I took a very common supplement because it was supposed to help me… my world has been turned upside down and I know I’m not alone

A young Australian has claimed a B6 supplement has left him with pain and cognitive issues, as a law firm launches a class action investigation against Blackmores.

Melbourne man Dominic Noonan-O’Keeffe, 33, began taking two supplements partly on the advice of health podcasters in May 2023. 

Over the course of several months of using the company’s Blackmores Super Magnesium+ and Ashwagandha+, he developed a range of symptoms associated with overexposure to vitamin B6. 

Vitamin B6 is a nutrient naturally found in meats and plants, but has been added to off-the-shelf supplement ranges for its properties aiding metabolism. 

Overconsumption of vitamin B6 can be toxic, though there is no consensus on the threshold for safe usage. 

Mr Noonan-O’Keeffe’s symptoms began as fatigue, nerve pain, migraines, and visual disturbances.

Nine months later, his stepsister asked if he was taking B6 supplements, as a colleague of hers had recently suffered B6 toxicity. 

‘It was a lightbulb moment,’ Mr Noonan-O’Keeffe told the Sydney Morning Herald. 

‘I stopped all of my supplements straight away, got a blood test, and within a week, I had a diagnosis of B6 toxicity.’ 

He later discovered the Magnesium+ he had been taking contained approximately 29 times the recommended daily intake of vitamin B6. 

The Frankston man still suffers numbness in his fingers, nerve pain in his neck, and reduced cognitive ability. 

‘I’m hoping I’m at the tail end of a big flare-up, and this is the start of recovery, even though we know the recovery prospects are pretty unknown,’ Mr Noonan-O’Keeffe said.

Injury law firm Polaris Lawyers has been pursuing a class action investigation against the wellness giant since May. 

They are acting on behalf of anyone who has suffered injuries after taking their supplements.

Polaris principal Nick Mann said more than 300 people had enquired about joining the suit. 

Their respondents claimed to have suffered after taking B6 supplements, exclusively and in combination with other supplements. 

Elli Carew, 64, said she had been inadvertently taking the vitamin through other supplements for several years, with B6 toxicity now interfering with the treatment of her Parkinson’s disease. 

Penny Thompson, 61, said her B6 toxicity first presented as numbness in her hands and feet, before she suffered from paralysed vocal cords. 

The vocal injury, affecting her ability to eat and speak, cost her her role as a TAFE teacher, before she developed other injuries like headaches, gut pain, and numbness.

Mr Mann said the reports were ‘alarming’. 

‘It’s alarming to walk down the vitamin aisle of any chemist in Australia and see vitamin supplements containing levels of B6 which are far above the recommended daily intake,’ he said.

‘Consumers of supplements have a right to be confident that the product they purchase will be safe for their use. 

‘The fact that potentially harmful supplements have been approved for sale by the regulator does not alter the legal obligations of manufacturers to ensure that the products are safe for consumers.’ 

In a decision posted in June, the TGA announced it would consider ordering supplements containing more than 50mg of vitamin B6 to be stored behind pharmacy counters.

Such a change would not come into effect until February 2027. 

A Blackmores spokesman told Daily Mail Australia the company was committed to the ‘highest standards of product quality and consumer safety’.

‘All our products, including those containing vitamin B6, are developed in strict accordance with the regulatory requirements of the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA),’ he said.

‘This includes compliance with maximum permitted daily doses and the inclusion of mandated warning statements. 

‘We acknowledge the interim decision issued by the TGA and we will ensure full compliance with its final determination.’