Folic Acid

[valeriedl]

I saw this in another thread about taking folic acid and had a question.

I was wondering why I'm taking folic acid. I'm not going to get pregnant (had a hysterectomy) but I'm taking folic acid, I was taking it before the hysterectomy too.

It's my neuro who prescribed this, not the gyno either.

 

[Nakamova]

Some anti-seizure meds seem to cause low folic acid levels, so that may be why your neuro prescribed it. Which med are you on?

 

[valeriedl]

I take Depakote, Tegretol, Keppra and Lamictal

 

[Nakamova]

Tegretol, Depakote and Keppra can mess with folic acid levels, so that's why your neuro prescribed it. (Lamictal doesn't seem to affect it for some reason). All the B vitamins (folate is B9) are good for the brain, so it's generally a good idea to take a B-complex vitamin.

 

[valeriedl]

I also take a multi vitamin too. I don't know if that has enough of the other vitamins in it too or not.

 

[KarenB]

Folic acid is good for YOU -- not just a developing baby. As Nakamova said, certain AEDs tend to deplete your body's store of folic acid.

Folic acid helps with a number of body functions, but is helpful with certain symptoms common to those suffering with epilepsy, such as memory loss, sleep problems, depression.

Some AEDs can also cause bone loss, anemia, and GI issues, and folic acid is helpful in counteracting some of these effects.

 

[valeriedl]

All the B vitamins (folate is B9) are good for the brain, so it's generally a good idea to take a B-complex vitamin.

I did start taking the B vitamin that helps you with keppra, can't remember which one that is at the time. I started having seizures like crazy while I was on it so I stopped.

 

[Nakamova]

B6 is the vitamin that is supposed to help the Keppra moodiness. Were you taking it a night? If so, that might have been one reason why it was problematic, since it can sometimes interfere with sleep. I haven't found any studies that show B6 causes seizures, but as we all know, epilepsy is full of surprises...

 

[valeriedl]

I don't remember if it was in the morning or night that I was taking it. It was about a year ago that I started using it and that's too long ago for me to remember things.

I've found some goofy things that will cause seizures for me, so yes epilepsy is full of surprises.

 

[KarenB]

I wasn't aware that B6 helps with Keppra moodiness. Jon's supplement contains 16 mg of B6. I was expecting him to get depressed when starting Keppra, and especially when he had the dose raised about a week ago, but he's actually in a better mood, possibly because he's not having as many seizures, so he'e probably feeling better.

 

[Nakamova]

The exact process isn't clear, but the general idea is that Keppra makes your brain "dump" Vitamin B6, which lowers dopamine or seratonin levels and leads to the moodiness and anger.

 

[Andrew]

Vitamin B6 Dependent Seizures

A study published in 2005 suggests that the addition of pyridoxine (vitamin B6) may curtail some of the psychiatric symptoms.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levetiracetam

And:

I haven't found any studies that show B6 causes seizures, but as we all know, epilepsy is full of surprises...

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

http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/pyridoxine-dependent-epilepsy

http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/pyridoxal-5-phosphate-dependent-epilepsy

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15772097

Regards,

Andrew

P.S. I have been prescribed Pyridoxine to treat my EXTREMELY RARE form of vitamin B6 Dependent Epilepsy for over 41 years, I have also been using a multi B complex tablet (all eight B vitamins) for over 20 years.

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

Some vitamins may interfere with certain Anti-epileptic Drugs:

http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/news/concerns-raised-over-policy-add-folic-acid-flour

http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/about/positionstatements/folicacid

A high dose of vitamin B6 may cause Peripheral Neuropathy (nerve damage).

 

[Nakamova]

Hi Andrew --

Pyrixodine-independent epilepsy isn't caused by vitamin B6, it's caused by a lack of it (or an inability to metabolize it properly). It's treated with large doses of B6, rather than being caused by them, so it's the opposite of what valerie has experienced.