Sugar as a seizure trigger?

[forward2007]

Does anyone think sugar can be a seizure trigger? Or is there any literature on sugar as a seizure trigger? I don't personally have any experiences where I think sugar or lack of sugar caused me to have a seizure but maybe someone here else does.

[alivenwell]

Does anyone think sugar can be a seizure trigger? Or is there any literature on sugar as a seizure trigger? I don't personally have any experiences where I think sugar or lack of sugar caused me to have a seizure but maybe someone here else does.

I know a low sugar level can cause a coma-like state. I would imagine too many sweets could cause a higher weight gain which could dilute meds. During my pregnancy, med levels were constantly monitored as I gained weight. I need my sweets, but I'd stay away from some of the artificial sweeteners. Also, it is not always written on labels, but there are chemicals called sorbitol, malitol (to name 2) that can cause diarrhea which I would imagine could prevent absorption of meds. Some companies list the warning of these artificial sweeteners in REALLY TINY print. Some companies have absolutely nothing on their packaging. I guess they don't have to list it under a certain amount.

[brain]

Does anyone think sugar can be a seizure trigger? Or is there any literature on sugar as a seizure trigger? I don't personally have any experiences where I think sugar or lack of sugar caused me to have a seizure but maybe someone here else does.

Those Dairy Queen Moo-Lattes can be
Seizure Triggers!

And I love them! So I risk myself once in a
blue moon ... it's worth it!

[alivenwell]

I heard they spit in those before you get them.....

[Bee91]

Those Dairy Queen Moo-Lattes can be
Seizure Triggers!

And I love them! So I risk myself once in a
blue moon ... it's worth it!

...maybe it could also be the caffiene?

[Bee91]

Those Dairy Queen Moo-Lattes can be
Seizure Triggers!

And I love them! So I risk myself once in a
blue moon ... it's worth it!

Maybe caffiene could play a part in that also?

[alivenwell]

Maybe caffiene could play a part in that also?

You probably have no control over how long that stuff was brewed and how much caffeine is in 'em. The excessive sugar probably hid that bitter coffee. Frankly, I'd just go for a straight can of whip cream and squirt that in my mouth. That's the best stuff on these. It's cheaper, too!

[RobinN]

Rebecca's first seizure followed a Starbucks variety of one of these....
Plus three hours of ice skating...
and the beginning of her TOM

[Bee91]

I do think sugar could be a trigger. When I skip too many meals (which I tend to do on Topamax) I end up seizing...

I don't eat a lot of sugar, but to me, it makes sense that it would be the opposite would be true also; if you eat too much sugar you would have a seizure...

[RobinN]

My understanding is more the insulin reaction of your body at the time that the sugar is ingested.
When a body eats the amount of carbs that is recommended by the USDA, it is likely to send your insulin levels through the roof. Fats and proteins create virtually no rise in insulin levels. So the best nutritional plan would be to eat a diet of mostly protein, fats, and vegetables, with minimum amount of carbs.

Junk food is junk food whether it is sugar free or fat free. They are empty foods that leave our bodies nutritionally unsatisfied.

We must eat protein and fat to make hormones that regulate the systems of the body, and to promote healthy cells. Hormone imbalance leads to disease. Proteins and fat are necesssary for the constant rebuilding that takes place in our bodies. When we don't eat enough of these nutrients, our body breaks down our muscles and bones to get what it needs.

Muscle mass is needed to decrease insulin levels. Muscle provides another area for insulin to stow away elevated blood sugar. Foods that create high insulin levels lead to hormonal imbalance, which can lead to disease.

Is this why the ketogenic and modified Atkins diet and LGIT, works for those with seizure disorders?

[alivenwell]

This may sound silly, but maybe we should be buying those sugar monitors to measure the level(s) in addition to following the diet suggested by RobinN. Diabetic people use them. That would eliminate the sugar factor if that stayed the same, then we can narrow our research down to something like the caffeine. I really wish people with E could measure their med levels, too.
Guess I'll have to go buy one of those centrifugal devices!

[Bernard]

Does anyone think sugar can be a seizure trigger?

Yes.

My wife has had to restrict the amount of simple carbohydrates (including all sugars) that she eats daily. Most of the seizure control diets (ketogenic, modified atkins, LGIT) restrict the daily intake of carbohydrates (and the LGIT specifically simple sugars that cause high glycemic responses).

Diabetics can also experience seizures when their blood sugar goes out of whack.

[Dutch mom]

There sure is a relation between sugar, more specific carbs, and seizures, which is proven bij LGID and low carb diets like (modified) Atkins being succesful for seizure control. I know several kids (and many stories) with severe epilepsy (syndromes) who were anti-epileptic drug resistant and got seizure free or a significant seizure reduction after starting Atkins of KD.
On the ketogenic diet (very low in carbs & proteins, very high in fat) ketones are produced as main energy source instead of glucosis and these ketones seem have a role in seizure control. On the KD there's a relation between blood ketosis and blood glucosis: for finetuning the diet you best measure both with finger blood tests. Ketosis needs to be 3.5-4+ and glucosis 3-3.5 (which is low in normal situations.) We use a combinated glucosis-ketones monitor at home.
On the other hand very low blood glucosis (< 2-3 ) can cause acute seizures, this also occurs in not epileptic persons with very low blood sugar. There's a (not scientific poven) theory that keeping blood glucosis low on the KD is more important as being deep in ketosis (Carrie Loughran, diëtist GB.)
You could check the websites : Atkins for seizures and Matthews Friends dot org.

Mom of an 8-year old succesful keto kid with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, med free on the ketogenic diet.

[RobinN]

Thanks DM, I am going to request a glucose tolerance test after the holidays.

[alivenwell]

There sure is a relation between sugar, more specific carbs, and seizures, which is proven bij LGID and low carb diets like (modified) Atkins being succesful for seizure control. I know several kids (and many stories) with severe epilepsy (syndromes) who were AED resistant and got sz free or a significant sz reduction after starting Atkins of KD.
On the ketogenic diet (very low in carbs & proteins, very high in fat) ketones are produced as main energy source instead of glucosis and these ketones seem have a role in seizure control. On the KD there's a relation between blood ketosis and blood glucosis: for finetuning the diet you best measure both with finger blood tests. Ketosis needs to be 3.5-4+ and glucosis 3-3.5 (which is low in normal situations.) We use a combinated glucosis-ketones monitor at home.
On the other hand very low blood glucosis (< 2-3 ) can cause acute seizures, this also occurs in not epileptic persons with very low blood sugar. There's a (not scientific poven) theory that keeping blood glucosis low on the KD is more important as being deep in ketosis (Carrie Loughran, diëtist GB.)
You could check the websites : Atkins for seizures and Matthews Friends dot org.

Mom of an 8-year old succesful keto kid with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, med free on the ketogenic diet.

Where did you get that glucosis-ketones monitor?

[epileric]

I was so disappointed when a friend pointed out to me that I always had a large seizure after a Dairy Queen Brownie delight (I don't think they have them any more). I've also found that chips & dip will bring on a seizure.

A while back I had a pretty large seizure in front of a friend who had just graduated as a registered nurse & was waiting to write her board exam. She gave me some pop immediately because after a seizure that large the blood sugar drops. I did feel better faster but I've since learned to be careful since that is the same reason epileptics are prone to hypoglycemia.

[brain]

Those Dairy Queen Moo-Lattes can be
Seizure Triggers!

And I love them! So I risk myself once in a
blue moon ... it's worth it!

...maybe it could also be the caffiene?

HEY! I was kidding... there's not much
caffeine in there. (AND NO ALIVE, they do
not spit in them!)

Sugar is a seizure trigger if you get too
much of it, just like one can go into
seizure mode if they don't have enough
sugar - there has to be a balance.

[TeeTees]

Sugar is a seizure trigger if you get too
much of it, just like one can go into
seizure mode if they don't have enough
sugar - there has to be a balance.[/size]

Spot on Brain - it's all about balance. Being low in sugar can decrease our stimulation levels (which already happens with the darn medication), so we need to keep it up. BUT, as soon as we're over that peak of stimulation, we go down the 'over-stimulated' side which we react to in tiredness (it's like a burnout to our systems).....and we all know what tiredness does <damn tiredness!>

It's all about listening to your bodies, and not your minds. Do you 'feel' as though you NEED that extra boost, or do you just want a sweet ?

[Dutch mom]

Where did you get that glucosis-ketones monitor?

Hello,

Hi,

I'm not 'allowed' yet to post links here on the forum, being just a newbee.
So you have to google for yourself: the name is 'medisense precision Xceed', it's a combined ketones-glucosis meter. It works the same way usual glucosis test sets for home using do. There are two kinds of test strips (glucosis and ketosis), especially the ketosis strips are very expensive. But blood testing is much more reliable as testing with ketone urine strips is. The testset itself isn't very expensive (about 10-15 euro's.)

[Zoe]

Blood Sugar and the Seizure Threshold


Hyperglycemia Lowers Seizure Threshold
Hyperglycemia Lowers Seizure Threshold. Carl E. Stafstrom, M.D., Ph.D. ... In adult diabetic patients, periods of hyperglycemia may be associated with ...
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/art...i?artid=387262


[PDF]
URRENT ITERATURE
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat
seizure threshold. The important new finding from Schwechter. and colleagues is that hyperglycemia, itself, is proconvulsant. ...
http://www.aesnet.org/index.cfm?obje...AA630E15FF81EA -


British Library Direct: Hyperglycemia Lowers Seizure Threshold
Order from the British Library: Hyperglycemia Lowers Seizure Threshold.
direct.bl.uk/research/0D/11/RN145326163.html


Hyperglycemia Lowers Seizure Threshold
However, one clue to the answer might be gleaned from the authors's observation that hypoglycemia was associated with a higher seizure threshold. ...
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/art...i?artid=387262 - Similar pages

Drugs that may lower seizure threshold : Epilepsy.com/Professionals
Drugs that may lower seizure threshold. Resource Library > Tables > Drugs that may lower ... estrogen, By means of hypoglycemia By means of hypocalcemia ...
professionals.epilepsy.com/page/table_seniors_drugs.html

epilepsymatters.com - Home of the Canadian Epilepsy Alliance
Sweets, caffeine and alcohol all cause blood sugar levels to fluctuate and should be ... with the anticonvulsant medication and may lower seizure threshold. ...
http://www.epilepsymatters.com/engli...nutrition.html