Limited evidenceLongevity & antioxidants

Pyridoxamine

A natural form of vitamin B6 that blocks advanced glycation end-product formation in the laboratory. It was developed as a kidney drug, and the clinical trials did not meet their goals.

Evidence last reviewed: August 2026

What the science says

Diabetic kidney disease Limited evidence
A randomised placebo-controlled trial of pyridoxamine dihydrochloride in 317 patients with type 2 diabetic nephropathy failed its primary endpoint of change in serum creatinine, with a signal only in a post-hoc subgroup with lower baseline creatinine. A follow-up phase 3 study was terminated as a pilot without demonstrating benefit.
Vitamin B derivatives for kidney disease generally Limited evidence
A Cochrane review of vitamin B and its derivatives for diabetic kidney disease found insufficient evidence of benefit on clinically important outcomes, with concerns about harm in some B-vitamin trials.
Anti-glycation effects Limited evidence
Pyridoxamine's ability to trap reactive carbonyls and inhibit advanced glycation end-product formation is well demonstrated in vitro and in animal models. No human study has shown that this translates into slower ageing or better long-term health outcomes.

Dosage & safety

Studied doseThe kidney trials used 150-300 mg twice daily. There is no established supplement dose, and note that ordinary vitamin B6 needs are met by 1.3-2 mg/day of any B6 form.

SafetyNot sold as a dietary supplement in the United States: the FDA ruled pyridoxamine to be an investigational drug excluded from the supplement definition, so US products are unavailable or non-compliant. High-dose vitamin B6 in any form can cause sensory peripheral neuropathy, which is the main risk at the doses used in trials. Avoid combining with other high-dose B6 products, and do not use in pregnancy or with existing neuropathy without medical supervision.

Scientific references

Pyridorin in type 2 diabetic nephropathy
Lewis EJ, Greene T, Spitalewiz S — J Am Soc Nephrol, 2012
Pyridoxamine dihydrochloride in diabetic nephropathy (PIONEER-CSG-17): lessons learned from a pilot study
Dwyer JP, Greco BA, Umanath K — Nephron, 2015
Vitamin B and its derivatives for diabetic kidney disease
Raval AD, Thakker D, Rangoonwala AN — Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2015

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