News Article Seizures and Vitamin D Deficiency

[Zoe]

Hi all,

Below is an article I recieved today about vitamin D deficiency and seizure disorders. Vitamin D deficiency is one of the recognized links to seizures and is also a common side effect of many anti-epileptic drugs. It is free to get a membership to this medical news letter.

Vitamin D Deficiency Highly Prevalent Among Epilepsy Patients

Caroline Cassels

December 6, 2007 (Philadelphia) — New research shows almost half of all patients with epilepsy are vitamin D deficient and suggests men are equally, if not more frequently, affected.

Presented here at the American Epilepsy Society 61st Annual Meeting, the study showed 44.5% of epilepsy patients — 45.3% of men and 43.7% of women — were vitamin D deficient, putting these patients at potential increased risk for a wide variety of conditions, including osteoporosis, autoimmune disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and infectious disease, among others...

Link to full article:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/567073?src=mp

[alivenwell]

Hi all,

Below is an article I received today about vitamin D deficiency and seizure disorders. Vitamin D deficiency is one of the recognized links to seizures and is also a common side effect of many anti-epileptic drugs. It is free to get a membership to this medical news letter.

Link to full article:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/567073?src=mp

That's really interesting. When I had a dexascan (of the heel) for testing osteoporosis, the lady technician gave me 2 calcium chews called 'Viactiv'. They have the vitamin D, A and calcium in them. And, they come in multiple flavors: chocolate (my chocolate fix for the day!), strawberry, raspberry, caramel and I think chocolate mint. They claim the vitamin D and vitamin A help our system absorb the calcium. There are generic chews as well. I haven't tried them. I am sticking to what works.

[RobinN]

The one doctor I trust these days (OB-GYN) told me Rebecca should be getting minimum 30 min in the sun every day.
Hard to control so I supplement.

[Zoe]

The one doctor I trust these days (OB-GYN) told me Rebecca should be getting minimum 30 min in the sun every day.
Hard to control so I supplement.

I use the supplements too, especially in winter.

[Ruth]

Hi Everyone

I had no idea that Vitamin D played a part in our seizure activity. Do I need the Vitamin D, A, and Calcium in the same tablet?

[RobinN]

I do our supplements in separate capsules. I find it easier to regulate as to amount, when I give it and the type that I want to purchase.

Actually I don't supplement A or Calcium.

[Ruth]

Thank you Robin

What amount do you use? How do I know how much I need to use?

[RobinN]

I think you should ask your doctor what a good amount would be for you. Tell him about this information and why you think you would benefit from it.
It depends on your body type, weight, activity, blood tests...

You can start from what the bottle says is the RDA. I know for some that isn't enough, and for others it can be too much. So hard for me to say what you would need. When I decide, if it is a supplement that has no side effects I can be more experimental. If there are serious side effects I have to be careful.

[RobinN]

Recent studies of Vitamin D show that it acts more like a hormone than a vitamin. It is formed from cholesterol and exposure to sunlight in the skin. This inactive form of Vitamin D then is taken up by most cells and effects gene expression.

So what does all this mean? Animal and human studies have revealed that Vitamin D deficiency is associated with hypertension, cardiovascular heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis and others as well as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), migraines, epilepsy, polycystic ovaries and finally cancer. Prostate, breast, colon, esophageal, uterine, and lung cancer to just name a few.

People at highest risk for deficiency of Vitamin D include breast fed infants, elderly, dark skinned individuals (melanin is a natural sunblock, so it prevents Vitamin D synthesis in the skin), those who wear sunblock daily and finally those who don’t spend much time in the sun. Needless to say, I check a Vitamin D level in almost every patient that walks in my office.

The normal range of Vitamin D reported by some labs is 10-55 ng/ml. However, according to some experts in the field, optimum range for cell health (prevention of many illnesses, like cancer and MS) is between 40 and 65.

Of course the best way to get Vitamin D is via sunlight. That is not to say, you should throw out your sunblock and not worry about skin cancer. According to Dr. Holick, the discoverer of the active form of Vitamin D, all you need to do is spend a certain amount of time in the sun three times a week.

How to determine this minimum amount of time? You need to stay in the sun, ideally noon time, and find out how long it takes to turn slightly pink. Then, spend one fourth of that time in the sun three times a week, exposing your four extremities and either your face or abdomen or back, with no sun block on of course.

For those who have no time to spend in the sun or are afraid to do so, check with your doctor and consider supplementation under supervision of course.

http://www.drhirani.com/videoVitaminD.html

[angel]

My doctor has me on 2,000 mg vit D everyday and she said if I miss a dose to take 4,000 mg of vit D the next day I guess I was extreamly low and I have to take it everyday...

I feel like crap today but wanted to post this.. its important to have your blood checked anyways....

ttyl
Lorrie

[joan]

I think it so important we share all this as what doesnt work for one, works for another and gives us other ideas to try, other ways to look at things.

I hope you feel better angel.

joan*

[epileric]

The largest study of its kind to date shows that vitamin D each and every day is what will keep the doctor away when it comes to the common cold or the flu.
The finding is based on an assessment of vitamin D levels, nutritional habits and respiratory infection rates among nearly 19,000 American men and women.

http://www.cbc.ca/cp/HealthScout/090224/6022417AU.html

[Ruth]

Hi epileric

Vitamin D is the ticket, then. I had pneumonia 2 years ago. I will remember that. Do you know how it affects epilepsy and cancer.

[Zoe]

Try a google search on "epilepsy" "vitamin D" and one on "vitamin D" "cancer". You'll turn up lots of interesting reading that way!

[swimmy]

After reading this thread as well as another one on calcium and osteoporosis, I called my primary doctor and had her order a blood panel and bone density test.
I take Phenobarbital so I am concerned with my calcium levels. I do weight-bearing exercise 5 days a week and take calcium supplements, so I'm doing all I can.

I live in San Diego, so getting enough Vitamin D isn't an issue. I drink spinach juice about 4 times a week, lots of freshly juiced oranges and strawberries, so folic acid probably is not necessary, and take calcium supplements.
However, I just learned that I should take magnesium, too...!?!

I'll get my blood results back and go from there.

[RobinN]

I live in sunny SoCA as well and both Rebecca and I are deficient in vitamin D.
Not sure why that is, but I have decided to supplement with D.

Quite interesting that I did not catch a cold or the flu this year.

[swimmy]

I live in sunny SoCA as well and both Rebecca and I are deficient in vitamin D.
Not sure why that is, but I have decided to supplement with D.

Hmmm...
Well, I'm about to leave to do my blood test. I'll share the results if they show anything surprising.

[Andrew]

Hi all,

I am looking to find people who use a vitamin other than B vitamins to control seizures.

I had my first seizure at two weeks old. I spent the first six months of my life in and out of hospital. Doctors were mystified by my illness. None of the ‘normal’ antiepileptic drugs that were administered had any positive effects. At this time I was having many ‘different types’ of seizures a day some of which went status. Countless tests were being done including, EEGs, lumber punctures… etc. A top pediatrician from the main city hospital told my mother that he was going to a meeting. He said he would talk about me in the hope that someone there would be able to help us. At this meeting there was a professor who was doing research into childhood epilepsy. He suggested a trial of Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (vitamin B6). Pyridoxine Hydrochloride was administered (I was five months old). Within two to three days my mother noticed a big difference in me. I’d stopped having severe seizures. Because of the positive effects that vitamin B6 had on my seizures the antiepileptic drugs were withdrawn (this all happened back in 1970-71). I’ve been taking Pyridoxine Hydrochloride on a daily bases ever since. I have now been using vitamin B6 for just over 38 years.

I was still experiencing my aura and the occasionally seizure while I was taking vitamin B6 only. So, after an unsuccessful two year trial of Antiepileptic Drugs, which started when I was 15 years old, I began to do my own research into the other seven B vitamins. By the time I was 19 years old, I'd discovered a B complex that I thought was right for me. After getting the B complex tablet analyzed by doctors at the hospital and with my doctor's consent, I started to take this B complex, along with my B6, on a daily bases. Again, it was successful, my aura was under control and so were my seizures.

I can't remember the exact date of my last grand-mal seizure but it must have been about 18 years ago now. All of my major seizures (complex partial seizures, simple partial seizures, MCs, tonic clonic seizures... many different types) have also been controlled for about 18 years thanks to B vitamins only.

I would love to compare my seizures to the seizures of people who have been using vitamin D, only, to control their seizures. No other medication (Antiepileptic Drugs, Minerals… etc.), Just vitamin D or Vitamin D with other vitamins (please state which vitamins you use).

Please do not reply to this if you use vitamins as supplements only, if you are using vitamins because of deficiencies as a result of using Antiepileptic Drug(s)/other medication, you are using your vitamin(s) without your doctor’s consent or if you just 'presume' that there are people out there that use vitamin D/vitamins only to control their seizures.

Thank you for your time,

Andy

[Ruth]

Hi Andy

I will reply to your message. That is interesting that you control your seizures by vitamins only. Some people, like my sister, there seizures stop at a certain age. Everyone is different. My father and sister's seizures stopped when they were 16. My sister's seizures came back when she was 60 and have decided to stay.

Is that what happened to you? I hope your seizures will not come back.

Hi Robin
Even though we live in sunny CA, I know it is my medicines that cause my vitamin deficiencies. That is interesting, though, if we soak up enough sun. I do not have a swimming pool, so I do not. Do you Robin, or do you work inside where you do not get the sun. Those commercials that show people who have nothing better to do than just soak up the sun. I wonder how they eat?

[Andrew]

Some people, like my sister, there seizures stop at a certain age. Everyone is different. My father and sister's seizures stopped when they were 16. My sister's seizures came back when she was 60 and have decided to stay.

Is that what happened to you? I hope your seizures will not come back.

Hi feast,

My seizures haven't stopped, my main seizures (many different types) are all controlled, mainly by 400 mg/day of Pyridoxine HCL (vitamin B6. 100 mg/day of which is contained within my multi B complex tablet). If I was to take less than approx. 350 mg/day of vitamin B6 (EC RDA = 2 mg/day for men) my severe seizures (grand-Mal (tonic-Clonic), status epilepticus... etc.) would all return. The exact cause of my seizures is still unknown. Either a genetic mutation (a professor has my DNA and is looking into this. the 'normal' gene that causes Pyridoxine Dependent Seizures (ALDH7A1) appears to working normally) or a faulty B6/B vitamin Metabolism. It could even turn out to be a completely new type of Pyridoxine Dependent Epilepsy that I have. I do still have Absent 'TYPE' seizures.

RARE: The first case of Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) Dependent Seizures was diognosed in 1954. Since 1954, only approx. 200 cases are known about, world wide.

http://faculty.washington.edu/sgospe/pyridoxine/

http://www.healthlinkbc.ca/kbase/nord/nord1126.htm

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/124947-overview

Regards

Andrew