Thread: B6 Question.

I have very very unclear dreams (I have been keeping a dream journal). I've heard that B6 helps increase your dream recall. I was wondering if 90mg is enough or too much of B6 to take. I have a multi-vitamin in my cabinent that contains B6.

Originally Posted by jeremysmithgrind

I have very very unclear dreams (I have been keeping a dream journal). I've heard that B6 helps increase your dream recall. I was wondering if 90mg is enough or too much of B6 to take. I have a multi-vitamin in my cabinent that contains B6.
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you cannot take 2 much of a water based vitamin at 1 time, even over long periods it is extremely difficult to overdose, and then even more difficulty to cause any permanent damage.

try that much and take 2x to see if it has any effect later on.

B6 taken in medium high doses (like 100 milligrams) a day for an extended time, as well as single really high doses (like ... a whole freaking lot) can cause nerve damage. Everywhere I've read says the nerve damage goes away once the B6 is stopped though. Still it's nice to be informed. According to Wikipedia (and I've read this elsewhere as well), "The United States RDA varies between 1.3 mg and 2.0 mg, depending upon age and gender."

This is directly from this page on Wikipedia:

Overdose

An overdose of pyridoxine can cause a temporary deadening of certain nerves such as the proprioceptory nerves; causing a feeling of disembodiment common with the loss of proprioception.


At least one preliminary study has found that this vitamin may increase dream vividness or the ability to recall dreams. It is thought that this effect may be due to the role this vitamin plays in the conversion of tryptophan to serotonin.

Another study found Increased intake of vitamin B6, from diet and supplements, could cut the risk of Parkinson’s disease by half suggests a prospective study from the Netherlands.


The first time I tried B-6 I took 50 milligrams at bedtime. I then had two incredibly vivid slightly wierd dreams. I then woke up and had insomnia for 4 hours I've tried 25 milligrams a few times since then with no noticable effect. For me, just focusing on recalling dreams works as good as B6. I might try some again in the future if my recall slips or something. If I were you I'd start low (which you should always do with any chemical whose effects on you aren't known that you are going to ingest, be it a drug, a vitamin, medication or what have you). Maybe take half that that 90 milligram pill if you can. I gather from your post that the multivitamin is what contains the B-6. You might wanna buy some just straight B6. It's pretty cheap and easily available. I bought 100 count 50 milligram tablets from the local Walgreens for like 4 bucks. In the end though, you shouldn't rely on B6 as your sole method of dream recall. Maybe once in a while to help with a dry spell, or as an experiment like you seem to be doing. Another thing you can try to help with recall (if you haven't already) is just to set your mind to remembering what you dream when you go to bed. It's kind of silly but by doing this I think your subconcious becomes aware that dreams are important to you. In doing this when you wake up they fade less quickly. It works for me and I know it works for some other people as well.

I've tried 50, 100, and 200 and nothing happened to me.

Leixor, lets be practical and realistic here, unless someone swallows a bottle of b complex they cant overdose at 1 time, the amounts vary for each b vitamin but most are over 40x the rda to get to a dangerous dose.

Also, did you know rda is just the bare minimum ? yup.

Originally Posted by OmnipotentTitan

Leixor, lets be practical and realistic here, unless someone swallows a bottle of b complex they cant overdose at 1 time, the amounts vary for each b vitamin but most are over 40x the rda to get to a dangerous dose.

Also, did you know rda is just the bare minimum ? yup.
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My bottle of B6 tablets contains 50 milligrams per tablet. It recommends you take one of these per day. This is listed as 2500% of the USRDA. Two of those (I.E. 100 milligrams) would then be 5000% of the USRDA. That's 50 times the USRDA. Also evidenced by the fact that the "high-end" of the USRDA is 2 milligrams/day. 100 milligrams is 50 times that.

Now, more to the point: When I said "a whole freaking lot" I meant in excess of 500 milligrams a day. I suppose it was my fault for not directly specifying. According to Merck (a manufacturer of pharmaceuticals) the required dose for toxicity is 2 - 6 grams over a period of 2 - 40 months.

But this is from the National Institute of Health:

What is the health risk of too much vitamin B6?
Too much vitamin B6 can result in nerve damage to the arms and legs. This neuropathy is usually related to high intake of vitamin B6 from supplements, [28] and is reversible when supplementation is stopped. According to the Institute of Medicine, "Several reports show sensory neuropathy at doses lower than 500 mg per day" [12]. As previously mentioned, the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine has established an upper tolerable intake level (UL) for vitamin B6 of 100 mg per day for all adults [12]. "As intake increases above the UL, the risk of adverse effects increases [12].

That's what the government had to say about it. Either way I maintain that it is unwise to start with a large dose when dealing with a supplement you've never taken before. I guess in the end my point was you can get too much of just about anything. (I.E. Water Toxicity) I believe in the value of informed decisions with as much information as possible. So that's where I was coming from.

Originally Posted by Leixor

My bottle of B6 tablets contains 50 milligrams per tablet. It recommends you take one of these per day. This is listed as 2500% of the USRDA. Two of those (I.E. 100 milligrams) would then be 5000% of the USRDA. That's 50 times the USRDA. Also evidenced by the fact that the "high-end" of the USRDA is 2 milligrams/day. 100 milligrams is 50 times that.

Now, more to the point: When I said "a whole freaking lot" I meant in excess of 500 milligrams a day. I suppose it was my fault for not directly specifying. According to Merck (a manufacturer of pharmaceuticals) the required dose for toxicity is 2 - 6 grams over a period of 2 - 40 months.

But this is from the National Institute of Health:

What is the health risk of too much vitamin B6?
Too much vitamin B6 can result in nerve damage to the arms and legs. This neuropathy is usually related to high intake of vitamin B6 from supplements, [28] and is reversible when supplementation is stopped. According to the Institute of Medicine, "Several reports show sensory neuropathy at doses lower than 500 mg per day" [12]. As previously mentioned, the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine has established an upper tolerable intake level (UL) for vitamin B6 of 100 mg per day for all adults [12]. "As intake increases above the UL, the risk of adverse effects increases [12].

That's what the government had to say about it. Either way I maintain that it is unwise to start with a large dose when dealing with a supplement you've never taken before. I guess in the end my point was you can get too much of just about anything. (I.E. Water Toxicity) I believe in the value of informed decisions with as much information as possible. So that's where I was coming from.
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Yes, its easily reversible if it is a 1 time dose.

When I'm doing lucids research or working on Lucid task etc. I take (1) 200mg pill (before bed or around 2AM) and usually it produces a lucid or gives me very detailed and clear dreams. For me it works, but probably not for all. I dont want to take it everyday due to it could loose its great effect.