Does tryptophan help prevent seizures?

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What a great question, Eric. There's tons of so-called "science" behind the theory. I'm not sure if there's a single study, but there should be. Please review this article for what it's really worth without damaging credibility of the authors based on a meaningless tangent:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/48898888/How-Bacterial-Imbalances-May-Predispose-to-Seizure-Disorder

How much so-called empirical evidence do we really need when the following gut maladies are well known to include seizure activity:

1) Celiac disease; symptoms may not even be gut-related which is why epilepsy is not normally associated with the gut; manifesting elsewhere in the body, but of gut origin. The Celiac industry, with its head firmly planted in the sand, doesn't yet recognize gut flora as factor with their grossly incomplete biopsies and oblivion regarding use of probiotics. They believe the only treatment for Celiac disease is the starchy gluten-free diet which feeds the problem. They don't include fungi in their biopsies because that would only be tested in immunocompromised conditions and they don't yet see Celiac, with all its severe complications both mental and physical, as immunocompromised. They don't test for clostridium bacteria because they wrongly believe it's limited to the large intestine.

2) Amboebic dysentery; protozoal origin of flora imbalance as their diet is bacteria. Bacterial enzyme deficiency is underestimated. Moreover, bacteria tend the gut lining. Save the bacteria!

3) C-diff; spore-forming clostridium bacteria now a chronic environmental issue not confined to hospitals. There is much talk on the internet about C-diff and seizure. This malady is no longer limited to the large intestine.

4) Autistic spectrum; epilepsy rates among those with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), range from 20 to 40 percent, with the highest rates among those most severely impaired by autism. Autism is now strongly associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in several peer-reviewed studies. Gut microbiota are known to affect brain development and behavior.

4) IBS (spastic colon); flare-ups include CNS overactivation/irritation of the intestinal lining which contains the most extensive innervation of the body, nerve bundles and fibers directly connected to the brain through the lymphatic system. There is clear evidence of altered gut flora in IBS including SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth).
 
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I've already described how I believe ketogenic diet and fasting ameliorate seizure activity based on resting the gut and shifting flora, not the brain and ketones. And I've also expressed exasperation with the commonly held belief in science that the fetal GI tract is sterile without ANY empirical evidence, perhaps the single largest fallacy of 20th century science, er, religion. Today's scientific "believers" are disconnected from the web of life.

Now let's really turn the epilepsy industry on its ear, shall we? I've already said numerous times how barbaric neurologists treat seizure disorders from the neck up in near total disregard of the gut-brain connection. If phenobarbital doesn't control seizures, they add a cocktail of drugs to sedate the brain only to risk liver damage. They're missing the target with their heads firmly planted in the sand, believing abdominal epilepsy is of brain origin as if the brain controls the gut. Absurd egocentric science akin to believing the Earth is flat!

When phenobarbital does work, the mechanism is via the gut, not the brain. Phenobarbital shifts flora.

Here's what is apparently the only study regarding phenobarbital effect on flora, originally a student thesis. It's not downloadable for some reason, however, it can be viewed and printed in google documents here:
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&...WET0TX&sig=AHIEtbS4eBjp_KnX4EcDkC5Kdke3rXCJNQ

The study shows how phenobarbital increases clostridium growth, however, it also reveals how it affects commensal Bifidobacterium whereby they produce a toxic benzene compound known to disarm clostridium's GDH, a very real factor in seizure, see here:
http://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476(04)00978-3/abstract

Here's a study demonstrating a benzene compound inactivating glutamate dehydrogenase in clostridium:
www.biochemj.org/bj/298/0107/2980107.pdf

Of course, I'm taking plenty of leaps here as I'm not a scientist, but a theorist trying to stir interest. These examples illustrate mechanisms for how phenobarbital is a poison in the intestines and a known cause of abdominal pain. Moreover, they explain why phenobarbital is ineffective in as many as 50% of cases, even exacerbating seizure activity due to already imbalanced gut flora made worse, i.e., there aren't enough commensal bacteria present to shut down and displace opportunistic flora or pathogens.
 
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You've already posted that link & there is no research behind that or anything that Amy Yasko does. I"ve already explained why she should not be given much credence. She has her own "cure" using RNA that anyone with an understanding of biology would know doesn't work.

This treatment has never been proven, it doesn’t even make sense to those familiar with basic biology. http://scienceblogs.com/transcript/2006/11/21/autism-rna/

Also, anyone that has their own personal “cure” for something that they won’t write down its name without a copyright or patent logo means that they’re selling something.

Amy Yasko makes many pseudo-scientific claims but has no studies or data in any peer reviewed literature. Even she says on her site that she doesn’t post any. http://www.dramyyasko.com/resources/autism-pathways-to-recovery/ She says she changed how she shares info but I haven’t found 1 peer reviewed article by her. Also, why would someone only post information where it is not being scrutinized? If it is legitimate then it will hold up to scrutiny. She is even listed in Quackwatch under “unscientific teachings.

1) Celiac disease; symptoms may not even be gut-related which is why epilepsy is not normally associated with the gut; manifesting elsewhere in the body, but of gut origin. Of course, the Celiac industry with it's head firmly planted in the sand, doesn't yet recognize gut flora a factor with their grossly incomplete biopsies and oblivion regarding use of probiotics. They believe the only treatment for Celiac disease is the gluten-free diet. They don't include fungi in their biopsies because that would only be tested in immunocompromised conditions and they don't yet see Celiac, with all its severe complications both mental and physical, as immunocompromised. They don't test for clostridium bacteria because they wrongly believe it's limited to the large intestine.

Like I've said before, I don't see how the fact that celiac symptoms are not gut related might mean that epilepsy is related to the gut. There has been research such as that of Dr. Mainardi but this way of thinking makes no sense to me.

3) C-diff; spore-forming clostridium bacteria now a chronic environmental issue not confined to hospitals. There is much talk on the internet about C-diff and seizure. This malady is no longer limited to the large intestine.
Like I've asked before, where has it ever been said that C. Diff is a chronic environmental issue?? This is just spreading fear for no reason. Also, it never was (to my knowledge) restricted to the large intestine but always part of the whole digestive tract.

4) Autistic spectrum; epilepsy rates among those with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), range from 20 to 40 percent, with the highest rates among those most severely impaired by autism. Autism is now strongly associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in several peer-reviewed studies. Gut microbiota are known to affect brain development and behavior.

Epleptic rates among those with ASD are higher but I have not seen any evidence showing that ASD is Inflammatory Bowel Disease related. Assuming it is because epilepsy might be is quite an assumption.

4) IBS (spastic colon); flare-ups include CNS overactivation/irritation of the intestinal lining which contains the most extensive innervation of the body, nerve bundles and fibers directly connected to the brain through the lymphatic system. There is clear evidence of altered gut flora in IBS including SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth).
How are the nerve bundles/fibres connected through the lymphatic system??? The nerves directly innervate the stomach.
 
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Of course, I'm taking plenty of leaps here as I'm not a scientist, but a theorist trying to stir interest. These examples illustrate mechanisms for how phenobarbital is a poison in the intestines and a known cause of abdominal pain. Moreover, they explain why phenobarbital is ineffective in as many as 50% of cases, even exacerbating seizure activity due to already imbalanced gut flora made worse, i.e., there aren't enough commensal bacteria present to shut down and displace opportunistic flora or pathogens.

You're right, you are taking leaps but they also are good things to consider.
 
Let's add two more gut maladies associated with epilepsy:

1) Obesity: Unbeknownst to Michelle Obama and her Let's Move campaign about childhood obesity, it's not about diet and exercise as these things have been shown to be secondary to flora. Plenty of peer-reviewed research showing the root of obesity to be imbalanced gut flora where children are now born predisposed to obesity. Diet is important though as food shifts flora as shown by the fairly new sciences, epigenetics and nutrigenomics. http://www.neurology.org/content/73/9/658.abstract

2) Diabetes: This is a very scary global epidemic with imbalanced gut flora the root cause, though India, the sanitation-challenged country leading the world in diabetics, believes it's about diet and lack of exercise. It's just as bad in the USA where our poor sanitation is leading to a CDC projection of 1 in 3 diabetic by 2050, enough to cripple our economy based on cost of healthcare. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22056281

Incidentally, India also leads the world in heart disease, suffering a full 60% of the world's heart disease due to genetic defect, I believe of gut origin caused by poor sanitation over generations (gut flora is inherited, microbial predisposition). Heart health is associated with plaque/cholesterol of gut origin due to malabsorption of nutrients and flora imbalance. Heart disease associated with epilepsy is well known: http://archneur.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=773900
 
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It's just as bad in the USA where our poor sanitation is leading to a CDC projection of 1 in 3 diabetic by 2050, enough to cripple our economy based on cost of healthcare. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22056281

I've never known the US to be a place of poor sanitation but even so, how does poor sanitation trigger an inability for our bodies to deal with sugar?

Also despite diabetes increasing to 1 in 3 people by 2050, if you read the statistics of your study, 15.5 out of 1,000. That is only 1.55% of people with
RESULTS:

A total of 705 patients with epilepsy were identified, giving a prevalence of 15.5 of 1000

As of 2009 that would put them in the lowest group according to the CDC map. http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/DDT_STRS2/NationalDiabetesPrevalenceEstimates.aspx?mode=DBT For that reason I have trouble understanding how your study can conclude that epilepsy & diabetes are associated. Did I miss something?
 
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Diabetic seizure is well known. Have you heard of hypoglycemia? How about reactive hypoglycemia misdiagnosed as bipolar or schizophrenia?
http://www.dlife.com/diabetes/blood_sugar_management/garnero_0605

There's also the Alzheimer's connection with epilepsy with plenty of research about Alzheimer's of gut origin:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22070283

There's probably association between epilepsy and sciatica (nerves connected in the intestines), arthritis and cholesterol issues.

"The Neuroscience of the Gut, Strange but true: the brain is shaped by bacteria in the digestive tract" http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-neuroscience-of-gut

The connection of gut flora and sanitation is my professional interest. Gut flora is passed from generation to generation (microbial predisposition) and appears to be getting more imbalanced as we see epidemic rise in disease, i.e., more than doubling of the autism rate in just the past few years. Here's a poster I've produced outlining the mental health aspect of gut-brain connection: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151102028290602&l=2f13bcf3a5

Just because we have flushing toilets in the USA doesn't make us any better than half the world practicing open defecation. Water-based sanitation is arguably worse as we are multiplying the wrong microbes in the name of sanitation while guided by obsolete law.
 
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Diabetic seizure is well known. Have you heard of hypoglycemia? How about reactive hypoglycemia misdiagnosed as bipolar or schizophrenia?
http://www.dlife.com/diabetes/blood_sugar_management/garnero_0605

True but hypoglycemic seizures are not the same as epilepsy.

The connection of gut flora and sanitation is my professional interest. Gut flora is passed from generation to generation (microbial predisposition) and appears to be getting more imbalanced as we see epidemic rise in disease, i.e., more than doubling of the autism rate in just the past few years. Here's a poster I've produced outlining the mental health aspect of gut-brain connection: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151102028290602&l=2f13bcf3a5

Just because we have flushing toilets in the USA doesn't make us any better than half the world practicing open defecation. Water-based sanitation is arguably worse as we are multiplying the wrong microbes in the name of sanitation while guided by obsolete law.

So that claim is just an unproven assumption on your part. What is your profession? Googling microbial predisposition I only got a result you'd posted.

I don't think we're better because we have flushing toilets but they are cleaner as far as immediate exposure is concerned. Oddly enough autism seems to be more abundant in the more industrialized (cleaner as far as feces goes) countries so that fact alone shows a lack of connection b/w sanitation & autism.
 
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... There has been research such as that of Dr. Mainardi but this way of thinking makes no sense to me. ...

Dr. Mainardi's research may explain the underlying "pathology" by which the "seizure control diets" are actually working. If he is right, the environment in the gut is controlling the production of the neurotransmitter (and effective anti-convulsant) NPY in the brain. I haven't read all the material that Keith is presenting here, but it would not surprise me at all if gut flora were culpable in some cases of causing or exacerbating underlying seizure conditions. Epilepsy (ie. seizure disorders) span a fairly wide spectrum.
 
...
"The Neuroscience of the Gut, Strange but true: the brain is shaped by bacteria in the digestive tract" http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-neuroscience-of-gut
...

Now this I found very interesting. Check this out:
Scientific American said:
... We are only beginning to understand the sort of impact our bacterial passengers have on our daily lives.

Moreover, these bacteria have been implicated in the development of neurological and behavioral disorders. For example, gut bacteria may have an influence on the body’s use of vitamin B6, which in turn has profound effects on the health of nerve and muscle cells. ...

http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f32/vitamin-b6-12601/

A possible connection?

Also...

Scientific American said:
... But this new study is the first to extensively evaluate the influence of gut bacteria on the biochemistry and development of the brain. ...

Pettersson’s team next asked whether the influence of gut microbes on the brain was reversible and, since the gut is colonized by microbes soon after birth, whether there was evidence that gut microbes influenced the development of the brain. They found that colonizing an adult germ-free animal with normal gut bacteria had no effect on their behavior. However, if germ free animals were colonized early in life, these effects could be reversed. This suggests that there is a critical period in the development of the brain when the bacteria are influential.

Consistent with these behavioral findings, two genes implicated in anxiety -- nerve growth factor-inducible clone A (NGF1-A) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) -- were found to be down-regulated in multiple brain regions in the germ-free animals. These changes in behavior were also accompanied by changes in the levels of several neurotransmitters, chemicals which are responsible for signal transmission between nerve cells. The neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin and noradrenaline were elevated in a specific region of the brain, the striatum, which is associated with the planning and coordination of movement and which is activated by novel stimuli, while there were there were no such effects on neurotransmitters in other brain regions, such as those involved in memory (the hippocampus) or executive function (the frontal cortex).

When Pettersson’s team performed a comprehensive gene expression analysis of five different brain regions, they found nearly 40 genes that were affected by the presence of gut bacteria. Not only were these primitive microbes able to influence signaling between nerve cells while sequestered far away in the gut, they had the astonishing ability to influence whether brain cells turn on or off specific genes. ...

First thing I thought of when reading this was:

http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com...red-most-common-form-epilepsy-5679/#post54312

Second thing I thought of:

http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f22/healthy-lifestyle-triggers-genetic-changes-3564/

Possibly related:

http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com...a-modulates-brain-development-behavior-16527/
 
That's a very key point, Bernard, the ability of microbes (perhaps especially yeast as their DNA is strikingly similar to human) to regulate and dysregulate genes. For this reason, I believe several diseases thought to be of genetic origin are actually of microbial origin. The scary part is how this gene-microbe interaction may lead to genetic defect from which there is no return. Microbes themselves are mutating due to our actions. We're at the beginning of learning to live in symbiosis, respecting the fact that we are superorganisms.

Pollution can be seen as both internal and external. What's happening on the planet in the macro is paralleled in the micro of our bodies. For examples, we have many polluted rivers and lakes around the globe dying due to microbial pollution where explosive microbial overgrowth causes low oxygen, acidic dead zones. The worst aspect of global warming is said to be microbial overgrowth of oceans where spewed hydrogen sulfide leads to mass extinction.

It's interesting that gastric bypass surgery in the obese rapidly halts diabetes, removing infected sections of small intestine. Unfortunately, it doesn't last. A new study shows obese moms dramatically more likely to have autistic children:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/h...more-likely-to-have-children-with-autism.html

And here's one of several recent studies detailing gastrointestinal disturbances in autistic children (up to 40% of autistic children are epileptic):
http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0024585
 
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I agree with keith

A weakness of intestine could be responsible of several diseases. It is important to be able to control intestinal flora
 
Thank you, Paolo, you just made my day.

I've been thinking about the ketogenic diet and its effect on flora. My explanation for why it and fasting may be effective in seizure control is due to shifting flora and resting the gut.

It's generally believed increased ketones are protective, but the opposite may be the real truth. Here's a study showing KD over time produces an inverse relationship: "Children who were on the ketogenic diet for longer periods of time had a significantly lower fasting breath acetone."
http://www.nature.com/pr/journal/v52/n3/full/pr2002204a.html

In 2002, study authors had no clear explanation for this "significant inverse association" because they weren't factoring-in the well-known reason: microbes make acetone.

The history of industrial acetone manufacturing during World War I may be very instructive. Acetone was produced using acetone-butanol-ethanol fermentation with Clostridium acetobutylicum bacteria, which was developed by Chaim Weizmann (later the first president of Israel). Royalties to Weizmann from the Indiana corn fermentation plant apparently funded his first Presidential election in 1949.

Here we are back to clostridium bacteria, known to be high in autism. Surely, it's not so simple, but the fact is starches feed some types of bacteria (which is why I believe the starchy gluten-free "Celiac industry" is actually feeding the problem. The SCD or Low Starch diets seem far more appropriate in gut dysbiosis). Beware the innocent potato. Shun pasta. Actually, bleached flour was made illegal in the USA in 1918 by the Supreme Court, but not enforced; it's now banned in Europe.
http://archive.boulderweekly.com/081403/hygeia4.html

Acetone, a basic ketone, is not thought to be so toxic, yet it may be responsible for lowering seizure threshold. Perhaps when starved clostridium are busy trying to survive leading to temporary increased ketones such as acetone, they aren't in toxin-producing mode where clostridium toxins are a known cause of seizure.

Here's a nice article about bacterial fermentation history:
http://www.accessexcellence.org/LC/SS/ferm_background.php
 
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...
I've been thinking about the ketogenic diet and ...

It's generally believed increased ketones are protective ...

Researchers for the Modified Atkins Diet called into question the long standing belief that ketosis was responsible for seizure control:
This study raises important questions on the current use of the traditional ketogenic diet. The first is whether higher ratios with more fat, less protein, and fewer carbohydrates are truly necessary for efficacy. Our results also question whether ketosis is as important as previously reported (10,12). Eighty percent of children with a loss of large urinary ketosis over the study period did not lose seizure control, and the same percentage with trace or zero ketosis at 6 months were still improved. Preliminary efficacy of a low–glycemic index diet with lower levels of ketosis also suggests this may be accurate (13).

http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/index.php?p=modified-atkins-diet
 
Thanks, Bernard, actually fat and protein malabsorption due to damaged intestine isn't so well known, so I question adding fat. Protein malabsorption can be measured via alpha-1 antitrypsin enzyme (A1AT) deficiency. A1AT protects our body from digesting itself, especially lungs and liver, maybe brain. Here's an article about fat as cause of symptoms. I believe I've read a high fat meal can cause seizure. The key to KD may be more about removing carbs such as sugar and starch than adding fat.
http://suite101.com/article/most-celiac-gastrointestinal-symptoms-due-to-fat-malabsorption-a233784
 
More interesting information about barbaric phenobarbital where, as I surmise above, may be effective due to how it works in the gut, not the brain. Here's some roundabout proof as it's known microbiota affect brain development and behavior:
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-05/gumc-srq050812.php

Epilepsy researches disregard the gut-brain connection, i.e., CURE (Citizens United For Research in Epilepsy) has yet to receive a funding request focused on gut origin of seizure. Their Infantile Spasm program, an example of their proactive approach to funding does not promote such research. Antibiotic abuse with newborns and infants is of particular concern, wiping out flora rapidly where it's unknown as to whether or not recolonization is even possible. Vaccination effect on gut flora is little known or understood, yet we follow an absurd and cruel CDC schedule beginning within 12 hours of birth.

Incidentally, CURE is the work of President Obama's Senior Strategist and campaign manager, David Axelrod, a personal hero of mine. I've followed his career over 30 years, recently trying to communicate with both he and his wife, Susan Axelrod, but they remain unresponsive. Their family experience with their daughter, a very public matter, is excruciating inspiration for their life's work with CURE. I believe their daughter's epilepsy was caused by medicine lowering glutathione in the gut causing seizure clusters as an infant.

You can bet they've never considered gut origin of seizure and I've been wallpapering their Facebook page with information, their staff literally dumbfounded: http://www.cureepilepsy.org/research/grant_is.asp
 
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Great info Keith.
I am not a scientist, but I trust my instincts 100% these days, and gut flora has been ranking very high in our situation. Since focusing on healing the gut, my daughters seizures have reduced to 0 for over 16 months.
 
Great info Keith.
I am not a scientist, but I trust my instincts 100% these days, and gut flora has been ranking very high in our situation. Since focusing on healing the gut, my daughters seizures have reduced to 0 for over 16 months.

That's very profound, Robin, my prayer into the Universe for its continuance. Is there a place on this website focused on gut healing strategies?

It's more art than science these days by far. Right now, I'm focused on healing our dog's gut with several probiotics and gelatin. She's also on a grain-free raw diet. Last month she was on an antibiotic called Rifaximin and I believe it was used too long as she now has urinary incontinence at night. The bladder is not supposed to be sterile and the antibiotic caused imbalance. I probably should have used bacteria-based probiotics throughout treatment instead of just the yeast probiotic, Florastor. The key is to give probiotics 2-3 hours after the antibiotic. In hindsight, I might have just used probiotics, however, I know they have rapidly caused seizure in the past. It's like walking a tightrope. At least now I know she can tolerate fairly large doses of probiotics and I hope her bladder will reflourish with the right kind of bacteria. If not, I'd trade doing laundry every morning for her to be seizure-free . . . that's a no-brainer, pun intended!! By the way, a lot of bedwetting children and adults have this problem due to imbalanced flora. Adult diaper sales have surpassed baby diapers. Of course, the problem is completely misdiagnosed. The common belief that urine is sterile is a myth busted by DNA detection this year: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120409164156.htm
 
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Vitamin B6 participates in the metabolism of amino acids in the form of decarboxylation, transamination, deamination, racemization and desulfhydration reactions. The crucial roles that these coenzymes play in the maintenance of functional integrity of the brain become evident when one realizes that some compounds implicated as neurotransmitters are synthesized and/or metabolized by the aid of the vitamin B6-dependent enzymatic reactions. These include dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin, tyramine, tryptamine, taurine, histamine, gamma aminobutyric acid, and even acetylcholine indirectly.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0197018681900012

**DO NOT ALTER ANY MEDICATION WITHOUT YOUR DOCTOR'S CONSENT**
 
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