Can Vitamin B6 Stop Vomiting? Efficacy, Safety, and Usage

October 17, 2025 •

3 min read

For decades, vitamin B6 has been investigated as a remedy for nausea and vomiting, with multiple studies showing its potential to alleviate symptoms, particularly during pregnancy. While it's widely recognized for relieving nausea, many wonder, can vitamin B6 stop vomiting entirely, and what's the evidence supporting its use for various causes?

Quick Summary

Vitamin B6, or pyridoxine, can help manage nausea and vomiting, especially morning sickness, by influencing brain chemicals. Its effectiveness is often more focused on reducing nausea severity than stopping vomiting altogether. Safe usage requires adherence to recommended limits, as high intakes carry potential risks.

Key Points

Effective for Nausea: Vitamin B6 is effective at reducing the severity of nausea, especially for morning sickness during pregnancy.
Combating Vomiting: While helpful, B6 is generally better at managing nausea than completely stopping vomiting.
Multiple Applications: It shows effectiveness in reducing nausea from chemotherapy, oral contraceptive use, and PMS.
Safe Intake Limits: Consuming B6 within recommended daily limits is safe, but high intake can cause nerve damage.
Food Sources are Important: Dietary sources of vitamin B6 include chickpeas, fish, potatoes, and bananas.
Combination Therapy: For more severe morning sickness, B6 is often combined with doxylamine to increase efficacy.
Consult a Doctor: It's vital to consult a healthcare provider before starting B6 supplementation for vomiting.

Understanding the Link Between Vitamin B6 and the Emetic System

Vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, is a water-soluble vitamin vital for numerous bodily functions, including the synthesis of neurotransmitters that regulate the body's emetic system, which controls nausea and vomiting. By influencing these brain chemicals, vitamin B6 may help reduce feelings of queasiness and the urge to vomit. The body converts pyridoxine into its active form, pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP), which is believed to be responsible for its antiemetic effects by acting on the central nervous system.

Can Vitamin B6 Stop Vomiting? Evidence and Applications

Efficacy for Morning Sickness

Vitamin B6 is a recommended first-line treatment for mild to moderate morning sickness in pregnant women. Studies have shown that it can significantly decrease the severity of nausea and the frequency of vomiting. For more severe cases, combining B6 with doxylamine is often more effective.

Benefits for Other Causes of Nausea

Vitamin B6 may also be beneficial for other types of nausea and vomiting. It has been found to reduce gastrointestinal distress in both children and adults undergoing chemotherapy. Research suggests B6 can help relieve nausea as part of a range of PMS symptoms. Some studies indicate that B6 supplementation may lead to fewer side effects, including nausea, in women using birth control.

Limitations and Varying Effectiveness

While helpful, vitamin B6 is not a universal solution for all types of vomiting. Its effectiveness can depend on the underlying cause and the individual. For severe or persistent vomiting, B6 may be less effective at completely stopping vomiting compared to its ability to reduce nausea.

Usage and Safety Precautions

Healthcare providers can offer guidance on the appropriate use of vitamin B6 for managing nausea and vomiting. Adhering to medical recommendations is important for determining the right approach for your specific situation. While generally safe within recommended limits, prolonged high intake has been linked to side effects.

How to Increase Vitamin B6 Intake Naturally

Increasing dietary intake of vitamin B6 is a safe way to maintain adequate levels, although supplementation is often necessary for therapeutic use for active nausea. Good food sources include chickpeas, fish (tuna, salmon), starchy vegetables (potatoes, winter squash), fruits (bananas, papayas), fortified cereals, meat, and poultry.

Comparison of Vitamin B6 with Other Treatments

Here's a comparison of vitamin B6 with other common nausea and vomiting treatments:


Feature	Vitamin B6	Dimenhydrinate (e.g., Dramamine)	Ginger
Primary Use	Mild to moderate nausea (especially NVP)	Motion sickness, general nausea	General nausea, morning sickness
Mechanism	Modulates brain neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine)	Antihistamine effects, CNS depressant	Acts on serotonin receptors and GI motility
Effectiveness	Significant reduction in nausea; less effect on severe vomiting	Can be more effective for vomiting than B6	Often comparable to B6 for mild-to-moderate nausea
Side Effects	Rare at recommended levels; high intake can cause nerve damage	Drowsiness is a common side effect	Generally mild, such as heartburn
Pregnancy Use	First-line treatment for NVP	Consult a doctor; category B	Considered a safe non-pharmacologic option

Potential Risks of Excessive Intake

While safe when used appropriately, exceeding recommended intake levels for extended periods can lead to vitamin B6 toxicity, primarily affecting the nervous system. High intake has been linked to sensory neuropathy, causing symptoms like numbness, tingling, and poor coordination. Excessive intake during pregnancy may also pose risks to fetal development. It is crucial to use B6 supplementation under the guidance of a healthcare professional, particularly during pregnancy.

Conclusion

Addressing the question of can vitamin B6 stop vomiting, the answer is not a simple yes or no. Vitamin B6 is a safe and effective treatment for mild to moderate nausea, particularly during pregnancy and chemotherapy. It works by influencing brain neurotransmitters involved in the emetic system. However, it is generally more effective at reducing the feeling of nausea than completely stopping severe vomiting. Its efficacy can vary based on the cause and individual. For persistent or severe symptoms, consulting a healthcare provider is essential to explore all treatment options. For more information on its use for nausea in pregnancy, refer to {Link: American Academy of Family Physicians https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2003/0701/p121.html}.

Frequently Asked Questions

Vitamin B6 does not work instantly. It typically takes some hours to begin showing effects, and consistent use over several days is often needed for the best results, especially in cases like morning sickness.

Yes, vitamin B6 is widely considered safe for use during pregnancy to manage mild to moderate morning sickness, provided it is taken within recommended limits and under medical supervision.

A healthcare provider can offer guidance on the appropriate use of vitamin B6 for nausea. It is important to follow their recommendations for your specific situation.

Yes, high intake of vitamin B6, particularly above recommended limits for an extended period, can cause nerve problems, numbness, and other side effects.

Many foods are good sources of vitamin B6, including chickpeas, fish, beef liver, chicken breast, potatoes, bananas, and fortified cereals.

For treating mild to moderate nausea, both vitamin B6 and ginger are considered effective, with some studies suggesting comparable efficacy. Both are generally safe, with minor side effects reported.

Vitamin B6 helps to regulate neurotransmitters in the brain, such as serotonin and dopamine, which play a role in controlling the body's emetic (vomiting) system.