Jessica was taking three very fashionable dietary supplements to ‘help’ her well being… that is when she claims her physique began to vary for the more severe
- Sydney woman shared warning
- She stopped taking supplements
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A woman has urged Australians to be careful when choosing a supplement after claiming she suffered ‘severe neuropathy’ while taking several popular brands.
Sydney woman Jessica Amir, who lives with multiple sclerosis (MS), claims the combination of Blackmores Mega B Complex, Swisse’s Zinc+ and Hair, Skin & Nails made her symptoms worse.
‘These three supplements were sold and recommended by Australian pharmacies to “support” my “health”,’ she said.
‘My doctor told me to stop taking the vitamins immediately after looking at my blood test results.
‘He said that they were probably making my symptoms worse.’
Ms Amir, who began experiencing health issues eight years ago, said she noticed that around the time she was taking the supplements together, her health declined dramatically.
‘I’ve been severely unwell since February 2025. I went from training for an 80 kilometre run, to struggling to walk two metres,’ she said.
‘I lost the ability to write my own name. I couldn’t work for five months.
Jessica Amir, who lives with multiple sclerosis (MS), claims the combination of Blackmores and Swisse supplements made her symptoms worse
She urged her followers not to take Blackmores Mega B Complex which contains Vitamin B6
‘My speech became slurred. My arms and legs were weak, numb, tingling and burning.
‘I had constant pressure in my head. My vision became blurry. I lost my balance. I was walking into things.’
The recommended daily intake of Vitamin B6 for an adult is 1.1mg to 1.3mg.
The amount of B6 in Swisse’s Zinc+ is 30mg, and in Blackmore’s Mega B Complex it is 50mg.
Ms Amir said she is now part of a class action investigation against Blackmores, with personal injury law firm Polaris Lawyers acting on behalf of anyone who has suffered injuries after taking their supplements.
The claimants allege to have suffered after taking B6 supplements, exclusively and in combination with other supplements.
It comes after a Melbourne man claimed another one of Blackmores’ B6 supplement left him with pain and cognitive issues.
Dominic Noonan-O’Keeffe, 33, began taking Blackmores Super Magnesium+ and Ashwagandha+ in May 2024 and soon developed a range of symptoms associated with overexposure to vitamin B6.
Dominic Noonan-O’Keeffe is the lead plaintiff in the class action suit against Blackmores
His symptoms began as fatigue, nerve pain, migraines, and visual disturbances.
Mr Noonan-O’Keefe, who is the lead plaintiff in the suit, said he stopped taking the supplements after hearing his stepsister’s colleague had recently suffered B6 toxicity.
‘I stopped all of my supplements straight away, got a blood test, and within a week, I had a diagnosis of B6 toxicity,’ he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
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,’ he said.
Vitamin B6 is a vital nutrient important for metabolism, brain function and hormonal balance. Most people get enough from their diet.
The vitamin is found in meat, dairy and eggs, as well as spinach, kale, bananas and potatoes.
Blackmores and Swisse supplement products are stocked in all major Australian pharmacies
According to Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), a known side effect of B6 is peripheral neuropathy, which has symptoms of tingling, burning or numbness, usually in the hands or feet.
It usually occurs at high doses or following long-term use of products containing B6.
However, B6 toxicity can occur even at recommended doses, as people process this vitamin at different rates.
While how much B6 you need depends on your age and sex, Health Direct reports most people do not need B6 supplements and can get what they need from food.
An adult woman aged below 50 is recommended to take 1.1 to 1.3 mg a day, with women over 50 recommended to take 1.3 to 1.5 mg a day.
An adult male aged below 50 is recommended to take 1.1 to 1.3 mg a day, with men over 50 recommended to take 1.4 to 1.7 mg a day.
In June 2025, 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.
Daily Mail has contacted Blackmores and Swisse for comment.
