Vitamin B6 under review following stricter intake limits

Years of excessive vitamin B6 intake can cause symptoms such as tingling or numbness in the hands and feet. In response, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) lowered the tolerable upper intake level in 2023. This has prompted the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) to reassess the national regulations.

Recalculation of available intake

Vitamin B6 may be added to food products and supplements, such as breakfast cereals or certain drinks. Dutch legislation sets maximum limits for this, based on EFSA’s intake threshold. Now that this limit has been reduced, RIVM has calculated several scenarios at the request of VWS. The first step was to determine how much vitamin B6 people typically consume through regular food. The remaining margin up to the upper limit is referred to as the available intake.

Distribution across food and supplements

In the calculated scenarios, this available intake was allocated in various ways across fortified foods and supplements. Based on these calculations, the maximum allowable amounts of vitamin B6 were established, ensuring the new threshold would not be exceeded.

RIVM advises warning labels

Recent findings suggest that some individuals may experience adverse health effects even at levels below the official limit. RIVM therefore recommends further research into this sensitivity and advises VWS to consider mandatory warning labels on products with added vitamin B6.

Rivm.nl