How much B6 do you need a day?

December 6, 2025 •

3 min read

The human body requires vitamin B6, or pyridoxine, for over 100 enzyme reactions, yet the amount needed daily is quite small. Understanding how much B6 do you need a day is key to supporting functions like metabolism, brain development, and red blood cell production.

Quick Summary

The daily vitamin B6 requirement varies significantly based on life stage, age, and gender, with most people easily meeting their needs through diet. This guide details recommended daily allowances, identifies rich food sources, and explains the signs of deficiency and potential risks of toxicity from supplements.

Key Points

Varying Needs: Your daily B6 requirement depends on your age, gender, and whether you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Dietary Sufficiency: Most healthy individuals can easily meet their B6 needs through a balanced diet rich in fish, chickpeas, potatoes, and other common foods.
Essential Functions: B6 is vital for brain health, red blood cell production, immune function, and protein metabolism.
Deficiency Symptoms: A lack of B6 can cause anemia, skin rashes, mood changes, and neurological issues like peripheral neuropathy.
Toxicity Risk: Excessive B6 from high-dose supplements can lead to nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy), and the Tolerable Upper Intake Level for adults is 100 mg per day.
Supplement Caution: Consult a doctor before taking B6 supplements, as high doses can be harmful, and a balanced diet is typically sufficient.

Understanding the Role of Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6, a water-soluble vitamin, is crucial for maintaining overall health. It plays a vital role in numerous bodily processes, primarily as a coenzyme that aids in metabolism. Key functions include:

Brain Health: B6 is essential for the creation of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which regulate mood and support brain function.
Red Blood Cell Production: It is involved in making hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. A deficiency can lead to anemia.
Immune Function: B6 helps produce antibodies and immune cells, supporting the body's defense system.
Protein Metabolism: The more protein you consume, the more B6 your body requires to break it down and use it effectively.
Blood Sugar Regulation: It helps your body convert carbohydrates into glucose and assists in insulin action.

Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs)

The amount of vitamin B6 you need varies by age, gender, and life stage. These recommendations from the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements are generally considered sufficient for most healthy individuals.


Life Stage	Age	Male (RDA)	Female (RDA)	Pregnant	Lactating
Infants	0–6 months	0.1 mg*	0.1 mg*	—	—
	7–12 months	0.3 mg*	0.3 mg*	—	—
Children	1–3 years	0.5 mg	0.5 mg	—	—
	4–8 years	0.6 mg	0.6 mg	—	—
	9–13 years	1.0 mg	1.0 mg	—	—
Teens	14–18 years	1.3 mg	1.2 mg	1.9 mg	2.0 mg
Adults	19–50 years	1.3 mg	1.3 mg	1.9 mg	2.0 mg
Older Adults	51+ years	1.7 mg	1.5 mg	—	—

*Note: Adequate Intake (AI) is used for infants, as there is insufficient evidence to establish an RDA.

Best Food Sources of Vitamin B6

Most individuals can get their required B6 from a balanced diet, as it is widely available in many common foods. The bioavailability of B6 from a mixed diet is about 75%.

Animal Products: Fish (tuna, salmon), beef liver, and poultry are excellent sources.
Plant-Based Foods: Chickpeas are notably high in B6. Other sources include potatoes, bananas, starchy vegetables, and some nuts like pistachios.
Fortified Foods: Many ready-to-eat breakfast cereals and other grain products are fortified with B6.

What Happens with Too Little or Too Much B6?

While dietary deficiency is rare in healthy adults, certain conditions and medications can increase the risk. Conversely, excessive intake, typically from high-dose supplements, can lead to serious health issues.

Symptoms of B6 Deficiency

A lack of adequate B6 can lead to a range of symptoms, often accompanied by other B vitamin deficiencies.

Anemia: Small, pale red blood cells (microcytic anemia) can occur due to impaired hemoglobin production.
Neurological Issues: Confusion, depression, and peripheral neuropathy (numbness, tingling, and pain in the hands and feet) are possible.
Dermatological Problems: Skin rashes, scaly patches on the lips (cheilosis), and a swollen tongue (glossitis) can be present.
Weakened Immune System: An impaired immune response can result from poor antibody and white blood cell production.

Risks of Excessive B6 (Toxicity)

Unlike deficiency, toxicity is almost exclusively caused by taking high-dose supplements over an extended period. The Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for adults is 100 mg per day.

Peripheral Neuropathy: This is the most classic and serious symptom of B6 toxicity, causing nerve damage that can lead to numbness, tingling, or a 'stocking-glove' sensation.
Loss of Muscle Control: High doses can cause ataxia, a loss of coordination and muscle control.
Other Side Effects: Nausea, heartburn, and skin lesions have also been reported.

Symptoms of B6 toxicity often improve once supplementation is stopped, but nerve damage can sometimes be permanent. Due to these risks, some countries, like Australia, require a specific warning label on supplements providing more than 10mg of pyridoxine.

Comparison of B6 in Common Foods

To help you visualize how easily you can meet your daily B6 needs through diet, here is a comparison of selected food sources, based on information from the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.


Food (Serving Size)	Vitamin B6 Content (mg)	Percent of RDA (1.3mg adult)
Chickpeas (1 cup, canned)	1.1 mg	~85%
Beef Liver (3 oz, pan-fried)	0.9 mg	~69%
Yellowfin Tuna (3 oz, cooked)	0.9 mg	~69%
Sockeye Salmon (3 oz, cooked)	0.6 mg	~46%
Chicken Breast (3 oz, roasted)	0.5 mg	~38%
Potato (1 cup, boiled)	0.4 mg	~31%
Banana (1 medium)	0.4 mg	~31%
Fortified Cereal (1 cup)	0.4 mg	~31%

Conclusion

While a balanced diet is the best way for most people to get sufficient vitamin B6, requirements can change based on age, gender, and life stage. Special circumstances like pregnancy or medical conditions may necessitate supplements, but these should always be taken with caution and under the guidance of a healthcare provider. Given the risks of toxicity associated with high-dose supplements, understanding your specific needs and prioritizing nutrient-rich food sources is the safest approach to maintaining optimal B6 levels.

For more detailed information on vitamin B6, consult the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements factsheet.

Frequently Asked Questions

For adults aged 19 to 50, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin B6 is 1.3 mg per day. For adults over 50, the RDA increases to 1.7 mg for men and 1.5 mg for women.

Excellent food sources of vitamin B6 include chickpeas, fish (like tuna and salmon), beef liver, poultry, potatoes, bananas, and fortified cereals.

It is highly unlikely to get too much vitamin B6 from food and beverages alone. Toxicity is almost exclusively a result of taking high-dose supplements.

Excessive intake of B6 from supplements can cause nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy), resulting in numbness or tingling in the hands and feet. Other symptoms can include lack of muscle control, nausea, and skin lesions.

Yes, pregnant women require 1.9 mg per day, and breastfeeding women need 2.0 mg per day. These higher requirements support the health and development of both mother and baby.

While uncommon, deficiency risk is higher in individuals with kidney disease, malabsorption syndromes (like celiac disease), those with alcohol dependence, and people taking certain medications.

The UL is the maximum daily intake that is unlikely to cause adverse effects. For adults, the UL for vitamin B6 from all sources (food, beverages, and supplements) is 100 mg per day.