Pyridoxine, also known as vitamin B6, is used to treat and prevent vitamin B6 deficiency resulting from poor diet, certain medications, and some medical conditions. Vitamin B6 is required by the body for utilization of energy in the foods you eat, production of red blood cells, and proper functioning of nerves. Pyridoxine is also used to treat a certain type of anemia (lack of red blood cells) and some types of seizures in babies. In addition, pyridoxine has been used to treat certain hereditary disorders such as xanthurenic aciduria, hyperoxaluria, and homocystinuria. Pyridoxine has also been used to alleviate mild to moderate nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, and it is often recommended in combination with the drug doxylamine. Pyridoxine is available in regular and extended-release tablets, and it is usually taken once a day. Pyridoxine tablets are taken by mouth, and injectable pyridoxine is injected into a muscle or into a vein through an IV. Pyridoxine usually has no side effects when used in recommended doses, but it can cause side effects such as headache, nausea, drowsiness, numbness/tingling of arms/legs when taken in large doses for a long time.