Tried B6 for PMS/PMDD, but it caused anxiety. Is this normal?

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purplerox
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Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2022 7:30 am

Tried B6 for PMS/PMDD, but it caused anxiety. Is this normal?

Post by purplerox »

Hi all,

I've had success with magnesium and vitex for mood symptoms during PMS (yay!). After recently re-reading the PMS section in Lara's Period Repair Manual book I noticed that B6 is the 2nd best supplement for PMS, so I decided to give it a go. I purchased 50mg of b6 in the P5P form, the lowest available dose at the stores I visited.

After a few days of supplementing, I felt highly anxious and found myself reacting anxiously to benign situations and being on edge in general. There were no stressful events at this time with work/home-life. I was still eating healthy (no new foods), exercising, and sleeping 8-9 hours & following my sleep schedule. I asked myself what had changed over the last week, and the only thing was adding the P5P. I decided to stop taking the supplement to see if it was the cause, and the anxiety went away gradually 2-3 days later. I did not try a re-challenge, but am considering it to confirm the cause.

I'm a bit confused as to why P5P caused me so much anxiety and what the mechanism might have been. I've read briefly about b6 toxicity and how some individuals can be extra sensitive, but didn't think this was possible with P5P. If you have a potential answer or experienced the same thing with P5P, I'd be happy to hear from you!

In case it's relevant, I had started the supplement at the start of my period, and got off prior to ovulation (so the anxiety was not PMS-related).

Side note, so cool there's now a forum :D

Thank you in advance for your thoughts!
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Lara
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Re: Tried B6 for PMS/PMDD, but it caused anxiety. Is this normal?

Post by Lara »

My patients have never reported anxiety from vitamin B6 but it's possible. Happy to have others chime in here if they have info or a possible mechanism.
nicki h
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Joined: Tue Feb 22, 2022 5:27 pm

Re: Tried B6 for PMS/PMDD, but it caused anxiety. Is this normal?

Post by nicki h »

I get hormonal anxiety and B6 has literally saved my life. I have to take a tad more than 50mg and also combine taurine and my moods and anxiousness are off the charts without it. It honestly felt life changing for me. I wonder if you tried it again, would it be the same? I am super sensitive with taking new products and can hype myself up. Perhaps you could try a smaller dose with food and see how you go?

Ps. Thank goodness for Lara's books, they are Bibles to me!
purplerox
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2022 7:30 am

Re: Tried B6 for PMS/PMDD, but it caused anxiety. Is this normal?

Post by purplerox »

I did a rechallenge of B6 recently during my follicular phase (usually a calm time for me), and found that my anxiety went through the roof on day 3 of 50mg P5P and on day 4 I had heart palpitations that kept me up all night (+ continued intense anxiety).

I guess B6 (P5P) isn't for me.
hereforhelp
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Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2023 11:31 am

Re: Tried B6 for PMS/PMDD, but it caused anxiety. Is this normal?

Post by hereforhelp »

I started up Lara's recs and after about two weeks I also noticed a huge increase in anxiety and heart palpitations. I did a quick search on which vitamins increase anxiety and B6 was listed! Such a bummer! https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/ ... er-anxiety
purplerox
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2022 7:30 am

Re: Tried B6 for PMS/PMDD, but it caused anxiety. Is this normal?

Post by purplerox »

Super interesting! Thank you for sharing your experience and the link :)
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