continue to drink for another 30 minutes after eating.
(2) If I start to feel burning, twinging, or spasms in my muscles after eating B6, then I exercise those muscles immediately! I don't know why this seems to help for me, but it does. Recently, when my arms started to twinge after eating those walnut candies, I hit the weights. The symptoms went away almost immediately.
That's it. Those are the only things I've found that help -- besides time and patience, of course.
Good luck on your recovery!
Hi Thomas, I am not sure if you still get notifications for your blog. I was wondering how you are doing now? I too seem to have fallen victim to toxicity taking 6 different b complex vitamins 3 days in a row, adding up to atleast 72mg of b6 each day along with other vitamins. I had no idea they could harm you, I thought more is better. I was just wondering how you are doing now. Also I would like to know what carbs you eat. I just cant get by on any form of carb. Brown rice, just kills me. I have been eating rolled oats, should this be ok? Any info would be greatly appreciated. would also be nice to know where you get mos t of your protein from.
ReplyDeleteKindest regards.
Hi Ross! I am doing about the same, although I did have a recurrence of symptoms a few days after this post. I was eating a bit too much B6 (split-pea soup with potatoes), which caused a flare up that lasted a few days. Things are back to normal now.
DeleteGetting carbs and feeling "full" on a low-B6 diet is difficult. I struggled with it for a long time. That said, I eat a lot of white rice and unenriched wheat flour. Not the healthiest grains, but there are few options. In the beginning, if you choose to eat flour, you might want to stick with unenriched white flour, since that is lower in B6 than whole wheat. I also eat oatmeal every morning for breakfast, and I have never had an issue with it (I also add pecans, pumpkin seed, and raisins or stewed apples to my oatmeal).
Most of my protein probably comes from cheese, soy milk, and pumpkin seeds, which are good for a lot of other nutrients too, such as magnesium.
Hope that helps.
thank you Thomas I appreciate the response. so white rice has less vitmain b6 in it than brown rice? Do you know anything about jasmine rice or basmati rice by any chance? thanks again so much...
ReplyDeleteHi thomas, sorry to bother you but you are such an inspiration to all of us suffering this same fate. Is there any way you could make a short list of the foods that you think sufferers could focus on... you know finding food is trial and error and the errors are punishing and cause suffering. Could you not help us by giving us a list of proteins, carbs, fruits, and nuts that you think are safe, and maybe the quantites of the nuts and seeds. This would make such a difference to all of us. And please bear in mind many of us are at the begining of our suffering and cant handle some of the more daring foods id guess. please Thomas with all my heart do this for us... I hope you are well. And is white rice really better than brown rice?
ReplyDeleteHi Thomas, in some of your other posts you had mentioned you felt "off-balanced" and had some type of dizziness. How are these symptoms now? Do you still have them? I have B6 toxicity and a feeling of constant dizziness is by far my worst symptom. I wonder if I'll ever be normal again. Your response would be appreciated!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing Thomas...God bless us all ....
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ReplyDeleteHello, Thomas. I recently stumbled upon your blog. I realize that it’s already been over three years since you first began your journey to recovery. I sincerely hope you’re well and have finally been able to put this whole disaster behind you. I realize that there’s a high likelihood that you won’t see this. I’m sure you’re not on here much lately. Firstly, I’d like to thank you for authoring all of this extremely helpful information over the years. Secondly, I DO have a big question for you: Did you ever test your MTHFR gene, and do you know for certain if your MTHFR gene expresses any mutations? It would explain why you were affected so severely and so quickly. You say you only supplemented with 50 mg of B-6 for about two weeks?
ReplyDeleteMutations in the MTHFR gene are actually relatively common in the population, and either one or two segments can express a mutation. This means some individuals seem to be severely affected by the mutation, while others are only mildly affected. It explains why there is so much variation in how much and for how long each different person can tolerate B-6.
When we ingest b-vitamins (whether from food or supplements), we ingest them in their inactive forms. Our bodies must then process them into their active forms before our cells can actually utilize them. In the majority of the population, this process takes place quickly and efficiently. Their bodies convert the inactive vitamin to its active form, use it, then excrete the excess. For these people, it takes MUCH higher doses administered over MUCH longer periods to reach toxicity. However in a significant minority, this conversion of ingested B-6 from the unusable to usable form is slow and very inefficient.
Since carriers of this gene mutation have a lot of difficulty properly converting inactive B-12, B-6 and Folate, dangerous levels of these vitamins accumulate in the BLOOD, which causes the effects of toxicity. Meanwhile, the CELLS that actually need the vitamins are deprived of them, which results in the effects of deficiency.
Paradoxically, people affected by MTHFR mutations can experience symptoms of B-6/ B-12 toxicity AND B-6/ B-12 deficiency, AT THE SAME TIME!
Typical serum B-6 and B-12 tests can only measure levels in the blood, not in the cells (where it matters). The solution in carriers of MTHFR mutations who are experiencing sickness related to the B vitamins COULD potentially be to:
1. Restrict supplementary as well as dietary forms of B-12, B-6 and possibly Folate. This helps eliminate the toxicity, as harmful levels in their blood are gradually brought back down.
2: Instead supplement with the active forms of these vitamins that their cells can use and excrete immediately, and that their bodies don’t have to convert. This may help to resolve B-vitamin deficiency, which as you know can produce symptoms that are sometimes indistinguishable from certain symptoms of toxicity.
It sounds like you certainly performed the first step, but did you ever look into perhaps performing the second step? It MIGHT be (this is really all conjecture) the reason why you continued to suffer symptoms related to B-6 for so long after halting the supplements themselves. I realize it’s a total paradox to address an illness by using more of the substance which made you ill in the first place, but I was wondering if you were aware of this, and whether you knew about the status of your own MTHFR gene…
I supplemented with a 100 mg B-complex tablet for over three months and then eventually 20 mg of the very same tablets for nearly another three months . I’m only just now beginning to feel specific (but still comparatively mild) symptoms of B-6 overdose. I ceased the supplements ten days ago and seem to be feeling slightly better. I’ve even been able to tolerate some high B-6 foods without apparent worsening of symptoms. BUT like you said, the symptoms seem to “ping pong” unpredictably between barely present and definitely noticeable. I am going to have my MTHFR gene tested and see if I’m mildly affected by a mutation.
Hope to get a reply.
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ReplyDeleteFor anyone suspected he has Vitamin B6 toxicity, join this Facebook group, it will help you in your healing journey.