Blackmores, the Australian supplement giant, is due to face a class action lawsuit when a claimant complained of illness after consuming the product.
Overview
B6 is a pyridoxine, which enables crucial bodily functions, including elevated haemoglobin levels, metabolism, and efficient oxygen transport. When consumed excessively, it can lead to nerve damage and pyridoxine toxicity. Blackmores Vitamin B6 sustained formula is said to distribute nutrients throughout the body over several hours gradually. It is a convenient one-day dosage that also aids in easing premenstrual syndrome, such as bloating, water retention, and irritability. For men, Blackmores B6 with its ‘Sustained Release Technology’ provides lasting energy for up to 8 hours each day.
What really happened?
In May 2023, Dominic Noonan-O’Keeffe started taking Blackmores for his health. He was unaware that these tablets contained potentially toxic or harmful levels of B6. According to his lawyers, soon after, he developed fatigue, heart palpitations, headaches, and other symptoms. It would be much later that the doctors linked his neuropathic condition to the excessive intake of B6. O’Keeffe stopped taking Blackmores in early 2024. Yet, he states, he experiences nerve pain and other symptoms regularly.
Law Suit
The lead plaintiff, Mr. Noonan-O’Keeffe, is being represented by Polaris Lawyers, a law firm based in Melbourne. A Class Action against Blackmores Limited is being proposed on the basis that the plaintiff was unaware that the supplements contained Super Magnesium+ and Ashwagandha+. According to Founder and Principal Nick Mann of Polaris Lawyers, “It can be unnerving to reach out to any chemist in Australia for vitamin supplements that contain vitamin B6 levels beyond the recommended daily intake.
He further reiterated that while it was an unfortunate incident for Dominic, they had already received reports about the excessive levels of B6 in OTC (over-the-counter) supplements causing perennial injuries to several Australians.
What needs to be changed?
Dominic aims to reform the way supplements are marketed and sold, particularly those containing vitamin B6. He wants to ensure that people do not suffer the way he did. He had later discovered that the Magnesium he was taking contained 29 times more than the recommended daily intake of B6.
Vitamin B6 and the toxicity associated with higher dosages
A micronutrient essential for the body, vitamin B6, is a group of chemically similar compounds, which also contains Pyridoxine. This is also one of the most common commercially available supplements. The vitamin is used by the body to create various reactions, including the production of neurotransmitters, glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, and other enzymatic reactions. While intake of food-based pyridoxine does not result in toxicity, supratherapeutic dosages of vitamin B6 can cause toxicity.
Typically, pyridoxine, as a supratherapeutic dosage, treats seizures due to isoniazid toxicity. However, it is commonly used by everyone for other perceived benefits to their health, such as relief from morning sickness, premenstrual syndrome, depression, and in other instances, cardiovascular disease. When available OTC, these supplements are handed directly over to patients who are unaware of the levels of pyridoxine and the safe recommended limits. It can be puzzling, though, that common symptoms associated with vitamin B6 deficiency are also seen in vitamin B6 toxicity. Patients can also experience peripheral sensory neuropathy, causing numbness similar to a stocking-glove distribution in the extremities. Additionally, individuals can also experience disequilibrium and ataxia.
Prognosis
The prognosis is generally favourable, and symptoms resolve when pyridoxine is stopped. It is only when there is an enormous exposure to the supplements and resultant neuropathy that it can cause prolonged disability or death. Peripheral neuropathy is one of the most recognisable features of pyridoxine toxicity. It is important to obtain the vital medical history of supplement intake, including dosages and drug names, along with the duration of intake, to determine if a patient is suffering from vitamin B6 toxicity.
While excessive vitamin B6 supplement intake can be detrimental, certain medical reactions associated with treatment modalities can also cause harm.
