Exercise is extremely important for healing. First, you need exercise to release excess B6 from muscle storage. It is also important for circulation to get blood to healing nerves. The type and intensity of the exercise will depend upon each individual. A person that has been bedridden for three months cannot do the same level of exercise as someone who has been exercising throughout the toxicity. We do, however, have some guidelines based on research and group experiences.
Intense Exercise
As per Manore’s (1994) Vitamin B6 and Exercise, many of the biological functions of vitamin B6 are related to fuel metabolism during exercise. In this paper, she discusses that short-term extensive and long-term moderate exercise will release B6 from the muscles. Manore also discusses that this release is DURING exercise. Finally, the paper shows that what is released during exercise is absorbed back by the body within thirty minutes of rest after the exercise. The research shows that the amount released during this time is equivalent to ingesting 1.0 to 1.5 mg of B6. Finally, she discusses that athletes had a significantly lower urine B6 value (4-PA) than controls after a vitamin B6 challenge.
Priscilla M Clarkson’s, 1993 “The Effects of Exercise and Heat on Vitamin Requirements” has the best summary of the work on exercise and B6 release. It is below.
“Some studies have shown that acute exercise can alter the blood levels. Leklem and Shultz (1983) found that a 4,500-meter (2.8 miles) run substantially increased the blood levels of PLP in trained adolescent males. Hatcher et al. (1982) and Monore and Leklum (1988) reported an increase in blood levels in PLP after a 50-minute and after a 20-minute cycling exercise. PLP levels returned to baseline values after only 30 minutes of rest (Manore and Leklem, 1988).
Holmann et al. (1991) also found that prolonged treadmill running (2 hours at 60 to 65 percent) resulted in significant increases in blood levels of PLP that were independent of changes in plasma volume, blood glucose, blood-free fatty acid levels and blood enzyme levels.
Another study found that 4-pyridoxic acid excretions in urine was significantly lower in trained athletes compared with controls after a vitamin B6 challenge (Dreon and Butterfield (1986).”
Intense exercise releases 1.0 mg to 1.5 mg of B6 into our bloodstream. It is quickly reabsorbed. The question the research does not answer directly is WHERE does it go when it is reabsorbed. The research does tell us that 70% to 80% of the body storage of B6 is in muscle storage. This implies the body is programmed to put 70% to 80% of incoming B6 into muscle storage. We also know that once B6 muscle storage is full there is no more B6 added back to the muscle. Once you remove B6 from the muscle storage with exercise then you have room to put some back in. Of the 1.0 mg to 1.5 mg of B6 that is dumped into the bloodstream during exercise FROM MUSCLE STORAGE, about 0.70 mg to 1.2 mg is put back into the muscles. This leaves 0.3 mg of free muscle storage space for the next time you exercise. This also means that 0.3 mg is either stored someplace other than muscles or converted to the urinary B6 by-product 4-PA.
The membership of the B6T Smart – Understanding B6 Toxicity Facebook group has reported intense exercise brings more symptoms. BUT! We also see that with each round of exercise, the symptoms lessen. This would suggest that muscle storage is emptying and allowing more to reabsorb. This statement is true, but there is more to this equation. If intense exercise releases 1.0 mg to 1.5 mg AND muscle only reabsorbs 70% to 80% of that THEN there is always that extra 0.3 mg that is being stored someplace other than muscles or converted to the urinary 4-PA. It is this 0.3 mg that is being reabsorbed in nerve tissue that is causing our symptoms after exercise. As we follow the B6T RDA B6 diet AND the B6T Hydration Protocol then we lower B6 that has been stored in nerve tissues. Those nerves start to heal. As we progress through the months of the Protocol, we know that extra 0.3 mg released from exercise bothers us less and less.
Do not go from zero to intense exercise. This is not a healthy way to heal. We suggest starting slow and building your way up.
Moderate to Light Exercise
There is no research discussing the removal of B6 from the muscles with moderate to light exercise. The assumption is that we are releasing less B6 from the muscles with moderate to light exercise. The B6T Smart – Understand B6 Toxicity group members have repeatedly shared stories where moderate to low exercise does create more symptoms at first. As time passes, members notice fewer symptoms after they exercise.
Again, starting slow and easing into exercise is the best way to heal.
This link shows examples of light, moderate and intense exercise. This is just a guide to help readers understand the different levels of exercise.
Resistance Training
B6 is stored in muscles. The more muscles then the more storage for B6. Building muscle with resistance training will open up room for B6 to be stored.
As with other types of exercise, start slow.
Stretching, Yoga, Pilates
Again, there is no research on the stretching exercises and the release of B6 from the muscles. A possible research project for future researchers would be to measure P5P after an hour-long pilates or yoga class. Members consistently report that stretching-type exercises create more symptoms in the beginning. As they continue to exercise the symptoms are less.
Physical Therapy, Massage
Ivan Carrasco’s 2018 Master’s dissertation on pyridoxine toxicity using members from the B6T Smart is Understanding B6 Toxicity Facebook group showed that members perceived that physical therapy or massage helped them heal from B6 toxicity. This is the only research in this area. There is no research that measures P5P blood values after an hour-long massage. There have been consistent reports of new symptoms from the Facebook group after muscle manipulation from either a physical or a massage therapist. Again, like with exercise, the symptoms decrease after many visits to the therapist.
Proprioception Exercises
Proprioception is the body’s ability to sense itself. It is the ability to sense its location, movement and actions. When proprioception nerves are damaged then simple activities are lost. Two examples are the ability to walk without thinking or the ability to touch your nose with your eyes closed.
Healthline.com has proprioception symptoms listed as below:
- balance issues, such as having trouble standing on one foot or frequent falls while walking or sitting.
- uncoordinated movement, such as not being able to walk in a straight line.
- clumsiness, such as dropping or bumping into things.
- poor postural control, such as slouching or having to place extra weight on a table for balance while sitting.
- trouble recognizing your own strength, such as pressing on a pen too hard when writing or not being able to gauge the force needed to pick up something.
- avoiding certain movements or activities, such as climbing stairs or walking on uneven surfaces because of a fear of falling.
Many in the Facebook group have reported the feeling of being on a boat while healing. This is a common symptom that is a part of the damaged proprioception nerves. Like all of the other weird symptoms, it goes away.
The most unique proprioception symptom reported by only a few members was the inability to sense their spine. They reported that their body felt like just a pile of tissue that had no structure. Yes, they healed too.
If you have proprioception issues then it is recommended that you do proprioception exercises. The link below shows ten exercises that will help. You can also Google proprioception exercises to get other examples.
Improve Balance, Control, and Coordination with These 10 Proprioception Exercises
Proprioception: Making Sense of Body Position
Additional Thoughts
- Although the research states that B6 is coming out of the muscles during exercise, there is no research that states whether it is coming out of the muscles that are being exercised or if this is a general release of any muscles.
- It is common to have an increase in symptoms after switching from one type of exercise to another. If you normally walk then start Pilates you can expect new symptoms. This pattern suggests that B6 may be coming out of the muscles being exercised.
- The goal is lower B6 in the muscles. It is not zero B6.
- Moderate intense aerobic exercise is a vasodilator. Hydrate before and during this type of exercise to offset the vasodilation.
For more information, also see:
Postexercise hypotension and sustained postexercise vasodilatation: what happens after we exercise?
The Intriguing Role of Histamine in Exercise Responses
Any unlinked research can be found in our Index of Sources.