Epilepsy, also called a seizure disorder, is a neurological condition that causes seizures that affect your mental and physical functions. According to the Epilepsy Foundation, you are considered to have epilepsy when you have two or more unprovoked seizures. During a seizure, strong electrical impulses shoot through your brain and interfere with brain activity. Symptoms of a seizure may include convulsions, loss of consciousness, staring, lip smacking and jerky movements. Anticonvulsants along with a variety of vitamins may help ward off future epileptic seizures. It is important to contact a medical professional before taking any supplements.
B Vitamins
Taking vitamin B-6 and B-12 may help reduce epileptic activity. Vitamins B-6 and B-12 support healthy brain function and aid in the production of melatonin and serotonin, brain chemicals that are important for adequate sleep and mood regulation. The recommended daily allowance of B-6 is 20 mg to 50 mg, while the daily allowance of B-12 is 100 mg to 200 mg. It is important to note that some anticonvulsants may interfere with the absorption of B-6 and B-12 so contact a medical professional before taking these supplements.
Vitamin E
If you want to reduce or prevent epileptic seizures, try taking vitamin E with your anticonvulsant medications. Epileptic patients on long-term anticonvulsant drug therapy tend to have low vitamin E levels so taking vitamin E in conjunction with anti-convulsive medications may help reduce the frequency of epileptic seizures. The recommended daily allowance is 400 international units or IU.
Vitamins D and K
Supplementing with vitamins D and K may help treat your epilepsy. Many anti-convulsive medications used in the treatment of epilepsy can cause a vitamin D and K deficiency. A deficiency in these vitamins can weaken your immune system so that it cannot fight off infections and diseases. If you have epilepsy, maintaining healthy vitamin D and K levels is essential for keeping your immune system strong and preventing illnesses that can trigger seizures. The recommended daily allowance for vitamin D is between 200 IU and 600 IU, while the recommended daily value for vitamin K is 80 mcg.
References
- "Prescription for Nutritional Healing"; Phyllis A. Balch and James F. Balch; 2006
- Epilepsy Foundation: What is Epilepsy?
- "Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Epilepsy"; Orrin Devinsky, Steven C. Schachter and Steven Pacia; 2007
- "Epilepsy: The At Your Fingertips Guide"; Brain Chappell and Pamela Crawford; 2008
- "Canadian Medical Association Journal"; Diagnosis and Management of Epilepsy; Warren T. Blume; February 2003
