Vitamin B6

What it is · too little · too much · daily reference values by country

For reference only. This is not a diagnosis or a prescription. If you have concerns, talk to a doctor or pharmacist.

What it is

Vitamin B6 acts as a coenzyme for a very large number of amino acid metabolism enzymes, and it is involved in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, neurotransmitter synthesis, and more. (Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare · Korean Nutrition Society)
Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin that contributes to the body's energy metabolism, the normal functioning of the nervous system, red blood cell formation and the regulation of hormonal activity. (European Food Safety Authority)

Getting too little

Clear clinical deficiency of vitamin B6 is rare, but subclinical deficiency is common. (Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare · Korean Nutrition Society)
It has been reported that when vitamin B6 is lacking, hemoglobin synthesis decreases and symptoms of microcytic anemia appear. (Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare · Korean Nutrition Society)
The most typical features of vitamin B6 deficiency are anaemia and neurological abnormalities. (European Food Safety Authority)

Getting too much

Symptoms of sensory peripheral neuropathy, such as numbness, tingling, and aching in the hands and feet, abnormal sensations around the mouth, unsteady walking, and ataxia, have been reported in people who took pyridoxine supplements in high doses for a short time or in relatively low doses over a long period of months to years. (Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare · Korean Nutrition Society)

Daily reference values by country

Korea · US · EU — tap to open

These tables are daily reference values for healthy people. Numbers in the text above are a different kind of value, and you cannot diagnose yourself from them. How to read RDA, AI and UL

Korea — 2025 Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans (Ministry of Health and Welfare)

Group	EAR	RNI	AI	UL
0–5 months			0.1 mg
6–11 months			0.3 mg
1–2 years	0.5 mg	0.6 mg		Checking
3–5 years	0.6 mg	0.7 mg		Checking
Male · 6–8 years	0.7 mg	0.9 mg		Checking
Male · 9–11 years	0.9 mg	1.1 mg		Checking
Male · 12–14 years	1.3 mg	1.5 mg		Checking
Male · 15–18 years	1.3 mg	1.5 mg		Checking
Male · 19–29 years	1.3 mg	1.5 mg		Checking
Male · 30–49 years	1.3 mg	1.5 mg		Checking
Male · 50–64 years	1.3 mg	1.5 mg		Checking
Male · 65–74 years	1.3 mg	1.5 mg		Checking
Male · 75+ years	1.3 mg	1.5 mg		Checking
Female · 6–8 years	0.7 mg	0.9 mg		Checking
Female · 9–11 years	0.9 mg	1.1 mg		Checking
Female · 12–14 years	1.2 mg	1.4 mg		Checking
Female · 15–18 years	1.2 mg	1.4 mg		Checking
Female · 19–29 years	1.2 mg	1.4 mg		Checking
Female · 30–49 years	1.2 mg	1.4 mg		Checking
Female · 50–64 years	1.2 mg	1.4 mg		Checking
Female · 65–74 years	1.2 mg	1.4 mg		Checking
Female · 75+ years	1.2 mg	1.4 mg		Checking
Pregnancy	+0.7 mg	+0.8 mg		Checking
Lactation	+0.7 mg	+0.8 mg		Checking

US — NASEM (National Academies)

Group	EAR	RDA	AI	UL
1–3 years	0.4 mg	0.5 mg		30 mg
4–8 years	0.5 mg	0.6 mg		40 mg
Male · 9–13 years	0.8 mg	1 mg		60 mg
Male · 14–18 years	1.1 mg	1.3 mg		80 mg
Male · 19–30 years	1.1 mg	1.3 mg		100 mg
Male · 31–50 years	1.1 mg	1.3 mg		100 mg
Male · 51–70 years	1.4 mg	1.7 mg		100 mg
Male · 71+ years	1.4 mg	1.7 mg		100 mg
Female · 9–13 years	0.8 mg	1 mg		60 mg
Female · 14–18 years	1 mg	1.2 mg		80 mg
Female · 19–30 years	1.1 mg	1.3 mg		100 mg
Female · 31–50 years	1.1 mg	1.3 mg		100 mg
Female · 51–70 years	1.3 mg	1.5 mg		100 mg
Female · 71+ years	1.3 mg	1.5 mg		100 mg
Pregnancy · 14–18 years	1.6 mg	1.9 mg		80 mg
Pregnancy · 19–30 years	1.6 mg	1.9 mg		100 mg
Pregnancy · 31–50 years	1.6 mg	1.9 mg		100 mg
Lactation · 14–18 years	1.7 mg	2 mg		80 mg
Lactation · 19–30 years	1.7 mg	2 mg		100 mg
Lactation · 31–50 years	1.7 mg	2 mg		100 mg
0–6 months			0.1 mg	—
7–12 months			0.3 mg	—

UL — applies to: Unless otherwise specified, the UL represents total intake from food, water, and supplements.

EU — EFSA (European Food Safety Authority)

Group	AR	PRI	AI	UL
7–11 months			0.3 mg
1–3 years	0.5 mg	0.6 mg		3.2 mg
4–6 years	0.6 mg	0.7 mg		4.5 mg
7–10 years	0.9 mg	1 mg		6.1 mg
11–14 years	1.2 mg	1.4 mg		8.6 mg
Male · 15–17 years	1.5 mg	1.7 mg
Female · 15–17 years	1.3 mg	1.6 mg
Male · 18+ years	1.5 mg	1.7 mg
Female · 18+ years	1.3 mg	1.6 mg
Pregnancy · 18–60 years	1.5 mg	1.8 mg
Lactation · 18–60 years	1.4 mg	1.7 mg
18+ years				12 mg
Pregnancy · 18+ years				12 mg
Lactation · 18+ years				12 mg
15–17 years				10.7 mg

UL — applies to: The maximum level of total chronic daily intake of a nutrient (from all dietary sources).

Sources

EFSA DRV Finder (Dietary Reference Values) · checked 2026-10-07
EFSA DRV Finder — nutrient descriptions · checked 2026-10-07
EFSA Overview on Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (v11, August 2025) · checked 2026-10-07
2025 Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans, Vol. 2: Vitamins (Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare · The Korean Nutrition Society; in Korean) · checked 2026-10-07
2025 Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans — summary tables (Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare · The Korean Nutrition Society; in Korean) · checked 2026-10-07
NASEM Dietary Reference Intakes summary tables (Appendix J, 2019) · checked 2026-10-07

The sentences are plain-language summaries of official sources written by SuppleBoard. Each English sentence was checked against the source text by an AI reviewer before publishing. The agencies do not endorse this site. Published 2026-10-17.

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