Seizures & Omega-3

Roughly 5 percent of people in the United States are at risk of experiencing at least one seizure in their lifetime, according to 1997 report by Epilepsy.com. A seizure occurs when electrical signals in your brain misfire, causing physical or behavioral symptoms such as amnesia, sensory hallucinations or convulsions. If you have a pattern of recurring seizures, you will likely be diagnosed with one of the various types of epilepsy. Epilepsy is typically treated with anticonvulsant medications, but omega-3 fatty acids may be helpful as a complementary therapy. Consult your doctor for advice about seizure control before making any dietary or lifestyle changes.

Omega-3 and Seizure Threshold

Every person has a seizure threshold--the lower your seizure threshold is at any given time, the greater your risk of having a seizure is. People with epilepsy generally have lower seizure thresholds than people without epilepsy. Nutritional supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids is believed to increase the seizure threshold in some cases. A study published in the September 2005 issue of the journal "Epilepsy and Behavior" found that omega-3 supplementation prompted a decrease in the frequency of seizures during the first six weeks of the study, but this effect did not last beyond six weeks. Further studies are needed to confirm a link between omega-3 supplementation and altered seizure thresholds.

Non-Esterified Fatty Acids and Seizure Risk

Although several studies indicate that omega-3 supplementation is helpful in complementary treatment of epilepsy, in some cases it is possible for long-term omega-3 consumption to increase your risk of seizures. An animal study published in the October 2009 issue of the journal "Neuroscience" indicated that omega-3 supplementation can cause a drop in blood levels of non-esterified fatty acids, or NEFA. Decreased NEFA levels increased the likelihood of seizure-resistant rats experiencing a seizure. If lowered NEFA levels can also lower the seizure threshold in humans, long-term omega-3 supplementation should be considered with caution.

Omega-3, Seizures and Your Heart

Omega-3, in addition to having seizure-reducing effects, has been shown to reduce the incidence of sudden cardiac deaths or cardiac arrhythmia, according to a study published in the March 2004 issue of the journal "Seizure." Certain types of seizure increase the risk of cardiac arrhythmia, and it is believed that seizure-induced arrhythmia may contribute to the incidence of sudden unexpected deaths--or SUDEP--associated with epilepsy. Some experts believe that omega-3 supplementation can work to reduce both seizure symptoms and cardiac problems, thereby lowering your risk of seizure or cardiac-related SUDEP.

Dosage

At the time of publication as reported by MayoClinic.com, the American Heart Association recommended healthy adults eat fish at least twice weekly to gain dietary omega-3. Dietary sources of omega-3 include lake trout, salmon, albacore tuna, mackerel, anchovies, bluefish and halibut. If you do not get enough omega-3 in your diet, fish oil capsules may be substituted. Omega-3 is present in some types of infant formula; however, young children are not recommended to eat fresh fish because of the risk of mercury contamination. Fish oil capsules are not recommended for anyone under 18 without a doctor's explicit approval.