Latest news with #Blackmores
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Health
- Perth Now
‘Toxic' claim against supplement giant
Australian supplement giant Blackmores is facing potential class-action lawsuit, over claims that excessive levels of vitamin B6 in some of the company's over-the-counter products have led to serious health complications. Dominic Noonan-O'Keeffe began taking Blackmores supplements in May 2023 to support his health, ahead of the birth of his first child. Unaware the magnesium product contained potentially 'toxic' levels of vitamin B6, he claims he soon developed severe symptoms – including fatigue, headaches, muscle spasms, heart palpitations, and loss of sensation, according to Polaris lawyers. Doctors later diagnosed him with neuropathy linked to excessive B6 intake. Despite stopping in early 2024, Mr Noonan-O'Keeffe claims he continues to suffer daily from nerve pain and other symptoms. Polaris Lawyers – who are representing Mr Noonan-O'Keeffe, the lead plaintiff in the potential class-action – allege they later discovered the magnesium product contained about 29 times the recommended daily intake of vitamin B6. Mr Noonan-O'Keeffe claims he suffered lasting health impacts after taking Blackmores Magnesium+. Supplied Credit: Supplied Polaris Lawyers is now investigating a proposed class action against Blackmores for the excessive B6 levels in their vitamin supplements. '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 and above the recommended daily intake,' Polaris Lawyers Founder and Principal Nick Mann said. 'What happened to Dominic is tragic, but he is not alone – we are aware of reports that excessive levels of B6 in over-the-counter supplements may have caused lasting injuries to hundreds of Australians. 'Polaris Lawyers is currently investigating a class action on behalf of anyone who has suffered injuries as a result of excessive levels of B6 as a result of taking Blackmores vitamin supplements.' Blackmores is one of the country's biggest supplement providers. Supplied Credit: Supplied In an interim decision report released in June, the TGA acknowledged no clear consensus on a safe vitamin B6 level that fully prevents peripheral neuropathy. The decision proposed rescheduling products containing over 50mg per day as 'Pharmacist Only Medicines.' A Blackmores spokesperson said they were aware of the TGA's proposed changes. 'At Blackmores, we are 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),' the spokesperson 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.'
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Health
- News.com.au
Aussie supplement company Blackmores facing potential class action over allegedly ‘toxic' levels of B6 in products
Australian supplement giant Blackmores is facing potential class-action lawsuit, over claims that excessive levels of vitamin B6 in some of the company's over-the-counter products have led to serious health complications. Dominic Noonan-O'Keeffe began taking Blackmores supplements in May 2023 to support his health, ahead of the birth of his first child. Unaware the magnesium product contained potentially 'toxic' levels of vitamin B6, he claims he soon developed severe symptoms – including fatigue, headaches, muscle spasms, heart palpitations, and loss of sensation, according to Polaris lawyers. Doctors later diagnosed him with neuropathy linked to excessive B6 intake. Despite stopping in early 2024, Mr Noonan-O'Keeffe claims he continues to suffer daily from nerve pain and other symptoms. Polaris Lawyers – who are representing Mr Noonan-O'Keeffe, the lead plaintiff in the potential class-action – allege they later discovered the magnesium product contained about 29 times the recommended daily intake of vitamin B6. Polaris Lawyers is now investigating a proposed class action against Blackmores for the excessive B6 levels in their vitamin supplements. '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 and above the recommended daily intake,' Polaris Lawyers Founder and Principal Nick Mann said. 'What happened to Dominic is tragic, but he is not alone – we are aware of reports that excessive levels of B6 in over-the-counter supplements may have caused lasting injuries to hundreds of Australians. 'Polaris Lawyers is currently investigating a class action on behalf of anyone who has suffered injuries as a result of excessive levels of B6 as a result of taking Blackmores vitamin supplements.' In an interim decision report released in June, the TGA acknowledged no clear consensus on a safe vitamin B6 level that fully prevents peripheral neuropathy. The decision proposed rescheduling products containing over 50mg per day as 'Pharmacist Only Medicines.' A Blackmores spokesperson said they were aware of the TGA's proposed changes. 'At Blackmores, we are 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),' the spokesperson 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.'
7NEWS
3 days ago
- Health
- 7NEWS
Class action looms over Blackmores after vitamin B6 toxicity causes ‘tragic' injuries to expecting father
A young father left with devastating injuries is at the centre of a looming class action against a popular Australian health supplement company. Dominic Noonan-O'Keeffe says he was taking multiple over-the-counter Blackmores supplements, to bolster his health before becoming a father. But one magnesium product he was taking contained 29 times the recommended daily intake of vitamin B6 — making it toxic to his body, according to Polaris Lawyers. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Class action on the cards for popular health supplement company. The Melbourne law firm's founder and principal Nick Mann said he is aware of hundreds of Australians reporting lasting injuries from B6 consumed through over-the-counter supplements. While B6 is an essential vitamin for the brain, nervous system, immune system, hormonal regulation and metabolism, and can be found naturally in food — too much is toxic. It can leave those who consume unsafe amounts with nerve damage, migraines, heart spasms, and sensations of burning or numbness across the body. For Noonan-O'Keeffe, 'significant fatigue, excruciating headaches and hypersensitivity to his environment' began in August 2023, three months after he began taking Blackmores supplements. 'His symptoms escalated, with Dominic experiencing muscle spasms, neuralgia, heart palpitations, visual disturbances and loss of sensation across his body,' Polaris Lawyers said. 'Dominic was left unable to concentrate, struggling to sleep, constantly in pain and even at times found it difficult walking. His medical team would go on to identify neuropathy caused by excessive B6 levels in the Blackmores supplements.' Such symptoms of B6 toxicity are widely reported, but the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) said that 'many people are not aware' of them, in a 2022 alert to raise awareness. This alert was published by the TGA one month after it strengthened labelling requirements on products with daily doses that included over 10mg of vitamin B6. Noonan-O'Keeffe wants further changes to the way supplements are sold. In a June interim decision report discussing amendment to the Poisons Standard, the TGA could not find a consensus on the levels of B6 safe enough to totally ensure against the development of peripheral neuropathy. 'Previously, it was generally considered that high intake greater than 200mg per day taken over a long period of time was required to develop peripheral neuropathy,' TGA said. But it cited a European literature review which found supplemental doses of less than 50mg per day had caused peripheral neuropathy in some people, and there were notes of 'large inter-individual differences in sensitivity to vitamin B6 toxicity'. The TGA listed 174 reports of nerve-damage conditions as of June 4, and cited concerns of under-reporting. In its 2022 warning, the TGA said that in many cases of adverse reactions to B6 toxicity, patients 'were unaware they had consumed vitamin B6 as the product they were taking was a magnesium supplement'. Of the 32 cases of peripheral neuropathy under review at the time of the alert, 28 per cent involved 'multiple medicines containing vitamin B6, some of which did not have a label warning because they contained less than 50mg of vitamin B6.' In the class action call-out for anyone who believes they may have suffered injuries as a result of B6 toxicity, Polaris Lawyers described how Noonan-O'Keeffe 'could not have imagined the significant long term medical problems that taking the supplement would cause'. Mann said Noonan-O'Keeffe's case was 'tragic' but noted that he 'is not alone'. ''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 and above the recommended daily intake.' The TGA interim decision outlines a rescheduling of vitamin B6, so that products with daily dosages over 50mg will be classified as 'Pharmacist Only Medicines'. A Blackmores spokesperson told 'All our products, including those containing Vitamin B6, are developed in strict accordance with the regulatory requirements of the TGA '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.'
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
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.'
The Age
4 days ago
- Health
- The Age
Migraines, nerve damage: The Australians poisoned by over-the-counter vitamins
Hundreds of patients who have developed twitches, migraines, nerve damage and other neurological symptoms after taking over-the-counter supplements have joined a class action investigation against wellness giant Blackmores, as the medicines watchdog considers restricting access to products containing a vitamin linked to a growing number of toxicity cases. Vitamin B6 is an essential nutrient found naturally in meat and plant sources, and occasionally added to popular over-the-counter supplements to aid the metabolic process. It has generally been considered toxic only when consumed in high doses over a long period, but the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) last month noted there was no scientific consensus on a safe threshold. Symptoms include nausea, hypersensitivity and nerve damage that can lead to tingling, burning and numbness throughout the body. Melbourne injury law firm Polaris Lawyers announced in May that it was pursuing a class action investigation against Blackmores on behalf of anyone who has suffered injuries after taking its supplements 'containing higher than recommended levels of vitamin B6'. The firm's principal, Nick Mann, said the response had been overwhelming, with more than 300 inquiries into joining the potential suit. The majority of respondents suffered injuries after taking Blackmores supplements containing vitamin B6, either exclusively or alongside supplements made by other companies, he said. Loading 'One of the things that surprised me has been the number of people who've told us about really significant and ongoing impacts of basic toxicity long after they've ceased taking the supplement,' Mann said. 'The impacts on them have been permanent and ongoing.' A Blackmores spokesperson said all its products, including those containing vitamin B6, are developed 'in strict accordance' with the TGA's regulatory requirements. Mann said companies had a duty to protect customers and there was strong precedent for successful legal claims against the manufacturers of products approved by regulators but later proven to be harmful.
