Nutritional Depletion as a Side Effect of Anticonvulsant Medications

[Lainsta]

Ha interesting about agave! I live in a "hippie" town in northern NSW in Aust and everyone has agave (not me) cause it's not sugar and sweet.
But if it has same properties as sugar then ?????

Endless you seem to know your stuff about nutrition thanks for the links.

[Endless]

Thanks for that! lol...

I think Robyn is the nutrition expert on the board, for sure.

I'm kinda a "hippie" myself when it comes to my food. Organic, nonprocessed, vegetarian. So that's why I knew about Agave nectar. Plus it's used to make tequila, so I guess that would make me an expert! lol!
(just a joke - I can't drink any more because alcohol is a seizure trigger for me.)

Agave nectar is just as sugary as anything else with equal sweetness, it's just a different type of sugar (fructose vs glucose). Sort of like the difference between high fructose corn syrup and cane or beet sugar.

If your fellow hippie friends don't believe the rumors about agave nectar:

According to my research, there are three major producers of agave syrup. Some of these companies also have other divisions that make Tequila. For the most part, agave syrup is produced in the Guadalajara region in Mexico. There are those within the industry who I have spoken to at various trade shows who say that some of the agave syrup is “watered down” with corn syrup in Mexico before it is exported to the USA. Why is this done? Most likely because Agave Syrup is expensive, and corn syrup is cheap.
Agave Syrup is advertised as “low glycemic” and marketed towards diabetics. It is true, that agave itself is low glycemic. We have to consider why agave syrup is “low glycemic.” It is due to the unusually high concentration of fructose (90%) compared to the small amount of glucose (10%). Nowhere in nature does this ratio of fructose to glucose occur naturally. One of the next closest foods that contain almost this concentration of glucose to fructose is high fructose corn syrup used in making soda(HFCS 55), which only contains 55% fructose. Even though fructose is low on the glycemic index, there are numerous problems associated with the consumption of fructose in such high concentrations as found in concentrated sweeteners:

http://www.living-foods.com/articles/agave.html

That article gives you an earful about fructose vs. glucose. And, they provide footnotes on where they got their info (MD's, PhD's, govt. studies, etc) I found sites that cheer about the benefits of Agave Nectar, but most of them belong to companies that produce, market, import, or sell it.

As an alternative, I love stevia. Read all about it here:
http://www.truestarhealth.com/Notes/2169001.html

Stevia is 200 times sweeter than sugar, and it isn't absorbed in the intestines so no calories, no carbs, no sugar. In native people it's been used as an herbal remedy for diabetes.

[Lainsta]

wow i didn't know that about tequila, but recently a doctor has been saying to me to stay away from fructose and anything with maltodextrins in it.

Very bad for me apparantely.
Do you know anything about sesame seeds and seizures.

I heard that legumes and seeds and nuts can be bad, but they're so good.
Wondering what you know

Thanks it's very helpful and great to be able to talk about it

[epileric]

Do you know anything about sesame seeds and seizures.

Sesame seeds are a good source of magnesium which has helped more than one person on this site with their seizures.

[Lainsta]

Ah yes, good ol magnesium. I had it IV last week and felt so good afterwards.
Have it powdered every day and once a month i go IV just to maintain the brain balance.

Thanks for the response

[sandi]

I have seized on some herbs so don't mess with them anymore!

[Endless]

Sandi,

You are so right!

I don't know if some herbs are affecting me or not since I can't avoid them. It's so hard to find vegetarian vitamins that don't contain herbs, so I'm getting some of them whether I like it or not.. One multiple vitamin I looked at even had Ginko, which is definitely not recommended these days.

[sandi]

Accidently bought a Arizona Green Tea Once really liking it till down the road.
Also once got this wonderful like honeysuckle /melon tea at Panera - Thouht I was Dying within 1/2 hour Everyone kept trying to tell me No but I knew it!
Also I have issue with simple things like cough syrups, Benadryl Alka Seltzer
I can hardly take anything. If it says Don't take if you have seizures -I can't
I skip all herbs now , nada . none I even Discontinued Rosemary and Lavender
As I grew them and used them all the time and I could tell I would have more partials when in contact closely with them

[Blythe]

I believe there is a common thread in my epilepsy and anti seizure meds, my RA at age of 44 and my Breast Cancer last year at age of 56. It's the low vitamin D level. I want to stay active, to go ack and hike in France, to ski down a slope and feel the rush. Now I have to get these bones stronger.

[Aubrey]

Sorry to complicate matters - but it is possible that not all forms of vitamin supplements are created equal. For example, vitamin E may not be ideal in just d-alpha tocopherol form, but may be more beneficial in a complete form. Also, some vitamin or mineral supplements may tend to inhibit the absorption of other supplements, so it might be good to check that out.

Also megadoses of vitamins that may be very beneficial in normal amounts may be triggers in large amounts. I personally can't take megadoses of vitamin D - my doc thought that would be a good idea. I take a number of supplements which seem to have corresponded with a reduction in my partial seizures, including a complete vitamin E and Coenzyme Q10.

[Blythe]

How high of a megadose if I may ask? I take a multi, 5000 iu Vit D and Calcium citrate. I believe the damage was done in my 20's from the Dilantin.

[Aubrey]

I can't remember exactly, but it was well into the 5 digits, I am thinking 30,000IU. I remember being a little disturbed when she gave me the prescription.

[Eve]

I tried Valerian the other night and it gave me a headache.

Right now I'm Taking High Vitamin B Complex Calcium Magnesium no problem with this and the Dr says ok

[Zoe]

There is much that can be done about nutritional adverse side effects of anticonvulsants. These two books give quite a lot of information on anticonvulsants.

"The Nutritional Cost of Prescription Drugs" by Ross Pelton, R.PH and James B. Lavelle R.PH pub 2000

"The Side Effects Bible" by Frederic Vagnini, MD and Barry Fox, PhD pub 2005

[Eve]

Thanks I am going to check out those books. Do you prefer one book over the other? I know this Keppra has robbed my body of B vitamins I can just feel it. Maybe I'm not taking enough B vitamins?