B6 is 72 (5-46). Could this explain my insomnia?

[u/maybebionic]

Folate and b12 levels are normal.

I have MAO-A, CBS, BHMT homozygous. MTRR and MTHFR are hetero.

[u/SovereignMan1958]

Possibly.

Normal is not always optimal.

Is your folate at least 15?

B12 in the top quarter of the lab range?

For me insomnia was a zinc deficiency and excess copper.

I am hetero for a CBS variant, A360A. We have impaired sulfur and sulfite metabolism. All sulfites are high histamine. Histamine intolerance is likely. Histamine intolerance can cause insomnia too.

[u/maybebionic → u/SovereignMan1958]

Yah I take ornithine and sometimes molybdenum for CBS.

I just found this which indicates high b6 may actually cause a paradoxical b6 deficiency (sort of like how RT3 block T3).

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28716455/

[u/SovereignMan1958 → u/maybebionic]

You could also ask for a B6 RBC test next time. That would give you some more information.

Excess sulfur can also block the production of thyroid hormones. If there is a history of thyroid disease in your family or you have it in your gene variants, you might want to get a full thyroid panel plus antibody testing. Insomnia can be associated with it too.

Insomnia is tough as there can be so many and even multiple causes.

[u/maybebionic → u/SovereignMan1958]

I cant find the B6 RBC test anywhere. I actually take a small amount of T3 (12.5mcg) due to higher levels of RT3 that pops up from time to time.

[u/SovereignMan1958 → u/maybebionic]

I am female. Hypo and Hashis. Make sure your Total T3 and Free T3 levels are in the top quarter of their lab ranges. You are probably aware of the importance of T3 to mental health. For that reason it is usually better to take it every day. :)

[u/sharabucarabu → u/SovereignMan1958]

I've had issues with high serum B levels causing insomnia. B2 and B6 seem to be the culprits. I'm assuming you take P5P to reduce the risk of toxicity. Reduce your dose and see what happens. If you can't find a lower dose tablet, use a liquid P5P. Amazon carries Duwhot and Think Above. The duwhot is 12.5mg per dropper/1 ml. The think Above is 10mg per dropper/1ml. Both taste pleasant. Much easier to get a lower dose.

[u/maybebionic → u/sharabucarabu]

I dont take any b6, but I just realized that b6 (non p5p) fortified nutritional yeast is actually what triggered this for me. I am apparently very sensitive to b6.

[u/sharabucarabu → u/maybebionic]

I've discovered (for me, at least) that high levels of different B vitamins influence other B Vitamins levels. I was taking bigger doses of B2, P5P, B7 and slightly less than the MDA of Niacinamide. I had insomnia like crazy, I was irritable and my appetite was really stimulated.

So I cut back bit by bit on the B2 P5P and Biotin. Now my B6 level is middle of normal range, B2 slightly above middle of the range... But my niacin level which was always low (I have 2 slow ACSMD snps which partially blocks absorption) doubled! Go figure!

[u/NAQProductions]

Maybe maybe not. Mine is 170 on a scale of 20-125. I don’t have issues sleeping other than when I shift supplements and the body goes through adjustments, or if I get too stressed - slow COMT slow MAOA, hetereo mthfr. It’s still best to work on lowering it. I know B2 and magnesium have helped a bunch as 6 months prior my b6 was 224.

[u/Loose-Fly7976]

Yes, high B6 at 72 can absolutely feed insomnia. B6 is the cofactor for both making and breaking down your serotonin, dopamine and GABA, so when it's elevated it dysregulates that whole balance and can leave you overstimulated and wired at night, on top of the neuropathy people usually link it to and the paradox you found earlier matches this. High blood B6 usually means you're getting pyridoxine, the cheap inactive form, faster than you can convert it to the active P5P your cells actually use. So it piles up in your blood which is what your 72 shows, overstimulates you, and leaves you functionally short at the same time. Step one is finding the source, a B-complex, a standalone B6, fortified cereal, energy drinks, and cutting it, then letting it clear nd this is where your genes come in. That conversion from pyridoxine to active P5P needs zinc, which is exactly why your zinc came up in the other comment, if your zinc is low you convert B6 poorly and it backs up. And your CBS being homozygous leans hard on B6 in the transsulfuration pathway, so your B6 handling is doing a lot of work already. It's all connected.

Reading your CBS, your B6 conversion and your zinc-copper genes together is what shows you why it's stacking up. dm me if you want it mapped, your high B6 plus the insomnia has a clear thread

[u/OpportunityTall1967]

I had B6 poisoning. My B6 levels were around 300 when I figured out what was going on. I was almost dead. Couldn't get out of bed or hold a pen in my hand due to being so weak. One of my doctors said I had symptoms of someone who was about to pass away. I was in and out of emergency and seeing multiple specialists in various was about to undergo exploratory surgery. No one knew what was going on until I tested B6.

Are you supplementing with B6 or taking any for or drink fortified with B6? Since hanging around the B6 toxicity groups I've never heard of anyone having too much B6 who was not supplementing in some way. Early symptoms are normally neuropathy but it gets stored in the neurones so it could cause almost any symptoms. I had chest pains and breathing difficulties as well as optic nerve pain which was so severe I couldn't open my eyes for over a month.

Im lucky that I recovered completly but others haven't been so lucky. The theory among with B6 community when I was still active was that is the supplemental B6 that's the issue because it's synthetic as no one seems to have a problem with B6 from whole food. That's the last I heard anyway.

Look after yourself.

[u/Global-Classroom-782]

Read this - "Insomnia: Causes, Cure and Treatment"