B6 (pyridoxal phosphate) levels very high in bloodwork

[ballagher]

I have been tested twice recently for B6 level.  My first test two months ago indicated a 156 level with normal range being 20-96.  My second test indicated at 283 level.  My physician has no idea what this means and if there is a problem.  I am concerned that there is a toxic level of B6 and I should be doing something about it.  I'm not talking anything except multi-vitamin.  I've been concerned about my health for some time as I'm quite fatigued, anxious at work, balance issues (the term lightheaded would be the closest) eyes are sensitive to light, have trouble focusing on people when they talk, and have a few other issues like trouble concentrating, sense of smell has been gone for years and my sense of taste has been affected for quite some time as well.  My skin is quite raw on the knuckles and I think I have psoriasis as well as my nails are pitted and raised.  Not sure what is related but I definitely feel that there is something physicially wrong with me and this high B6 level has been the first thing to come up as being something worth pursuing.  Any help would be appreciated.  

[MairePL]

I am not a regular on this forum either but do so agree with you.  All the symptoms mentioned are due to gut dysbiosis.  IBS, hypothyroid, skin conditions, malabsorption, diarrhea, constipation, tingling, numbness, etc are all symptoms of celiac, which in turn is a gut condition. 70% of your immune system is in your gut, so start here for autoimmune conditions eg. diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, allergies, etc.
Check for the following 2 signs:
1.  Braly's Sign - short little finger (top of little finger falls below distal joint of ring finger).  Indicates gluten and lactose intolerance and perhaps Celiac Disease.
2.  Morton's Toe - 2nd toe longer than the big toe.  Indicates the liver has an inability to convert B6 to P5P.  That means you need to supplement with P5P.  B6 can also build up in your body, as it is not getting converted to a usable form.  Many people with this problem can't recall dreams. Other symptoms are depression, skin eruptions, tingling, short term memory loss, irritability and PMS.

My son has both a short little finger and longer second toe.  He also had low thyroid, and impaired function of kidney and liver.  He is making good progress on the GAPS Protocol and expects to follow it for another year. I would recommend this gut healing protocol to everyone.
Hope this helps.
Mary-Pat

[m_artifact]

MariePL:  My second toe isn't longer than my first toe, and I still have terrible problems with B6 toxicity

[maris221]

Hi, having similar symptoms for years, diagnosed w fibromyalgia and have had horrible gi symptoms for years too. My level was 219, 146 max. I,m on the scdiet, so eat lots of meat. My multi contains abt. 2.8 mg. What i found out is that wit a zinc deficiency, the conversion of b6 info the usable form p5p can be hindered. Zinc is also needed to make gastric acid, tot digest our food. So low zinc will lead to gi trouble fast and enables sibo. Also, b6 goes hand in hand with magnesium. I,m also looking into the MTHFR gene mutation, which involves folate and b6. See article b6 is the queen B on MTHFRalliance.com

[TestSri]

Hi Tingle_toes,

How are you doing? I just discovered that, I am low in vit D(14) and very high on Vit B6(104) . Were you able to find the root cause? I am not taking any supplements just wondering where this B6 is coming from? Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks
Sri

[Katie_jess]

hey, anyone have areas of their skin, where the skin seems tender or sore (not the muscles under it, just the skin)? or like a mild.....kind of burning kind of sensation?

[Katie_jess]

Freaks! All of you! :) j/k, I'd been having these neuropathy, not tingling, but electric current type feelings for about 2 weeks now, seemed to be out of nowhere, I had started gabapentin 2 weeks before that (never changed the dose, and can't find info saying it can cause this), they tested by B vit levels, thinking a LOW level could cause this, and they told me the results were all normal...I like to know the numbers so I logged on, the B6 is high, huh, ok, so I look that up.......and google says....."B6 toxicity" causes all this weirdness. I'm not taking B6, or any other B (well B9, but everything says that can't get high, could cause b12 level probs, but nothing about b6 or the b9 having any side effects whatsoever), I haven't taken even my multi vit in...months, and I looked up the food lists, I haven't eaten hardly any of the top, 15 or 20 foods that contain B6........ I've never had these electric current symptoms, it's so weird....and distressing..... (i've had weird neuro things, but not this one, and not one that had a corresponding lab abnormality.....)

I've done some journal searching, and I can't find anything. if my dr's give me one more "lets wait and see" I may just scream.......or throw that box of itchy scratchy hospital kleenex at them.....

[Eyenet]

Thanks for all the good suggestions about taking care of the gut!!!  I'm a believer!!!!  I wish you well, and I pray that you find no serious condition as a result of all of this, but hopefully a treatable one.  Gut problems are so new to the Western Medicine world, so we are walking experiments for many treatments to come......

I stopped my B complex vitamin upon finding out about the elevated B6 levels, and little by little my hands seem to be responding.  I still have many symptoms, but am chugging along like all the rest!  

Take care!  

Annette