Vitamin B6 for morning sickness in pregnancy helps reduce nausea and vomiting. A usual dose of 10mg to 25mg thrice a day is considered safe and effective. Hormonal fluctuations may usually cause morning sickness during pregnancy. Severe morning sickness may indicate a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum. You should consult your doctor before taking vitamin B6 supplements as an overdose may cause temporary nerve damage (1) (2). This post talks about the efficacy of vitamin B6 in managing morning sickness during pregnancy, its safety, and alternatives.
How Does Vitamin B6 Help In Alleviating Morning Sickness?
Researchers are yet to confirm the exact mechanism by which vitamin B6 helps prevent morning sickness. Vitamin B6 has several forms, such as pyridoxine, pyridoxal, and pyridoxal phosphate, which participate in various enzymatic reactions in the body. It is not known which form has antiemetic (anti-nausea and -vomiting) effects. A study suggests pyridoxal 5′ phosphate (PLP), a vitamin B6 metabolite, may be responsible for its antiemetic effects (3) (4). However, more research is needed to determine the exact mechanism through which vitamin B6 prevents morning sickness.
Is Vitamin B6 Supplementation Safe During Pregnancy?
Nausea and vomiting occur in about 74% of pregnant women. The treatment is initiated with dietary changes and vitamin B6 supplementation. Several studies have mentioned vitamin B6 to be safe for pregnant women. The usual prescribed dose may vary from 10 to 25mg every eight hours (5). When pregnant women were exposed to higher doses (50mg to 510mg per day of vitamin B6), no association with major malformations in the baby was found (6). However, the safe dose may vary from one woman to another. Therefore, consult your doctor before having vitamin B6 for morning sickness during pregnancy.
In What Forms Is Vitamin B6 Available?
You may be prescribed either vitamin B6 or pyridoxine supplement tablets alone or with doxylamine succinate. Here doxylamine succinate is an antihistamine drug approved for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. Fixed-dose combinations may be available by different brand names, some of which are FDA-approved. Examples include:
Diclegis: Delayed-release tablets containing 10mg doxylamine succinate and 10mg pyridoxine hydrochloride (a form of vitamin B6) (7).
Bonjesta: Combination tablets of 20 mg doxylamine succinate and 20mg pyridoxine hydrochloride (8).
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends pyridoxine (vitamin B6) and doxylamine as first-line agents when morning sickness does not respond to conservative treatment with dietary and lifestyle changes (9) (10).
What Are The Alternatives To Vitamin B6 Supplements?
You can improve your vitamin B6 intake by including natural sources of vitamin B6 in your diet during pregnancy. Rich sources of vitamin B6 include chicken, canned chickpeas, potatoes (and other starchy vegetables), and fruits (other than citrus) (4). Some of the other sources of vitamin B6 include the following (11).
Sunflower seeds
Fish such as tuna and wild salmon Chicken Turkey Lean meat of pork and beef Dried fruits such as prunes, raisins, or apricots Banana Avocado Spinach
How To Get Relief From Morning Sickness Naturally?
You may consider the following natural ways to manage morning sickness during pregnancy (12).
1. Lifestyle and dietary changes
These changes may vary based on what provides you the most benefit. A few general changes include the following.
Maintain adequate hydration and electrolyte levels.
Have small, frequent meals. Avoid getting too full or having an empty stomach.
Avoid food items with strong tastes or odors since they may trigger nausea in some cases.
Eat simple dry carbohydrates, such as crackers or biscuits, first thing in the morning.
Talk to your doctor about changing your iron or prenatal vitamin supplements.
Get adequate rest and sleep to manage fatigue.
2. Ginger
A number of human studies have shown the effectiveness of ginger in treating morning sickness. A study has demonstrated it to be superior to vitamin B6 and had minor side effects even at high doses (13). You may keep chopped ginger handy to chew when you feel nausea or vomiting.
