A seizure often includes muscle cramping and other involuntary body movements. Medically, a seizure originates in the brain. Neurotransmitters needed to communicate messages across neural pathways in your brain become disrupted prior to a seizure. Symptoms can vary widely and lead to a range of consequences. Nutritional deficiencies often cause seizures and muscle cramping, particularly vitamin deficiencies needed for healthy brain function.
Causes
The first line of defense against neurological disorders is a healthy diet, complete with all of the vitamins your body needs. Consult your doctor before taking vitamin supplements to complement your diet, however, to avoid interactions with other treatments you may be undergoing. Your symptoms also might be a result of an underlying medical condition. Chronic illnesses that interfere with vitamin absorption can lead to nutritional deficiencies and seizures, according to the Dana Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports brain research, publishes scientific journals and coordinates a network of neuroscientists. In developed countries, alcoholism is a leading cause of vitamin deficiencies that lead to seizures, and malnutrition is a common culprit in underdeveloped nations.
Effects
Your body does not produce vitamins naturally, which is why a healthy balanced diet is vital for your health. Diseases that lead to muscle cramps and seizures usually are the result of multiple vitamin deficiencies. While brain disorders such as epilepsy, Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease can lead to seizures and muscle cramps, vitamin D deficiencies, low calcium and magnesium levels, peripheral nerve damage, dehydration and chronic liver disease also can cause the symptoms, according to National Institutes of Health online medical encyclopedia Medline Plus.
Symptoms
Water-soluble vitamins that aren’t used by your body are excreted daily. When you don't replace the vital nutrients daily, you can develop deficiencies. Vitamin C and B-vitamins play a significant role in brain functions that affect your nerves and muscles. A vitamin C deficiency can lead to hemorrhaging and peripheral nerve damage. Spinal cord damage that often leads to muscle cramping may be due to a vitamin B-12 deficiency, according to The Dana Foundation. A lack of sufficient vitamin B-6 leads directly to seizures and peripheral neuropathy. Your central nervous system may be affected by a lack of vitamin B-1, or thiamin. Niacin deficiency can lead to a host of complications, ranging from nausea and diarrhea and mental problems, weakness in the arms or legs and spinal cord damage.
Warning
While fat-soluble vitamins are important for nerve and muscle functions, they are stored in the body and can cause toxicity if taken in megadoses. Deficiencies of vitamin A for example can lead to vision problems, but overdoing it can severely reduce vision acuity. Vitamin D and calcium are vital to prevent muscle spasms and seizures, but toxic levels can lead to nerve and muscle weakness, kidney stones, psychosis and comas. Vitamin E treatments may relieve symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease, but an overdose can lead to hemorrhaging in your brain.
