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Vitamin D Deficiency and Epilepsy control in Women
Research has proved that there exist a direct link between Vitamin D deficiency
and epilepsy control in women. Women Fitness brings together a compilation of
researches on this medican condition present in women.
Correction of Vitamin D Deficiency Shown to Improve Seizure Control in Epilepsy
Nearly half of people with epilepsy are also vitamin D deficient,i but despite
this well-known association, only a single study has been published on the
effect of vitamin D for seizure control in the last 40 years.
That study revealed that treating epileptic patients with vitamin D2 � the far
inferior type of synthetic vitamin D � reduced the number of seizures, and in
1974 researchers concluded that �the results may support the concept that
epileptics should be treated prophylactically with vitamin D.�ii
Now, nearly four decades later researchers have again revealed that �the
normalization of serum vitamin 25(OH)D [vitamin D] level has an anticonvulsant
[anti-seizure] effect.�
Improving Vitamin D Levels Reduces Seizures by 40%
In the latest study, researchers administered a one-time 40,000-200,000 IU dose
of vitamin D3 to patients with epilepsy in order to bring their vitamin D levels
out of a deficiency state.
The participants, who ranged in age from 10-42, had vitamin D levels ranging
from 4 ng/ml to 34 ng/ml, with a median level of 11.8. This is an absolutely
dangerously low level. As you can see in the chart below, anything below 50 ng/ml
is a deficiency state.
After the treatment dose of vitamin D, the participants� vitamin D levels did
improve to a range of 23-45 ng/ml, with a median of 38 ng/ml. It�s important to
note that this is still low according to the latest science � but the
improvement still resulted in a decrease in their number of seizures. If their
levels were optimized further, it�s likely the results would improve even more.
After increasing their vitamin D levels, the results showed:
10 of the 13 subjects had a decrease in number of seizures
Overall, there was a median seizure number reduction of 40%
A seizure reduction of greater than 50% was experienced in five patients
The most revealing result, however, occurred among the person whose vitamin D
was a dangerously low 4 ng/ml at the start of the study. This person had 450
seizures in a three-month period, but after raising vitamin D level to 43.1 ng/ml,
the seizures dropped to 30 in three months! The study did have some limitations,
namely the small number of subjects and the lack of a placebo to compare to, but
it still highlighted the importance of correcting vitamin D deficiency in
epilepsy patients.
Epilepsy Patients are at Increased Risk of Vitamin D Deficiency
The findings are even more important given that people with epilepsy face an
even greater risk of vitamin D deficiency than the general population (and even
the general population is vastly vitamin D deficient). The reasons are two-fold,
with the first being that having frequent seizures may interfere with your
ability to get outdoors and stay active.
If you spend most of your time inside, you�ll miss out on regular sun exposure,
which is key for the natural production of vitamin D. Even exposing your skin to
sunlight through a windowpane will prevent the entry of the UVB rays, which are
the specific wavelength that produces vitamin D in your skin. So, it is crucial
that you get outside and experience direct skin contact with the sunlight
instead of sunning in a sunroom, for instance.
Second, anti-epileptic drugs that are often given to epilepsy patients can
interfere with vitamin D metabolism, leading to deficiency. If you take these
drugs, it is especially crucial that you actively monitor your vitamin D levels
to avoid this side effect.
Why might vitamin D have such a significant impact on epileptic seizures?
Epilepsy is a disorder of the central nervous system, particularly your brain.
Vitamin D is not "just" a vitamin; it's actually a neuroregulatory steroidal
hormone that influences nearly 3,000 different genes in your body. Vitamin D
receptors can be found in your brain, spinal cord, and central nervous system,
and may enhance the amount of important chemicals in your brain needed to
protect brain cells, for starters.
The Study Used Supplements, But Sunshine is Better
Researchers used a one-time large dose of vitamin D3 to boost the participants�
vitamin D levels. If you�re going to supplement, vitamin D3 is certainly far
superior to the vitamin D2 researchers used back in the 1970s.
Today, however, vitamin D2 is still the form typically prescribed by doctors, so
be aware of this if you�re taking this nutrient in prescription form. A
meta-analysis of 50 clinical trials looking at mortality rates for �doctor
recommended� synthetic vitamin D2 supplements versus natural vitamin D3 shows a
6 percent risk reduction among those who used D3, compared to a 2 percent
increased risk among those who used D2.
Research also shows vitamin D3 is approximately 87 percent more potent in
raising and maintaining vitamin D concentrations and produces 2- to 3-fold
greater storage of vitamin D than does D2. D3 is also converted into its active
form 500 percent faster. So by all means use vitamin D3 if you�re going to
supplement, not D2 � but even better, simply get out in the sun, or use a safe
tanning bed.
The IDEAL way to optimize your vitamin D levels is through appropriate sun or
safe tanning bed exposure. While your skin does create vitamin D3 in response to
sunlight, which is theoretically the same as the D3 you get from an oral
supplement, there's cause to believe that the vitamin D created from sun
exposure may have additional health benefits. Plus, you cannot overdose when
getting your vitamin D from sun exposure, as your body has the ability to
self-regulate and only make what it needs. You do, however, need to be cautious
and avoid burning.
If you cannot get your vitamin D requirements from sun exposure, I recommend
using a safe tanning bed (one with electronic ballasts rather than magnetic
ballasts, to avoid unnecessary exposure to EMF fields). Safe tanning beds also
have less of the dangerous UVA than sunlight, while unsafe ones have more UVA
than sunlight. If neither of these are feasible options, then you should take an
oral vitamin D3 supplement. It will certainly be better than no vitamin D at
all, but you will need to monitor your levels via blood testing to ensure you
stay within the therapeutic range.
You can learn more about maximizing your vitamin D from safe sun exposure in the
video below. If you have epilepsy, it�s possible that doing so could help you
decrease seizure drugs (a very good thing, since all seizure drugs can increase
your risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and some of these drugs can make
you lose your memory and your hair).
The Role of Vitamin D in Disease Prevention
A growing body of evidence shows that vitamin D plays a crucial role in disease
prevention and maintaining optimal health. There are about 30,000 genes in your
body, and vitamin D affects nearly 3,000 of them, as well as vitamin D receptors
located throughout your body.
According to one large-scale study, optimal Vitamin D levels can slash your risk
of cancer by as much as 60 percent. Keeping your levels optimized can help
prevent at least 16 different types of cancer, including pancreatic, lung,
ovarian, prostate, and skin cancers.
How Vitamin D Performance Testing Can Help Optimize Your Health
Is it any wonder then that no matter what disease or condition is investigated,
vitamin D appears to play a crucial role? This is why I am so excited about the
D*Action Project by GrassrootsHealth. Dr. Heaney is the research director of
GrassrootsHealth and is part of the design of the D*action Project as well as
analysis of the research findings.
GrassrootsHealth shows how you can take action today on known science with a
consensus of experts without waiting for institutional lethargy. It has shown
how by combining the science of measurement (of vitamin D levels) with the
personal choice of taking action and, the value of education about individual
measures that one can truly be in charge of their own health.
In order to spread this health movement to more communities, the project needs
your involvement. To participate, simply purchase the D*Action Measurement Kit
and follow the registration instructions included. (Please note that 100 percent
of the proceeds from the kits go to fund the research project. I do not charge a
single dime as a distributor of the test kits.)
As a participant, you agree to test your vitamin D levels twice a year during a
five-year study, and share your health status to demonstrate the public health
impact of this nutrient.
There is a $65 fee every six months for your sponsorship of this research
project, which includes a test kit to be used at home, and electronic reports on
your ongoing progress.
You will get a follow up email every six months reminding you "it's time for
your next test and health survey."
Latest Research on Epilepsy and vitamin D. by Holl� A1, Clemens Z, Lakatos P.
Several disorders, both systemic and those of the nervous system, have been
linked with vitamin D deficiency. Neurological disorders with a vitamin D link
include but are not limited to multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer and Parkinson
disease, as well as cerebrovascular disorders. Epilepsy which is the second
leading neurological disorder received much less attention. We review evidence
supporting a link between vitamin D and epilepsy including those coming from
ecological as well as interventional and animal studies. We also assess the
literature on the interaction between antiepileptic drugs and vitamin D.
Converging evidence indicates a role for vitamin D deficiency in the
pathophysiology of epilepsy.
Correction of vitamin D deficiency could help control seizures in epilepsy,
according to a recently published study by a group of researchers in Hungary.
Holl� A, Clemens Z, Kamondi A, Lakatos P, Szűcs A. Correction of vitamin D
deficiency improves seizure control in epilepsy: A pilot study. Epilepsy and
Behavior. 2012 Apr 11.
Lead investigator Andr�s Holl� and company measured baseline levels of vitamin D
in 13 subjects. Ten of the subjects had localization-related epilepsy, two had
Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and one subject was diagnosed with idiopathic
generalized epilepsy. The subjects� ages ranged between 19-60 years and had
epilepsy from 10 to 42 years. Median serum levels at baseline were 11.8 ng/ml,
ranging from less than 4 ng/ml to 34.2 ng/ml. Eight of the patients had levels
less than 12 ng/ml.
The investigators corrected deficiency in all 13 subjects by administering a
one-time 40,000-200,000 IU dose of vitamin D3 to treat deficiency, and then
administering a 2,000-2,600 IU daily dose of vitamin D3 for 3 months. The aim of
treatment was to raise levels above 30 ng/ml. After a three month follow-up, the
median 25(OH)D level was 38 ng/ml, ranging from 23.3-45 ng/ml.
They compared the number of seizures in this 3 month period with the 3 month
period beforehand. The results were as follows:
-
10 of the 13 subjects exhibited a decrease in number of seizures
-
2 of the 13 subjects exhibited an increase in number of seizures
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One of the subjects had exactly the same number of seizures
-
Overall, there was a median seizure number reduction of 40%, and this was
statistically significant (p=.04)
-
A seizure reduction of greater than 50% was experienced in five patients
In the subject who started with a level less than 4 ng/ml and raised their level
to 43.1 ng/ml, they experienced a reduction in number of seizures from 450 to 30
over three month intervals.The authors offered no mechanistic explanation for
the results. They did point out that vitamin D receptors and enzyme activators
are present in the brain. In the patient who had a level lower than 4 ng/ml and
450 seizures in three months, you can�t help but speculate that low serum
calcium may have played a role in that subject�s seizure frequency.
Study limitations include small number of patients and lack of a placebo to
compare to. This study certainly warrants a randomized controlled trial, and it
also highlights the importance of correcting vitamin D deficiency in epilepsy
patients. There is no harm in treating vitamin D deficiency, and this pilot
study shows that epilepsy patients could be much better off with a simple
maintenance dose of vitamin D.
The Vitamin D Council recommends a maintenance dose of 5,000 IU/day for adults
and 1,000 IU/day for every 25lbs of body weight in children to sustain vitamin D
sufficiency.
Low vitamin D levels are common in patients with epilepsy by Teagarden DL1,
Meador KJ2, Loring DW3.
Purpose:
Vitamin D is important for bone health, and vitamin D deficiency may contribute
to other disorders (e.g., autoimmune, infections, cancer, degenerative,
diabetic, and vascular).
Enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs have been particularly implicated for
osteoporosis risk given their effects on vitamin D. We examined the prevalence
of vitamin D deficiency in adult epilepsy patients.
Methods:
We conducted an observational study of consecutive epilepsy patients treated by
two clinicians at the Emory University Epilepsy Center from 2008 to 2011 in
order to determine the frequency of low vitamin D levels and possible
differential antiepileptic drug risks. Vitamin D 25-OH levels were categorized
as low (<20 ng/ml), borderline (20-29 ng/ml), or normal (≥30 ng/ml).
Antiepileptic drugs were categorized based on their enzyme inducing properties.
Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed.
Results:
Vitamin D levels were obtained on 596 patients with epilepsy. Mean age was 41
years (SD=14; range=18-81); 56% were women. Race/ethnicity was 55% Caucasian,
34% Black, 2% Asian, and 7% Unknown. The mean vitamin D level was 22.5 (SD=11.9;
range = <4 to 98), and 45% had level <20 ng/ml. Mean vitamin D levels (F=6.48,
p=.002) and frequencies of vitamin D categories (p=.002, Chi square test)
differed across the antiepileptic drug groups. Vitamin D deficiency was present
in 54% of enzyme-inducing and 37% of non-enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs
groups.
Conclusions:
Vitamin D deficiency is common in patients with epilepsy on antiepileptic drugs.
Monitoring of vitamin D should be considered as part of the routine management
of patients with epilepsy.
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Dated 02 November 2015
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