Pyridoxine

1 medicine

Pyridoxine is vitamin B6, used to treat deficiency, some forms of anaemia, and pregnancy-related nausea; long-term high doses can cause nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy).

Diclegis

Doxylamine, Pyridoxine

10/10mg

Diclegis is a womens health medication containing Doxylamine + Pyridoxine, available as 10/10mg tablets.

from $1.56 / tablet View

Key facts

  • Pyridoxine is vitamin B6, a nutrient your body needs to make neurotransmitters and haemoglobin. Prescription-strength doses treat deficiency and specific medical conditions rather than general wellbeing.
  • It is taken by mouth, usually once daily; combined with doxylamine, it is a standard treatment for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy.
  • Taken in high doses for months or longer, pyridoxine can cause peripheral neuropathy: numbness, tingling, or loss of sensation, usually starting in the feet and hands. This can be slow to reverse.
  • Seek care for new numbness, tingling, or difficulty walking that develops while you are taking it.

What pyridoxine treats

Pyridoxine treats vitamin B6 deficiency and sideroblastic anaemia, a condition where red blood cells fail to form correctly because the body cannot use B6 properly. Combined with doxylamine, it treats nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, and it is also used to prevent nerve damage in people taking isoniazid for tuberculosis.

How pyridoxine works

Your body converts pyridoxine into pyridoxal-5-phosphate, an active form that cells use as a helper molecule for enzymes. These enzymes build neurotransmitters that carry nerve signals and assemble haemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. Supplementing pyridoxine corrects deficiency or supports these processes when the body's own supply or handling of B6 is inadequate.

Before you take it

  • Tell your prescriber if you take levodopa without carbidopa for Parkinson's disease; pyridoxine can reduce its effect.
  • Mention kidney disease, since impaired kidneys clear pyridoxine more slowly and doses may need adjusting.
  • Very high doses taken over long periods are the main concern, not typical dietary or standard supplement amounts.
  • Tell your prescriber about all other supplements you take, since combined B6 intake from multiple products can add up unnoticed.

Side effects

At normal doses pyridoxine is well tolerated. Occasional effects include mild nausea, headache, and drowsiness.

Stop and seek medical advice for any of these:

  • Numbness, tingling, or loss of feeling in your hands or feet.
  • Difficulty with coordination or walking.
  • A skin rash or signs of an allergic reaction.
  • Worsening symptoms despite treatment, which needs reassessment rather than a higher dose.

Safety essentials

  • Do not exceed the dose your prescriber recommends or continue high-dose pyridoxine longer than advised; nerve damage from excess B6 is dose- and duration-related and can persist after stopping.
  • If you take levodopa alone for Parkinson's disease, avoid pyridoxine supplements unless your prescriber has approved it, since it can block levodopa's effect.
  • Report any new tingling or numbness promptly so a nerve-related cause can be assessed early, when it is more likely to reverse.

This page is educational and does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist who knows your health history.