Sensory neuropathy from pyridoxine abuse. A new megavitamin syndrome

Herbert Schaumburg; Jerry Kaplan; Anthony Windebank; Nicholas Vick; Stephen Rasmus; David Pleasure; Mark J. Brown

doi:10.1056/NEJM198308253090801

Lifestyle and Environment · Nutrition and Metabolic Health

Sensory neuropathy from pyridoxine abuse. A new megavitamin syndrome

Schaumburg H, Kaplan J, Windebank A, Vick N, Rasmus S, Pleasure D, Brown MJ

Published August 25, 1983 The New England Journal of Medicine, 309(8), 445-448

DOI 10.1056/NEJM198308253090801 PMID 6308447

Abstract

We describe seven adults who had ataxia and severe sensory-nervous-system dysfunction after daily high-level pyridoxine (vitamin B6) consumption. Four were severely disabled; all improved after withdrawal. Weakness was not a feature of this condition, and the central nervous system was clinically spared. Although consumption of large doses of pyridoxine has gained wide public acceptance, this report indicates that it can cause sensory neuropathy or neuronopathy syndromes and that safe guidelines should be established for the use of this widely abused vitamin.

Topics

Lifestyle and Environment Nutrition and Metabolic Health Dietary Patterns

Lifestyle and Environment › Nutrition and Metabolic Health › Dietary Patterns

Herbert Schaumburg, Jerry Kaplan, Anthony Windebank, Nicholas Vick, Stephen Rasmus, David Pleasure, Mark J. Brown

H Schaumburg, J Kaplan, Tony Windebank, A Windebank, Nick Vick, N Vick, Steve Rasmus, S Rasmus, Dave Pleasure, D Pleasure, M Brown

PMID 6308447 6308447 DOI 10.1056/NEJM198308253090801 10.1056/NEJM198308253090801 Schaumburg et al. 1983, Schaumburg 1983

Keywords

Adult, Edema/drug Therapy, Gait, Humans, Male, Orthomolecular Therapy/adverse Effects, Peripheral Nervous System Diseases/chemically Induced/pathology, Pyridoxine/administration & Dosage/adverse Effects, Sensation, Substance-Related Disorders, Syndrome, Pyridoxine

Sensory neuropathy from pyridoxine abuse. A new megavitamin syndrome

Abstract

Topics

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